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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Hancock, South Hancock, NH
Trails
Trails: Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, January 28, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Lot has been plowed but is icy. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: On Hancock Notch Trail, half are open and half are still ice bridged, but barebooters are breaking through the ice in places. Cedar Brook Trail crossing is still bridged. Hancock Notch Trail crossings are still bridged. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Cut out half a dozen blowdowns on the ridge. I think I recall two duck unders on Cedar Brook that were about a foot in diameter. Hancock Notch Trail is very brushy in places. Some duck unders on the ascent of North. Still some blowdowns between the peaks. There is an area between North and Middle that folks are going east of the trail onto larger blowdowns and some smaller (off trail) have been cut. May be best to break out a trail west of that patch next snowstorm. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Hancock Notch Trail was fairly firm up to the Cedar Brook Trail. Snow had not set up overnight. We wore Microspikes on the way in without postholing, but wore snowshoes on the return, since it was getting pretty soft. Trail is not broken out beyond the Cedar Brook junction.

Cedar Brook Trail was also fairly firm in the morning, but getting soft in the afternoon. We wore spikes in the morning, but kept the snowshoes on in the afternoon. Some new postholes from afternoon Microspikers.

Hancock Loop Trail up to the split was also fairly firm. Some large blue ice bulges around the second crossing. Spikes in the morning, snowshoes in the afternoon.

We put on our snowshoes for the ascent of North, in part for the superior traction on the steeps. A few small patches of ice, but otherwise frozen granular and loose granular conditions.

Trail can be followed between the peaks, but the new blowdowns could make trailfinding tricky whenever we get another snowstorm. One area north of Middle was scoured down to minimal monorail and some rocks, while south of Middle had drifting powder. At least by lunch time, the temperature was still not above freezing on the ridge. Snowshoes seemed ideal.

Descent of South was okay in snowshoes, but there were a few blue ice bulges (made worse by buttsliders). I don't think I would have felt comfortable descending in Microspikes. Ran into a high school group (shorts, sneakers) that wisely turned around before getting to the icy parts.

Relatively mild temperatures in the lower elevations with some sun and blue skies. A bit windy in places on the ridge. Still multiple feet of snowpack once you get away from the highway.  
Name
Name: rocket21 
E-Mail
E-Mail: rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-01-28 
Link
Link: https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos 
Bookmark and Share 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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