| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Kinsman, South Kinsman, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mt. Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, March 26, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
A few bumps/ruts on the access road. Looked like the lot got fairly full, but there was still room for more. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Bare booted across all without much trouble. Tops of the rocks were ice-free. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Many blowdowns along the trail with blazes, as always. But the trail itself is clear of obstructions and well blazed. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw one friendly canine, seemed to be managing the ice ok, but there is a lot of ice. |
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 | Bugs: |
Not yet... |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
After a 4-month hiatus thanks to a sprained ankle, I was able to return on this gorgeous day and visit the Kinsmans. We bare booted to just above the Bald Peak Spur, after which we used light traction - Hillsound spikes for me, Microspikes for Patrick. Traction is absolutely essential right now, and there are several hard ice bulges where full crampons would not be overkill (and there were a few folks using them). The ice starts as manageable hit-or-miss just below the first crossing, but is sporadic enough until the Bald Peak Spur. After that, the ice quickly picks up and is quite significant in places. One tricky icy stretch near the col, but otherwise easy cruising with light traction between the peaks. Up high, there was 1-2" of new snow that turned to slush in the bright sun, on top of a hard base. The base is only a couple inches deep for the most part, unless there is a major dumping of snow, snowshoes will not be needed on this route until next winter. Reports from the hut side involved significant ice on the upper Fishin Jimmy Trail. Ran into a guy cleaning up AT sections he missed over the summer, he left South Kinsman and was off for Kinsman Notch, hope he made it okay! A gorgeous day with unlimited views and a little undercast toward the West in the morning, and it was great to hike with Patrick again! |
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 | Name: |
madmattd |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-03-26 |
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 | Link: |
 https://mattshikes.blogspot.com |
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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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