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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Flume, NH
Trails
Trails: Lincoln Woods Trail, Osseo Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, December 23, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: There were just four (4!) vehicles at the Lincoln Woods lot when I rolled in @ 7:30 AM. The ranger station and bathrooms are closed due to the government shutdown and are signed as such. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None on this route :) 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: I sawed off 8-10 limbs today on the lower half Osseo Trail. There are larger projects out there: a couple fallen trees low and three blowdowns/awkward leaners above the stairs. None of those are a significant problem to pass however. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Didn't see any. 
Bugs
Bugs: None. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Found: a bag of orange wedges descending Osseo Trail on the stairs. As yummy as they looked I just packed them out. 
 
Comments
Comments: Lincoln Woods Trail has mostly a nice icy crunch but there are small areas where bare trail is showing. Lower half of Osseo Trail is the same although there are more stretches of muddy bare trail along the brook and some spots where there is just a very thin ice monorail remaining. Once banking away from the brook the trail is covered with supportive 'styrofoam' snow. For most of the hike I used Microspikes though I did switch to crampons at the stairs - I just felt more comfortable with them due to the steeps and smoothness. I left them on to the top and until I was below the stairs on return mainly because I didn't want to do the on/off routine twice more but spikes would have been fine above the stairs IMO. I carried snowshoes until about a mile up Osseo Trail and once it became very obvious they were going to be of no use I ditched them in the woods and didn't think about them once until I picked them up on my way out.

This was an impromptu Plan B since Plan A involved a couple of water crossings that, in the end, I didn't want to mess with. I'm very glad I came here - it was VERY quiet on these trails: on my way up the stairs another solo hiker was descending and he would be the only person I would see until half way back out on Lincoln Woods trail where I crossed paths with a couple of skiers. Of course it was a beautiful day and I relished it on the summit for a good 30 minutes taking in blue skies, abundant sun and views for miles around. I'm not sure which was more surprising: the lack of snow or the lack of people. In any event it was an excellent trek...and one that didn't feel much like 'winter'.  
Name
Name: HMJ 
E-Mail
E-Mail: trailsntrees(at)gmail(dot)com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-12-23 
Link
Link: https:// 
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