| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Kinsman (attempt), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lonesome Lake Trail, Fishin' Jimmy Trail, Kinsman Pond Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 21, 2019 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of space in Franconia Ridge lot off 93N at 9 a.m. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Couple rock hops. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
N/A |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Ran into a medium pup at the hut who was shaking and looked cold. It was a 15 degree morning, 20 degree high. Lots of icy steep past the hut so wouldn't recommend bringing dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
N/A |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Left a purple knit hat at the hut. |
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|
 | Comments: |
We were a group of 3 who meant to hike up to North Kinsman but turned around at about 2pm to be able to return before sundown this shortest day of the year. Started out in snowshoes as the walk from one side of 93 to the Franconia Campground was covered in about 6" of fluffy snow. There was enough traffic through the campground towards Lonesome Lake Trail that you could bare boot or use microspikes though. Two of us snowshoed to Lonesome Lake, one chose microspikes. The snow around the pond was fresh enough to warrant snowshoes but the switchbacks on the way up probably could be easily done with either, whichever you're comfortable with. Lonesome Lake is now frozen so you can walk right across to the hut. (We didn't until after we saw a man successfully cross!) After leaving the hut, about a third of the way up Fishin' Jimmy, we switched to crampons. There were just too many places where steep rock was covered loose snow over hard ice or patches of pure hard ice. A 4th hiker joined us from the hut and only had snowshoes so he managed the trails that way but struggled in spots. Would recommend at least spikes, minimum, and crampons if you want to move at a regular clip. Icy patches slowed us down considerably. 20 degree weather not bad because there were no winds to be felt. The Kinsman Pond shelter has some leftover supplies for emergencies (a tent, some firestarter (though fires there are forbidden), a notebook and few other odds and ends). Got late so we began to descend at 2pm in crampons (and one snowshoer). Switched back to microspikes from the hut back because the trails were mostly packed down by then with three scout troops staying at the hut tonight. All in all a great day out on the eve of the 1st day of winter! |
|
 | Name: |
Annaliza |
|
 | E-Mail: |
annaliza.hikes@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-12-21 |
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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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