| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Bald Mountain (Franconia) , NH |
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 | Trails: |
Franconia Notch Recreation Path, road walk, Loop Trail, Bald Mountain Spur, Bald Mountain-Artists Bluff Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 8, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked at the cannon aerial tramway lot. The spots closest to the ski lodge were taken around 10am but still many spots. The ski lots near the Bald Mtn trails looked busy but still had plenty of spots. All the roads in and lots were free of snow/ice. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The bike path had no problems. Wide and clear of obstructions although still mostly snow/ice/slush covered as of Sunday afternoon. Note that near its northern terminus at the Skookumchuck trailhead the snowmobile trail diverges right into the woods (if traveling north) shortly before you come to the lot. There was an arrow for the snowmobilers. All trails around Bald Mtn were well blazed and signed in red. No blowdowns or other obstructions I recall. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I don’t think I saw any but these would be okay trails for dogs except for that the recreation path is used for snowmobiles. Don’t think they’ll be any more of those this winter though so it may be okay now although I’d still keep them on a leash especially as biking season starts. Bald Mtn Trail may have been difficult for some with the ice. You may have also had to assist some with the scrambles. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
A nice Sunday redline to finish the bike path and redline the Bald Mtn trails :) It was only 30F when I started around 10:30am and was 39F when I returned at 2:30pm. Started off pretty windy as predicted but the wind also died down more than anticipated as the day went on which was great and I was able to spend a long time on the summit of Bald Mtn. I was in summer hiking pants, base layer and fleece, and trail runners all day which was a nice feeling. It definitely felt like spring even up north in the notch.
From the aerial tramway lot, I briefly went south to where the bike path nearly meets the Old Man of the Mtn museum where my father and I redlined to Saturday. I then returned to my car and continued north to the bike baths northern terminus on the Skookumchuck Trail. I then headed back, redlining the Bald Mtn trails on my return. The bike trail gets very close to them. If heading south, there is a very short access rd on your right just after you come out of an underpass under 18. This road takes you immediately to 18 and almost directly across the road is the eastern Bald Mtn - Artists Bluff trailhead. I then took the Loop Trail as to follow the guidebooks directions.
Once I intersected the Bald Mtn - Artists Bluff trailhead I passed a few people on the way up. Oddly enough, there was no one at the summit though and I had it to myself for at least several minutes. Then several came and there had to be between a half dozen and a dozen folks up there by the time I left. Great views there to Cannon, Lafayette, Eagle Cliff, Bickford, Scarface, Kilkenny Ridge, Mount Martha/Cherry Mtn/Owls Head, the Percy’s, Black Mtn (Benton, Jericho and Cole Hills, and the Green Mtns including just being able to make out Mansfield. This was the best view but also nice views and several people at Artists Bluff and a couple viewpoints in between as the guidebook describes.
The majority of the trails were snow/ice covered but there were portions of the bike path that were down to pavement and on the Bald Mtn trails that were down to bare trail particularly if in the sun. If something faces north and is shaded, you’re very likely to still encounter ice. Spikes were very helpful at times on the bike path although I did a good chunk of it without them. Many people did the Bald Mtn trails without them but they’ll be much easier with them and it seemed like the majority of hikers there used them surprisingly. The spikes will definitely get beat up though. That said, you still may want to bring a sharp pair as my dull pair struggled some. The Bald Mtn Spur in particular would be the hardest without spikes. The descent of Artists Bluff back to the Loop Trail was more soft (not quite slush but getting there) so even with spikes, this was a bit tricky.
The bike was packed from snowmobiles and getting softer as the day got warmer. It will be down to bare pavement soon. Hardly saw any snowmobiles as some parts were already down to pavement. I really enjoyed walking along the bike path. It’s something different and scenic in a few different ways and has some variety to it. It was very close to the highway though so traffic sound was a constant unfortunately. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-03-09 |
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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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