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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Kinsman, South Kinsman, NH
Trails
Trails: Mt. Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, October 6, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: I was the third car in the lot at 0730. The craterous drainage has not grown and my low clearance car still can make it. About a dozen on return. It never ceases to amaze me how people lose the ability to park at a trailhead, some parking 6' from the next car, some parking perpendicular, some angled. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No issues on the three on the way 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: It is always a pleasure to hike the Mount Kinsman Trail, it is well loved and it shows. New since my visit last month are about a half a dozen large log waterbars, from the first crossing to Bald Junction. These are not little bars, either, one is atleast 15' long and a girthy 10" log. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: A FINE day was had, despite a pretty scary moment on the ascent. More on that later. Trails are in great shape end to end. I swear the wildlife knows its midweek - or I need to change my name to Snow White. Around the sugar shack, I spooked either a moose or a bear, all sorts of calamitous crashing and noise was had as it ran away from me. I could only see trees moving. After that, it was business as usual. At one point near one of the many switchbacks on the way up, I took a step on a skateboard size rock that my legs ended up crossing, the rock went a different way, and I felt an extremely sharp pain. Not exactly something i'd wish upon my worst enemy. After about 20 seconds of writhing in pain and trying to collect myself, I could bear weight, nothing cracked, creaked, or felt out of place. Plenty of blood and epidermus was missing. It does take a lot to shake me on trail, but the surge of adrenaline and enorphins had me shaken for about thirty minutes. I kept ascending, at a slower pace, from this point on. I was thrilled that after about 30-45 minutes after the incident I was more or less in the clear. Thankfully, the rest of the day was far less eventful. The sun really never did come out, but the views are superb none the less. Met several other hikers out enjoying the day, all happy to be outside. Upon returning to the car, the sun finally came out - the first time here in the North since Friday. I cracked a beer and gave some to the earth for granting me another safe passage down. 476/576!  
Name
Name: The Teal Goat 
E-Mail
E-Mail: sea2thebiscuit@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-10-06 
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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