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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Liberty, NH
Trails
Trails: Bike path, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 27, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Nearly empty upon arrival at 7 AM.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Small Patches 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Bridge was easy, most were simple step overs. The one big water crossing was difficult, but not  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: 2 or 3 blowdowns, easily stepped over. There is one spot on the descent (not too long after descending from the junction with the Flume Slide Trail) where we missed a 90 degree left turn and went off trail for 5 minutes. The group descending behind us almost missed it as well.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Lots of dogs out and about, having a merry time of it.  
Bugs
Bugs: None on ascent. Large flies near summit. A few mosquitoes and small flies on the descent, especially near the muddy sections at the bottom.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Started at 7 AM from Liberty Springs parking lot (we looped around and walked the bike/recreation path instead of the steep, muddy trail through the woods), and only saw 2 people until we reached the tent site. Bottom part of the trail is quite wet and muddy, and we found it rather difficult to avoid stepping in some of it. There was a lot of standing and trickling water in the bottom part, too. The large brook crossing just before the steeper, upper part of Liberty Springs Trail was flowing strong and while it can be crossed without getting wet, it requires some tricky balancing with poles (and long legs) to pull it off. Someone told us they went a little off trail to cross it, so maybe there is an easier spot, but we didn't see any obvious way around.

What a climb after that! Looking in my book, I calculated that it's +2210 feet in 1.8 miles from the brook to Franconia Ridge, and it basically doesn't let up at all the whole way. We made the last big brook in a hour, but it took us two and a half more hours to climb the steeper, upper part of the Liberty Springs Trail. On the descent, we encountered at least 3-4 groups who said they were turning around because the trail was far too difficult for them. It was pretty darn hard for us, but with the early start, we were able to power through, though it took us nearly nine hours (4:00 to the summit, 4:45 to descend -- we were just being super careful on the way down due to all the water and wet rocks).

Franconia Ridge trail between Liberty Springs Trail and the summit of Mount Liberty has one tiny sloped section with a bunch of snow in it, but if you stay to the one side where it is packed down, you can do it without traction (though you may want to use poles here). A few other small snow patches here and there, but easily avoided.

We also were told by a hiker who tagged both peaks (in the time it took us just to get to the ridge!) that Franconia Ridge Trail between Liberty and Flume was not easily navigated unless you already knew the trail, due to the conditions (mud, water, snow). We were going to attempt both as an out-and-back, but ended up just doing Liberty when we heard about the trail conditions between the peaks.

Saw a lot of people just starting up Liberty Springs around 3-4 PM, some looking a bit ill-equipped. Hopefully they knew what they were doing, or were not going far.  
Name
Name: The Ridge Warrior 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-05-28 
Link
Link: https:// 
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