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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Cannon Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Kinsman Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, January 18, 2013
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Road off Cannon lot was plowed to end and had plenty of room. -6 deg F at 8:15AM when I left. I was only car. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Black, Ice - Blue, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Goggles, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Everything was frozen or covered 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Few small easily avoidable blowdowns. Numerous recently cut trees. Looks like a crew had been through recently to take care of trail. Plenty of fresh blue blazes on trail. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Most of trail was OK I guess but I would have some reservations about dogs. See my comments below. See potential for a dog hurting itself. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: n/a 
 
Comments
Comments: Never hiked this trail before and I must say this little 2.2 mile trail gave me all I could handle today. The sign for the trail was at the far end of a field (is this parking in summer?) without a single track in the 4" of fresh snow so I snow-shoed over and it pointed right up a bank. Not a track in sight but the snow underneath was firm so off I went. First mistake. I was soon in a glade trail of sorts without a blaze in sight. I criss-crossed up this clearing for awhile and eventually spotted a blue blaze and got on trail. (I would later discover on way out I should have went LEFT at sign). A lot of people must have used this trail last weekend in the record warmth because it was firm and chewed up under the fresh powder. I used snowshoes all the way up but in retrospect crampons were probably better.

The middle sections of the trail that zig zag across the old ski trail were treacherous: numerous postholes, very thick ice, voids in snow and rocks all hidden under 4" of fluffy powder which made it very slick(on the way down I took a nasty spill and dislocated my shoulder - LONG walk out dragging my gear with microspikes on. I'd strongly recommend crampons in this section. Wish I had brought a set!). The upper sections after ski trail were severely postholed but the milder grades and firmer snow underneath were easier to negotiate and I appreciated the snow shoes keeping my ankles level although it was still easy to roll in all the hidden postholes. Last section of summit cone had some windswept sections down to bare ledge but were easy enough, even in snowshoes. -12 deg F on top but fortunately the winds were blocked by summit buildings and scraggly trees. Views were outstanding!! Glad I got to top and got a lot of photos before I wrecked my shoulder. Finally made it back to my truck at 2:30PM for the ride to Conway's hospital. If you take this trail use care, bring good traction options and don't hesitate to switch options as you go. Personally I'd wait for another good melt or more fresh snow before I did again. Thanks to the Canadian hiker who offered to carry all my stuff out on his way back if I was still on the trail!  
Name
Name: DayTrip 
E-Mail
E-Mail: bblanchette0709@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2013-01-20 
Link
Link: https:// 
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