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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Bald Peak, North Kinsman, NH
Trails
Trails: Mt. Kinsman Trail, Bald Peak Spur, Kinsman Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 24, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parking lot off 116 is not plowed. I have a 4WD truck, so no issue for me. For those without 4WD, might be an issue. There were 6 cars in the lot when I left.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Wet/Sticky 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All snow-bridged as of today.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Couple of duck-unders higher up on Mt. Kinsman Trail. Trail is blazed beautifully and easy to follow.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw a couple coming up as I was on my way down. All seemed to be quite enjoying themselves.  
Bugs
Bugs: Tons and tons of snowfleas.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: N/A 
 
Comments
Comments: Hope you like mashed potatoes. I mean, all varieties of mashed potatoes.

First .75 of trail had a breakable crust, with soft snow underneath. Once to about .25 of the WMNF boundary, snow got noticeably softer. Continued that way until junction for Bald Knob. Out to Bald Knob was soft, but packed decently.

From junction of Bald Knob up Mt. Kinsman Trail is where it went south. What looked like was once a pristine snowshoe track was chopped to hell by an intrepid pair of barebooters. The most puzzling part was that all the boot prints were descending. I don’t even want to ask, because it makes my head hurt. Tried my best to smooth it out up to KRT. KRT was well-packed, with some butt-sledding present on the way to North Kinsman.

I passed 9 other people coming up as I was on my way down. 3 in snowshoes, 6 in spikes :(. Unfortunately, 2 of those 6 in spikes started literally as I was ending. So I’m sure whatever the 4 of us in snowshoes were able to smooth out was wasted by everyone barebooting.

The snowpack is easily 3’+ out there above 2500’. It’s going to be April in a week. The snow is already soft and is only going to get softer. Please, please, please wear snowshoes, especially on trails like this that are less-heavily traveled.  
Name
Name: Chef 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-03-24 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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