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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Kearsarge North Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Weeks Brook Trail, Kearsarge North Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, February 10, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: We started hiking at Weeks Brook Trail and spotted a car at the Mount Kearsage North Trailhead. To the best of my knowledge, we were the only car parked at Kearsage North Trailhead all day (only other person we saw was dropped off). Quite surprisingly, there was one other car at the Weeks Brook Trailhead. Both trailheads were very icy and I had some trouble getting out of the Kearsage North Trailhead in my small SUV without snow tires. Not a whole lot of room for cars at either trailhead. Not more than a half dozen at most probably less. No room on the shoulder at Kearsage North trailhead either.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: A few on the Weeks Brook Trail. The snowbanks made them a bit tough but they were pretty small and inconsequential. The largest one was mostly bridged.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Lots of debris from the recent winds. Most of the large blowdowns were actually on the Mount Kearsage North Trail although of course they have been better cleared. Mostly smaller stuff on the Weeks Brook Trail. My hiking buddy for the day cleared up some stuff. I think he took his small hand saw to two small blowdowns on Weeks Brook Trail. There were paths made or forming around the large blowdowns on Mount Kearsage North Trail. Both trails had mostly fresh blaze placed relatively frequently but the Weeks Brook Trail was still quite difficult to follow in places.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: I don’t ever hike with them so I can’t say but I imagine they would have been okay today given the mostly supportive crust.  
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: Although Weeks Brook Trail was relatively well blazed, particularly in its lower portion, it was still hard to find in places, particularly towards the trails beginning. It become easier to follow after the pond (just make sure that once at the pond you stay to the east side of it!!). The blaze is definitely needed. Kearsage North Trail was of course very easy to follow.

Barebooted probably about a half mile in on a mostly supportive crust, then switched to snowshoes since we were sometimes breaking through it and postholing. Snowshoes then stayed on until the too and we microspiked down the Kearsage North Trai which was very firm and had some postholes throughout but nothing that was real strenuous to avoid or exceptionally deep.

We really enjoyed this hike :) Very happy we weren’t breaking through deep powder like I’ve often been doing and the grades were mostly nice in Weeks Brook Trail. The last bit is pretty tiresome but doable though. The fire tower was a real delight. At least 20 degrees warmer inside than out made it VERY comfortable to stay in for quite a long time. We stayed in the tower for about an hour and a half which is much, much longer than I’ve ever stayed on a summit in winter, and is likely longer than I’ve stayed on any summit. Great views inside and we identified lots of peaks as we drank our warm beverages :)  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney and BK Noonan 
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-02-10 
Link
Link: https:// 
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