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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Owl's Head, NH
Trails
Trails: Lincoln Woods Trail, Franconia Brook Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Path, bushwhacks, Black Pond Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Thursday, January 14, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: A quiet day at Lincoln Woods with only a few cars at 7:30am and 4:30pm 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable) 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Crossings #1 and #2 on the Lincoln Brook trail were difficult to cross since there weren't complete ice bridges. Careful steps and route planning were needed. Recommend avoiding these by taking the Black Pond bushwhack. All of the other crossings were easy with stable ice bridges.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: The cairn marking the start of the Owl's Head Path is easy to miss if you're not paying attention.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: The husky loved the snow. Saw one other dog that was hiking Owl's Head for his 29th or 30th time!  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: A great day for a long hike. We took the "official route" up to Owl's Head and the bushwhacks back to Lincoln Woods, but most of the foot traffic used the bushwhacks in both directions. Taking the Black Pond and Brutus bushwhacks both ways would be better to avoid the first two difficult crossings on Lincoln Brook Trail (see above water crossing notes) and unpacked snow ascending the Owl's Head slide. The slide had minimal ice but the Brutus bushwhack was much easier. If you're heading down Brutus, stay left when the bushwhack trail splits (and right when ascending). This is the easier path.

Both the Lincoln Woods Trail between the Franconia Brook Trail and Black Pond Bushwhack, and the Owl's Head Path had 4 inches of unpacked powder on them. Both bushwhacks and the rest of Lincoln Brook Trail were in good shape with packed snow and no ice. The Black Pond bushwhack is easy to follow beyond the official northern terminus of the Black Pond Trail.

TLDR: take the bushwhacks and the hike was as easy as it gets for January  
Name
Name: DietMoxie 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-01-14 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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