| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Lincoln, Little Haystack, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Falling Waters Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 11, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot on east side of highway was plowed out. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossings on Falling Waters partly covered. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Random Group of Hikers, party of 7, Lafayette & Lincoln clockwise. last night's snow coated the previous week's ice nicely, making for good traction throughout. Bridle & upper Greenleaf were broken out, occasional light to moderate drifting. Ridge was a mix of windblown hardpack and shallow drifting. Lower Greenleaf appeared unbroken. Falling Waters was minimally broken, covered by variable 2"-5" loose powder. Only a couple small areas of exposed ice, easily managed. Ascended via Bridle, to keep the wind at our back on the ascent and along the ridge. Turned out to be a good choice, as the snow on upper Falling Waters was pretty loose--great for descent (we glided down in no time), but it would have been slip and slide on the steeps. We used light traction throughout (a couple of us in light crampons) but snowshoes on the Ridge and upper Falling Waters would also have worked well, too. Pretty warm & sunny on the ascent to just beyond the hut, then the clouds, which were below us in the morning, rolled in for the rest of the alpine walk. Passed a dozen or so other hikers doing it in the opposite direction. |
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 | Name: |
Barefoot Paul-William |
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 | E-Mail: |
paulwgagnon@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-01-11 |
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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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