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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Starr King, Mt. Waumbek, NH
Trails
Trails: US 2, Starr King Road, Starr King Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, May 20, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The Forest Service has barricaded the summer parking area for 'health and safety' reasons, because apparently the spread of COVID will be stopped by parking in the winter lot, crossing the highway, and walking through the neighborhood. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A few blowdowns, including a tricky one in the col. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Please don't bag your dog's feces and leave said bag on the side of the trail (how does this make any sense?) 
Bugs
Bugs: Black flies were out down low. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Summer down low, early spring up high.

Ran into some descending unprepared hikers (with some warnings about the conditions). Shorts and sneakers are not a good idea for the high peaks at this time.

Beautiful walk through the hardwoods on the Starr King Trail; one of the nicest spring wildflower hikes around. Trout lily, sorrel, bellwort, yellow violet, purple violet, and Dutchman's breeches. Mud pits in the usual areas, but otherwise fairly dry.

Patchy monorail started immediately upon the transition to softwoods, becoming consistent ice monorail soon thereafter. Spikes were needed. Snowpack became consistent a few tenths above the spring. The snowpack had set up last night, so the monorail was relatively firm and supported boot traffic. However, the snow that was baking in the sun was becoming unstable, and could become quite unstable in the coming days. Prior to Mt. Starr King (and excluding the view/chimney area, which was bare) and all the way to Waumbek, the snowpack was 1 to 3 feet deep. Snowshoes went along for the ride this afternoon/evening, but I was glad to have them, as a few more hours of sun and/or a few degrees warmer would have made them necessary (and the legacy postholes looked pretty deep/painful).

Very nice afternoon weather.  
Name
Name: rocket21 
E-Mail
E-Mail: rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-05-21 
Link
Link: https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos 
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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