| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Chocorua, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Champney Falls Trail, Champney Falls Loop, Piper Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, November 16, 2014 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Huge parking lot off the Kanc. USFS Fee area though it lacks most of the required amenities. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easily rock-hopped. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No major issues. However, several sections of damp trail mixed with lots of ice suggest that a little more drainage could be useful (mostly in the vicinity of the falls loop on the main trail). |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn't see any, but this route would probably be OK for dogs comfortable with some scrambling. |
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 | Bugs: |
Nope. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
We started off under cloudy skies, had minor snow squalls in the center section, and as we topped out on the switchbacks the sun came out overhead for our time on the summit before clouding right back up for good as we left. Of the 3 of us, 2 of us had never summitted Chocorua, and none of us had been on this trail. The cascades loop was nice, though right now the water levels are low and the ice build-up minor so they aren't terribly dramatic at the moment. The trail was icy in spots, with a couple ice bulges, and the spikes were on-and-off a lot all day from roughly the falls loop to the summit and back. The most ice is in the switchbacks up high, and in patches on the rocks above treeline. Microspikes highly recommended though a couple folks did apparently manage to summit without any traction. Not sure how their descent went though... Quite windy and chilly up top so our stay wasn't too long, but the views that we had were terrific. Another one to come back to frequently, though this was a good day to avoid the crowds. Only a dozen or so people seen on the 5 hour trek aside from the large group that appeared to be only heading for the falls as we exited. |
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 | Name: |
madmattd |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2014-11-17 |
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 | Link: |
 https://mattshikes.blogspot.com/ |
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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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