| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Kearsarge, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Access Road, Winslow Trail, Barlow Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, February 20, 2015 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plowed parking at the gate on Kearsarge Mountain Road, room for a few cars. Kearsarge Mountain Road itself is sanded most of the way. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One duck under on Winslow. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Too cold. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Nope. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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|
 | Comments: |
A very cold day on Kearsarge. So much so that I got to the junction of the Barlow Trail and decided to skip the summit. It was just too cold from the wind. The bright sun made a difference mentally, though.
The auto road was being groomed as I walked up, so I stayed off to the right. Winslow started off with a good snowshoe track, then got less consolidated higher up. Once out on the ledges, it took care to follow the trail to the Barlow junction due to drifting. I planned on taking Barlow down, but after following it for a few hundred feet, it completely disappeared into drifts and became difficult to find. If you see some wandering about up there, that was me. So I doubled back and headed back down Winslow. Barlow was broken out from the bottom, but staying on it up top was tough.
If was a quick trip back down to the picnic area, where there was a great view of snowy Mt. Cardigan. I didn't see any other hikers, but there were a few people skiing the power line cut and the auto road. I wore snowshoes the entire time, they are definitely needed higher up.
Despite the cold and wind, it was a pleasure to have bright sun and blue skies. One of these times I'll climb this mountain when the conditions aren't frigid! |
|
 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2015-02-20 |
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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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