| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Valley Way, Valley Way Tentsite Spur, Pine Link, Pinkham B Road, Presidential Rail Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, February 19, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Normal amount of blowdowns for this time of year (a dozen?) on Pine Link, easy to go over, under, or around. Just above the upper junction with Howker Ridge Trail, PL turns into a frozen car wash for about 20 steps. Weird because it's nice 'n wide above and below this spot. I did not see a sign at the PL-Watson junction. Just enough blue blazes.
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Deep snow on Pine Link |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
There is a frozen water bag hanging at VW Tentsite, just past the outhouse. I would have carried it out, but it must've weighed at least 5 pounds, so... no. |
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 | Comments: |
Valley Way is a well traveled highway that is easily hiked in spikes. I jazzed up this kind of boring trail by finally visiting the Valley Way Tentsite and privy. Ha ha.
At Madison Hut I bypassed the summit and headed straight for Pine Link, the main goal for the day. Switched from spikes to snowshoes here. Above treeline there were beautiful snowfields interspersed with PITA rocky sections that beat up my snowshoes a little bit, but I didn't feel like doing the on-off-on-off thing and they were more needed than not. A couple of those snowfields are pretty steep but so beautiful! There are plenty of cairns to guide the way (thank you!!); think I used my GPS once above treeline.
Once in the trees the trail was pretty easy to follow for the most part save for just a couple of confusing sections. I visited both the outlooks and passed through an area of extensive moose activity which was pretty cool. The snow was very deep. Glad I was going down instead of up. You absolutely need snowshoes for Pine Link right now or else you will be sad (not that anyone is probably taking this trail in the next couple of months). It was very pretty and there were lots of animal tracks.
I walked Pinkham B Road - a groomed snowmobile trail - to the Presidential Rail Trail - also a groomed snowmobile trail - back to Appalachia.
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 | Name: |
Snowflea |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-02-19 |
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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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