Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
North Kinsman, South Kinsman, NH |
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| Trails: |
Mt. Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Friday, June 19, 2020 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I was the first car in the lot at 5:30. Maybe a half dozen when I left at 11:45.
The lot comes up on you quick- it has a sign but it’s hidden by branches until you’re right on top of it. As soon as you see the tennis camp, hit the brakes, the lot is right after.
A fair amount of trash has been left in the parking lot. :-/ |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
Barely worth mentioning- either a step over or an easy rock hop |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails were in great shape. Plentiful blue blazes and great signage.
You could see lots of debris in the woods while ascending to the ridge, but it had all been cleared off the trail. One large blowdown just above the Bald Peak Spur looked and smelled like it had just been cut away in the last 1-2 days. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
One happy climber came to visit me while I was sitting on the N Kinsman outlook. I saw one more little fella that was hitching a ride in his mama’s backpack.
There are a couple minor scrambles in either side of N kinsman that smaller and or inexperienced puppers might need a hand on, but other than that they should be fine. |
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| Bugs: |
Mosquitos and black flies! They weren’t bad while moving, but the second you stop the all you can eat sign above your head lights up and they dig in. |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Great day to check the Kinsmans off my list!
The trail was very easy to follow. The first 2+ miles were a nice easy ascent. A little after the Bald Peak Spur it gets much steeper while ascending to the ridge. There’s a fair amount of erosion so watch your step on the roots.
After Reaching the Kinsman Ridge junction, it’s just a few minor scrambles before you hit the summit of N Kinsman. There’s a beautiful outlook to the left just before the summit.
Other than two quick steeper sections coming off North, the trip to South is mostly a gentle descent to the Col and an easy ascent back up. The South Summit is marked by a big cairn that someone even built a throne on. Very cool!
I headed back to the North Kinsman outlook for my victory beer and snack. Met the first other hikers of the day there, one passing by with her pup on their way to South And another couple that joined me on the outlook for a break. I apologized for only having one beer, but I did have more than enough black flies to go around. I saw a handful of others on their way up, but all and all it was a very quiet day.
Views were plentiful! Video link below |
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| Name: |
Woodman Worldwide |
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| E-Mail: |
woodmanworldwide5@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-06-20 |
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| Link: |
https://youtu.be/okpNv7iMwkc |
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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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