| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Crystal Mine Site (Bowman) , NH |
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 | Trails: |
Crystal Mine Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, February 1, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The parking area by the garage is not plowed so we had to just pull of the road. We were able to pull off about a foot behind the white line just a hundred feet east of the trailhead by where the guardrail ends. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Just some small trickles. Nothing to worry about hear. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail is mostly well blazed in orange. The pathway is not always obvious so you may have to keep an eye out for them. Little signs on/off most of the woods roads portions are helpful but are small and white so could easily blend in. There were two or three very large uprooted trees in the first half mile one of which had crossed the trail but had been cleaned up; thank you! Some other small limbs falling into the trail that created a mess right as you turn left onto the first road at 0.6mi. These could be handled with a handsaw. Maybe a couple kore blowdowns later on. Nothing huge though. Threw some small debris off trail. There is a sign facing the opposite direction for the trail as you come to the mine site. There are three or so orange blazes past this that lead to the three shafts though (the first two are right by the sign and the third is a little further on). Be careful not to fall in the mines! |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn’t see any but should be a fine trail for dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
Finally got back out with both mom and dad to continue our redlining adventures together :) Mom hadn’t been our in months so this was a nice, easy way to get back in the groove of things. 29F to start at 10:15 and about 35F at 1:45pm when we left. 4mi round trip so we averaged more than a mile per hour which is quite an accomplishment for us :)
We all used snowshoes for the way up and most of the way back. Mom took hers off about half way down and did okay without them. Snow depth was less than I anticipated so snowshoes were not ideal as there just wasn’t really enough snow down low. Once we turned off the path and onto the road at 0.6mi things were better as the snow was packed down and consistent (even if snowshoes were still unnecessary) and after the turnoff that at 1.5mi there was enough snow to warrant snowshoes. It was also less crusty and a bit more like powder. I’d still recommend bringing a pair of old snowshoes, but given that it’s seen 3 tracks out and back, it wouldn’t be the worst thing to bareboat right now. You shouldn’t need micro spikes either.
No real water crossings and the trail is well marked even if obscure at some times. Some views through the trees and along the road. Be careful around the mineshaftS. I noticed the second and third but didn’t see the first which was by far the deepest, narrow, and scariest (according to my parents). You probably wouldn’t want to fall in there... |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-02-01 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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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