| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Hale, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Herd path, North Twin Trail, Fire Warden's Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, December 26, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Conditions will likely change with tonight's weather, but this is what we found today. The entire route had been traveled last week by barebooters in powder snow, leaving behind 4.25 miles of holes because the powder was subsequently rained on and then frozen. We had to be attentive to our foot placement since there was a constant threat of rolling ankles.
I have seen many descriptions of the route- not all consistent with each other. Here's mine:
From the parking lot, cross the adjacent bridge. Immediately (like within 30 feet of the bridge), turn left and follow the easy path. It leads to the North Twin Trailhead. From here, follow the NT Trail 0.99 miles (measured by my son's GPS watch), which will put you about 4-6 minutes walk beyond the first river crossing. You don't actually cross at this point, though. Stay on the left bank as you go past the obvious crossing point. As you reach 0.99 miles (from the NT trailhead), you'll see a very short, steep uphill which puts you on an old road rising up to the left. That's the lower end of the Fire Warden's Trail. If you reach the second river crossing, you've gone too far. From this starting point, the FW Trail is as clear and easy to follow as any maintained trail in the mountains. When you get to a point roughly a half-mile below the summit, you'll get decent views of the Presidentials through the trees. A bit beyond that, the trail drops briefly, then climbs the last few hundred meters to the top. |
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 | Name: |
John Parsons |
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 | E-Mail: |
jparsons62752@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-12-26 |
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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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