| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owl's Head, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Path, Franconia Falls Trail, bushwhacks |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, April 6, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Usual huge area with just a few cars today. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Blue, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable) |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Rock hops. Water levels are low so all crossings pretty easy. I only took a quick look at one of the two big crossings we avoided, and it looked doable but I didn't look for a specific route that would in fact be dry and nice. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A couple blowdowns on Lincoln Brook; the usual menagerie on Owls Head Path. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Pepper had fun. Easy trails, critters to chase, water to wade in and most of the time off leash. He knew what to do on the ice bulges and made sure on the talus slide to stay above me as Mr. Clumsy knocked a few rocks loose going up and down. |
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 | Bugs: |
None! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
LLBean altimeter/watch/thermometer. It was on its usual carabiner as late as the peak, but when I went to check it at the Fisherman's wack, it was gone. That was unexpected. |
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 | Comments: |
Barebooted to and up the open slide, but put on microspikes for the ice bulges in the steep ledgy sections above the open slide. I kept them on for the icy monorail above that. Same on the return. It is much easier going up and down the upper slide to the right into the woods than it is to go up the slide on the left in that upper section due to ice. There is just little pockets of ice on Lincoln Brook. a few that require some focus in bareboots, and the approach up to the slide is like that, but for the most part everything down low is easy going.
We went out the Black Pond wack at around 2000' which kept us out of the wet areas, and was pretty easy except for some hobblebush. We came back the fisherman's wack, which isn't as simple as it was before Irene, but it still a nice way to return especially because it gets one to Franconia Falls which are so nice. Irene created side channels where the various herd paths were, and in a few places pushed up debris, but basically if one just keeps wacking in mostly easy hardwoods and stays near to the stream, there will be herd paths to use, on and off.
We saw one nice guy on Owls Head path, and met a couple and their dogs Hannah and Althea on Lincoln Brook, who unfortunately had forgotten to bring their spikes. Hannah was at 46 on her 4K list. It started out in clouds, chilly and even some flakes, and ended as a lovely stroll on a sunny spring day. Thanks Pepper for a great day. |
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
windriversjohn at gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-04-06 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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