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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Cannon Mountain, Lonesome Lake, NH
Trails
Trails: Hi Cannon Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Lonesome Lake Trail, Cascades Brook Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 2, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Lafayette Campground- only one other car when we arrived a 8am. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Cascade Brook Trail crossing Cascade Brook right before Basin Cascade Trail - crawling on log with swift moving water. Basin Cascade Trail crossing Cascade Brook- did not attempt. Saw a person on the other side also not attempting- fast moving high water Cascade Brook Trail crossing Whitehouse Brook - required utilizing rocks/poles and wading in water up to calves with current Many other water crossings requiring rock hopping.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Many blowdowns but all manageable. Lost the trail at times on Kinsman with very faded blazes and not obvious trail turns due to conditions. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: A few happy pups near Lonesome Lake 
Bugs
Bugs: They are a coming- mild for now 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Hi Cannon Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Lonesome Lake Trail, Cascades Brook Trail, Basin Cascades Trail (attempt)

Decided to make a big loop heading to Cannon Mountain on the Hi Cannon Trail/Kinsman Ridge Trail and coming down the Kinsman Ridge to Lonesome Lake to Cascade Brook to Basin Cascade (attempt) backtracking to Cascade Brook then road walking until meeting the Franconian Notch Bike Path.

Ascending worked well and we made good time to Cannon with beautiful views. Descending a different story.

Expect all Spring conditions. Numerous unstable monorails everywhere and very high water crossings. Coming down the Kinsman Trail from Cannon (after the split from Hi Cannon) had severe ice that microspikes often could not bite into and the trail became unclear in areas. Would not recommend at all. If there were not large trees to aid us in the decent, we would have backtracked to Cannon and retraced our steps.

Nearly impossible to avoid postholing- at times up to thighs.

Challenging 14 mile and 10 hour day.

 
Name
Name: KC6707 
E-Mail
E-Mail: kc6707@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-05-03 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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