| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Cabot, NH |
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 | Trails: |
York Pond Trail, Bunnell Notch Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Ice was everywhere on the way in, but by afternoon, was greatly attenuated by the warm weather and abundant sun. Still, be careful and plan ahead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Spring Snow |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
One-hop crossings pretty much everywhere. Nothing to worry about. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail was in good shape overall; blazes were few. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
It was a stellar day. With half an hour to spare, I bagged my last peak of this winter. Just 22 more to go.
The trail was packed hard and solid as concrete. Just be advised that this doesn't at all mean the snow off the side is that packed down -- step off the monorail at your peril! I started out with snowshoes, but after 1/4 mile, realized they were entirely unnecessary, and went with Hillsounds. In retrospect, full crampons might have been a little nicer, for there's a little bit of mashed potatoes here and there, and in the steeps, the extra traction would have been nice. But that's gilding the lily. Microspikes might have been perfectly adequate.
Be careful route finding near the junction of Bunnell Notch trail and Kilkenny Ridge trail. There are a couple competing snowshoe tracks, and it's not obvious which is the smarter. No major bushwhacking if you get it wrong, but you will end up with some branches in your face for a few minutes. Apart from that, everything else is fine.
On the summit, there's enough snow that you're near the tree tops, and have a pretty decent view. If it's clear, you'll see Old Speck for sure, and if your eyes are sharp, who knows what else?
Big shout out to Justin (?) whom I met on Mt Washington last month, and again this afternoon as I was heading for home. Dude, I hope your night on the mountain was amazing, and that you had sweet views of the full moon.
Photos and a more in-depth description on my blog. |
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 | Name: |
Protean Hiker |
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 | E-Mail: |
hiker@proteanwanderer.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-03-21 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.proteanwanderer.com/2019/03/21/trip-report-mt-cabot/ |
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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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