| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Kinsman, South Kinsman, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mt. Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 23, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
There were like 300 cars in the lot! Well, maybe 13. That's still pretty full. Some went to Bald Mt, most just did North Kinsman and a few of us did South Peak as well. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All frozen. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
It's well-packed & firm but I still would recommend snowshoes between the peaks to maintain the character. You can even use them above Bald Mt jct, especially if there's a few inches of fresh snow. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Man, was is cold today! 10 degrees at 10:40 and 11 degrees at 3:20. The summits weren't too windy but air temp was zero or below & I'm glad I geared up before I reached Kinsman Ridge. The lower part is firm & crunchy with minimal cover and winds through nice woods and then open sections so it was quite pleasant. 2.2 miles up, at the Bald Mt spur path the trail steepens and winds up through the woods. The last .4 to Kinsman Ridge was a winding maze of torture and the final .4 to North summit seemed to go on forever! The ridge walk out to South peak seemed tame by comparison. No views again today. I was kind of blah from doing Garfield yesterday but still made it out to South peak in 2:30 and all the way back down in 2:00. Total time of 4:30 was hardly earth-shattering but it felt like it was well-earned today. Kept snowshoes on until a mile below Bald Mt so the steeper parts of the trail will be nice & firm for the coming week. A younger couple started up at 3:15 with the intention of doing BOTH peaks. Even with a headlamp it's still darn cold up there! This marks 4000-footers #26 & 27 in the saga to complete the single-season Winter 48. Today I actually felt 60-years old so I think that calls for a rest day tomorrow... unless Moosilauke calls out to me. |
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 | Name: |
Bob H |
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 | E-Mail: |
hynoskyb@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-23 |
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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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