| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Liberty, Mt. Flume, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Multi-use path, herd path, Liberty Springs Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, March 16, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at the lot for the Basin. Lot is completely clear of snow/ice. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Not an issue. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails are in good shape, no major blowdowns nor obstructions. Of note, perhaps: on Franconia Ridge Trail between Liberty and Flume, some blazes are obscured by new, small tree growth, such that they can only be seen at an angle. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
None, yet. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
Multi-use path has patchy ice, but is bare-bootable, as is herd path. From there, Liberty Springs Trail is mostly clear, with occasional stretches of being a stream bed, until shortly before the largest of the water crossings (third to last, heading uphill toward ridge), where monorail begins and one can don light traction without having to remove it.
After this, monorail steadily becomes consistent and then blue ice of increasing thickness until trail is completely in softwoods and becomes the steep uphill prior up to tent site. For the last half mile or so prior to tent site, trail is nothing more than blue ice with occasional small rock showing through.
After tent site and all the way to Flume, trail is an inch of slush atop degrading ice, with occasional rock showing through. Summit area of Liberty is completely clear/dry, and summit of Flume is mostly clear.
We used Hillsound Trail Crampons on the way up with ease -- Microspikes might have been insufficient or borderline effective on steep sections of Liberty Springs Trail. We used the same going down, except on half mile or so of steep/thick ice of Liberty Springs Trail, where traction was a bit more secure.
Of note: on the way down, just after the span of a couple of hours, the warm temperatures had melted/thinned some sections of blue ice, so conditions are changing pretty quickly.
We saw just three other people on the trail all day, and had the summits to ourselves. We were treated to bluebird skies and sunshine for most of the hike, too -- better conditions than anticipated. |
|
 | Name: |
Pancks and Tesco Heaney |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-03-17 |
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 | Link: |
 http:// |
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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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