| 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: |
Friday, March 25, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking this afternoon was melted to bare ground all over. I began to observe that trend starting south of Ashland, and I wouldn't be surprised to find out it carried on well past Littleton. (I'm told Littleton, CO is similarly bereft of snow -- it's not just us.) Wow, it's been unseasonably warm for quite awhile now, and you can see it at least as well as you can feel it. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant, Snow - Spring Snow, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Slush |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Right now, they're nominal. There's a ton of melting going on, pretty much the whole thing is coming down wholesale. One crossing in particular caught my eye as possibly time-sensitive at some point in the next week or two -- if you're going up and the ice looks questionable, consider your options for the return. The worst would be having to come back down Fishin' Jimmy, and that's a very long walk back to the car. The bigger drainages are flooded with torrents of meltwater, and it's movin' fast. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Everything is in great shape overall. There's one bridge that will need some love when things warm up, but that's about it. A tree that obviously fell recently has been more than amply managed, and that's about it. At the moment, there aren't any significant impediments to forward progress. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
A few snowflies! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I'd read The Teal Goat's write-up from several days ago, and his observation about snowshoes on the col is pretty much over and done with -- I'm guessing probably for the remainder of the season. (Thanks, Teal!) The one person I saw on the trail told me he'd thought about taking the snowshoes off his pack while on the col. I didn't even think "gee, snowshoes might be nice" while I was up there.
Nearing the ridge, a lot of water was falling from the treetops, and I'd seen and heard a lot of melting up to that point. On the col, things were easily managed with micro-spikes. No need for much more than that. Everything from about 3,000 feet on up was mashed potatoes, and the snow/ice/monorail/what-have-you didn't really start until the first big water crossing (where the trail pitches up remarkably) after the sugar shack. (Even then, it was more monorail than anything anyone would call actual "snowy conditions.") I'm a bit amazed at the relative paucity of snow, especially as this is a significant departure from what I experienced on Owl's Head last week. Weird. But then again, so too has been this season.
This was my first springtime hike, and I'm always amazed at how few people are on the trails for these first few weeks. One guy was most of the way down while I was on my way up, and that was it for the day. Lots of solitude. I'll take it.
Photos and a more detailed description are on my blog, as always. |
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 | Name: |
Protean Wanderer |
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 | E-Mail: |
hiker@proteanwanderer.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-03-25 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.proteanwanderer.com/2022/03/26/trip-report-can-you-see-through-fog-on-the-kinsmans/ |
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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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