Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
The Horn, The Bulge, Mt. Cabot, NH |
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| Trails: |
Unknown Pond Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Horn Spur, Bunnell Notch Trail, York Pond Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 27, 2022 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plowed. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
Many open water crossings! Unknown Pond trail had 3 tricky crossings, the first one can be avoided by bushwhacking north of the trail. All crossings on the other trails were easy to step over. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Several blowdowns here and there, but only one major problem: a large spruce requiring a steep walk around just before the Forest Protection Zone sign as you near Unknown Pond. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
I strongly suggest going up Unknown Pond so you can assess the crossings at the beginning of the hike and turn back if they become impassable. Route finding is challenging on Unknown Pond and Kilkenny Ridge - few blazes and wind scouring and drifts frequently obscured the previous tracks. Lots of sidehilling, too. The section of Kilkenny Ridge after turning off the Unknown Pond is particularly challenging as there is extensive “moose postholing”. I would strongly encourage bringing a GPS; I used my Garmin Inreach a number of times when I lost the trail. It very accurately shows the trail. The junction for The Horn is well signed, but the trail is obscure. Heading roughly ENE and following the slope up got me there, but with some wandering.
Sadly, the snow started earlier than I expected so views weren’t great today, but it was a good day for a winter wonderland snowshoe. |
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| Name: |
Jay Baxter |
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| E-Mail: |
Jbaxtermdfacs@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-02-27 |
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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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