| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Hancock, South Hancock, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, February 23, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Usual somewhat limited parking was surprisingly not filled on our latish arrival or our departure. Lot had been plowed but new snow will change things. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
First couple were open but low and one could use rocks even in snowshoes. We went a bit downstream of the first in snowshoes for an easy step across. The other crossings were snowbridged. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There's nothing that is a nuisance, a couple step overs and some duckunders are about it. The spruce-fir tunnel on the ridge will drop new snow down the neck - we were lucky someone else had been through before us. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Pepper had a pretty easy day with full to partially packed trails. The first two crossings could lead to wet paws - I was behind him and didn't get there to make sure he jumped, but he didn't ice his pads up too much as they were well Vaselined. He got to meet Cooper, a friendly poodle happily wearing boots and running with his buddy. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
I picked up 2 Larabars in two different places expecting we'd come across their owner, but never did. |
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 | Comments: |
We used snowshoes the entire hike. My MSR Evo Ascents provided excellent traction, even on the steep trail to the south peak and the one down from the main. Marty's older big Tubbs lacked a heal crampon and he had a fair amount of slippage going up the south, so at times he went off trail. Same for his descent off the main peak. He'll be looking at trail snowshoes. The last ones down that trail did a lot of butt sliding; only down on the lower parts of the steep sections did I see rocks or stumps that might make for a sore rump. The trails up to the loop are well packed, the ridge is unconsolidated or partially so, and the steeps a mix. We saw a large group go in but seemingly disappear; perhaps they were camping. Everyone was in snowshoes until the end when we ran into a couple in crampons without any snowshoes (so the ridge might be chopped up although there was one other snowshoer heading up to maybe smooth things out), and down low a father-daughter skiing. It started to snow the last part of the hike. No views, summits in the clouds. What a contrast with yesterday's great hike on the Presis in so many ways; but it was still good fun to get out on the trails. |
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-02-23 |
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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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