| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owl’s Head, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, bushwhack, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl’s Head Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, January 6, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I was the 4th car at Lincoln Woods at 6:45am; there were about a dozen cars when I returned at 3:15pm. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Ice Axe |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Partially snow bridged and stable for easy crossing. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There’s one 6†diameter step over in an awkward position approximately 0.2 miles above the top of Brutus bushwhack. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn’t see any today. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A great day for Owl’s Head! Lincoln Woods trail is divine (there is just enough packed down snow so that you don’t have to worry about tripping on the railroad ties!!). The rest of the route is rough footing, mostly due to that slushfest we had last weekend, which has now frozen like a time capsule!
The Black Pond bushwhack seems to have two route options; I took the one that is more to the east as it more closely matched my route from the last time. While most people seem to be traveling this more easterly route, there are multiple sets of footprints on the other choice.
When I got to the Brutus intersection, I noted that there were a lot of footprints headed to the slide so I went that way. I think that people aborted the mission as there ended up being only one set of footprints going up the slide itself. I used my ice axe for extra reach and leverage (not sure that that’s the purpose of it but short people have to be resourceful!!) I considered putting on my crampons but even my fairly new Hillsounds were not really getting much ourchase in the often thin super hard ice so I didn’t bother. I am not sure that I would recommend going up the slide currently - it’s a lot of ice - but I would definitely not recommend going down that way right now.
Brutus is nicely broken out with a really direct track. (Ie it’s really vertical, LOL!). There are also clear butt-sledding lanes next to the hiking track - win/win for those of you that like that kind of thing!
I saw only one other hiker on this route, today, also working on his winter 48! |
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 | Name: |
Bikecamphikegirl |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-01-06 |
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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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