| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Kearsarge, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Winslow Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, October 25, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Winslow State Park appears to now be unstaffed for the winter season (gatehouse was boarded up), but the gate on Kearsarge Mountain Rd. was still open. One big enough storm and the gate will probably be closed until next spring, though. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No crossings. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No issues- the Kearsarge trails have looked impeccable throughout this year. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Since Kearsarge's open summit sticks out like a sore thumb above most of southern NH, it can get pretty damn cold up there (as was the case today). Make sure your canine friends are warm. |
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 | Bugs: |
Ha! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Did an after-work hike up the 'Sarge this afternoon, and I did not expect to see as much snow and ice as I did. There were scattered snow patches at the trailhead and the lower part of the Winslow Trail; past the steep middle section, the snow cover, although thin, was a lot more widespread and pretty much covered everything. There was a fair amount of ice on the trail as well- mostly black ice, but some breakable crust as well. Snow and ice weren't as much of an issue above the trees (although there was drifting going on). It was brutally cold and windy on the summit- the wind chill had to be close to, if not below, zero degrees. The fire tower was covered in rime ice, which combined with the wind was a big time safety hazard IMO, since it was very easy to accidentally dislodge large chunks of the stuff. The trail could've been hiked without light traction (although it's a good idea to bring some with you anyway), but I brought microspikes and used them, and it made the hike much easier.
Autumn and winter are duking it out on Mount Kearsarge, and it looks like winter has the upper hand! |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-10-25 |
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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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