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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Owl’s Head, NH
Trails
Trails: Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, bushwhacks, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Path
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, December 27, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at Lincoln Woods trailhead off NH 112. This large lot is plowed with heated, cleaned, stocked bathrooms. This is a fee lot ($5 per day or a White Mountains pass).  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The two major water crossings on Lincoln Brook were avoided using a bushwhack. The remaining smaller crossings on this trail were accomplished with sturdy ice bridges.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Great trails for dogs. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Route:
Lincoln Woods > Black Pond Trail > bushwhack > Lincoln Brook Trail > Brutus bushwhack > Owls Head Path > back the way we came.

Lincoln Woods: flat, fast, wide, popular trail. Not blazed. Broken out. Monotonous. Could bare boot without issue. We donned spikes for added traction.

Black Pond Trail: well blazed in yellow. Broken out. Simple to follow to the Pond. Spikes or snowshoes would suffice.

Black Pond Bushwhack: yeah… so I recommend wearing snowshoes when bushwhacking as it creates such a nice trail. But snow levels would support spikes as well. I consulted “Haiku Hikers” report and decided to create a bit of my own route. A bit. We used our map and compass to get a bearing and set off. There is a pretty durn good path that aligned with our bearing and we ended up using this path numerous times. Again, a bushwhack is a bushwhack. Be able to use a map and compass. Contrary to other posts, there is no “right” path, just the one you make to get to your objective. We also took the time and space to practice “dead reckoning” so if you see solo tracks heading off into the hills, you may want to consult your own compass to see where that path is headed. For the most part there is a nice path broken out that takes you past the water crossings on Lincoln Brook to junction with that trail following the 1800 foot contour. Have navigational skills!!

Lincoln Brook Trail: not blazed. Broken out. Simple to follow after we got “dumped out” at the backcountry campsite next to the Franconia Branch. I elected to don snowshoes. My son stayed in microspikes. I could justify either footwear though the snowshoes were great at smoothing things out. This is a very moderately graded trail, though there are still short sections of water running on trail. The remaining water crossings were accomplished using ice bridges. Cautiously.

Brutus Bushwhack: broken out for its entirety. Again, a bushwhack is a bushwhack which means that the path tends to follow its own course, or the course of the brave souls willing to navigate steep terrain, in snow. I had not been on this “trail” for two years so my memory was a bit faded. The broken out course takes you very steeply up to the junction with the Owls Head Path (not broken out, no traffic either on the Lincoln Brook side of that path). But it got us there. I wore snowshoes with confidence. But I love snowshoes. My son remained in spikes due to the amount of steep terrain we were negotiating.

Owls Head Path: broken out. Simple to follow. I did very well in snowshoes. My son did fine in microspikes. You chose the footwear. Summit carin barely visible just above the snow.

17 miles of “Whites Fun.” Met one solo hiker on the Brutus bushwhack. Best of luck with your Bonds Traverse!!
 
Name
Name: Remington34 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-12-27 
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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