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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Liberty, Mt. Flume, NH
Trails
Trails: Bike path, herd path, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes:  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Drifts, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable) 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The one significant crossing is still well bridged. Some of the smaller ones are open, but they're all easy to skip across 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: As everybody knows, the Liberty half of Liberty to Flume on Franconia Ridge trail is terrible right now. The path is obscured by firs in many places--have to put your arms in front of your face and blow through. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Fine 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Started up at 5:45 PM in the low 40's F with Dions. Bike path is still snow covered and a bit soft. Took the 'whack up to Liberty Springs which is well packed and firm, but I wouldn't want to bare boot it.

Liberty Springs is not the disaster that I was led to believe it is. The vast majority of the trail to the FR jct is a flat, well stomped monorail. There are a couple of spots where it gets a little posty, but nothing major. Snowshoes were a great help on this--better traction and zero inadvertent post holes, which makes me happy.

Once I reached the ridge, the trail got a bit worse; it appears that there has been some drifting lately, so the trail is less obvious and definitely choppier. Again, small snowshoes were a great help here. The final ascent to Liberty is getting a bit icy, but it's easy to get around. Liberty to Flume is terrible, specifically the Liberty half; it's a constant barrage of branches to the face, torso, and legs. The sooner the snow recedes here, the better. The col to Flume is much better. Flume summit still snow covered.

I would recommend snowshoes regardless of the temp at this point. The snow is starting to fail and you never know when it might give out on you, so I like to take all the help I can get.

See Strava link for photos.  
Name
Name: Nate Weeks 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-04-03 
Link
Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/2261068487#kudos 
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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