| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Black Mountain (Benton), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Chippewa Trail, herd path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, February 17, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The small lot along Lime Kiln Rd. is plowed. Room for three small sensibly parked vehicles. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
If I recall correctly, I counted 6 blowdowns and 3 leaners. The largest one is at the base of the steeps and will need a chainsaw. There's one small blowdown just below the trail junction near the summit that requires walking around. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This mountain is always beautiful, but today it was exquisite. I found snowshoes to be the best choice due to soft snow under a breakable crust, and they are essential if stepping off the packed base. Snow is very deep up here. The added traction and heel lifts also helped on the steeps. Higher up, the trail is a waist-deep, very narrow trench; one-way traffic only. On the descent, a group of three passed me headed up and were just in spikes. This trail isn't quite ready for that yet, and as a result, it was churned up in places.
Visibility was insane today with the clear air, and I could see well into VT and I believe into NY. |
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 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-02-17 |
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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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