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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Kinsman, South Kinsman, NH
Trails
Trails: Mt. Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, December 17, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: It wasn't plowed today anyway with maybe 5" of snow when we left, but very drivable at least with snow tires or a truck. Tough drives to and from the hike though, whether my road, 93, 112 or 116. Road crews were out late and only plowing, perhaps anticipating more weather. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Bridged but not completely solid 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No significant blowdowns; one bend over that can be ducked on the ridge. The biggest problem is branches handing into the trail weighed down by snow and ice. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Pepper got a good workout today. I treated his paw pads with Mushers wax, and put Vaseline on the fur of his lower legs. He still had his usual snow/ice balls there but today on the ridge he was hiking in a snowshoe trench deep enough that his eyes were often just below the sides or just above, and when the wind blew his face got hit with the snow and his fur iced up. I've kept his head/face fur long so he was fine inside it but he can't really bite that off as easily as snowballs on his legs. We kept him behind us as much as possible, and we placed our snowshoe steps to form a continuous packed down area that he wouldn't have to plow through the lip between steps or do a zig zag the whole hike between steps. On the hike back he seemed to be swimming in the deep snow on the steeper sections. He seemed to like that. On the hike back we met up with Kali, such a sweet soul and a fellow Griddog. It is always a treat to see her.  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: There were just a couple of new inches at the trailhead when we started, which increased with altitude, but we couldn't tell how much because of all the drifting. The trail was drifting in so fast that we had to re-break it in places on the return leg. There is a lot of snow up high, our poles were going down to near the hand grips off the packed area. Nearing and on the ridge not only had the beaten trail drifted in most places, but there were drifts with compacted snow on top that held weight briefly and then collapsed. We were often in knee deep snow and in places higher. The more notorious ledges were actually pretty easy today due to all the snow. Snowshoes were key; the hike back actually was quite a good snowshoe. Any spikes would have been completely useless. The trail between the parking area and the intersection with the old road at the sign is a little bony in snowshoes but not problem, but above that the snowshoes were great.

I chose this hike expecting that it would be broken out based on trail reports, but the strong winds had filled things in with a little elevation, so tomorrow no matter what route one ascends they should expect to break trail. We didn't see anyone or signs of anyone going up Mt Kinsman, coming up via the Kinsman Ridge, or on Kinsman Ridge. I spent some time on the south peak chasing my hat down in the strong wind. There were times goggles would have been best to protect the eyes from blowing snow on the ridge. There were no views. As we headed down Mt. Kinsman a ways we noticed the trail was no longer drifted in but had snowshoe and dog prints. We were delighted to later run into Heather and Kali with Dan and catch up on a few things. I like the solitude the challenging weather has provided us the last few weekends, but it's always great to run into people you know. They said they had seen on other person snowshoe part way up and turnaround. No one went to Bald Peak.

Thanks Marty for helping break trail for Pepper again. Thanks Pepper for another fine day on the trails. You are a mighty tough little dog. We sure have had a lot of winter hiking already, and it isn't winter yet.
 
Name
Name: Pepper and Me 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-12-17 
Link
Link: https:// 
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