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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Flume, NH
Trails
Trails: Lincoln Woods Trail, Osseo Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of parking at Lincoln Woods -- just note that the facilities (including restrooms) are closed because of the government shutdown. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Not an issue. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Trails are in fine shape -- a few duck-under, walk-around, and step-over blowdowns; nothing of concern. (See conditions post from December 23.) 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: There are no finer winter conditions than what we experienced today heading up Mt. Flume on Christmas Day.

(VERY different from the conditions a few miles away, on the western edge of Kinsman Ridge a couple of days ago, which had no snow nor packed rail until about 2800 feet. But in the Pemi area, a different story.)

What a fine hike is the Osseo Trail. We had not been this way for a number of years, and we forgot just how nicely graded the trail is -- and quiet, too.

Packed powder most of the way with some dusting of new snow atop plate ice down low and styrofoam snow higher up; light traction worked fine.

The ladders area of the Osseo Trail is smoothed powder atop hardpack -- not blue ice, which we might see later, in the spring. There is room on the side for kicksteps into the crust. Light traction worked fine heading up; traction was helpful heading down.

Several folks ahead of us turned back at the ladders because of concerns about ascending them. So, beyond these, we had the trail -- and summit -- to ourselves.

And, beyond the ladders, there was a half foot of new powder, all the way to the Mt. Flume summit -- we considered using snowshoes for this, but stayed in light traction/traction, being able to find the hardpack monorail under the new snow. NOTE: snowshoes are a wise idea, given the 1-2 feet of unconsolidated snow on either side of the narrow monorail. We're glad we brought them; only saw only two other folks near the ridge were carrying them.

Beautiful day out today.  
Name
Name: Pancks and Tesco Heaney 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-12-25 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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