| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Hancock, South Hancock, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Loop Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, March 31, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Snow and ice is completely melted away from the parking area. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow - Spring Snow |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction, Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
So far, the water crossings are manageable with just a small bit of looking and testing. The ice is on its way out, however, so be very careful. Water is coming off the mountains in quantity, it's unquestionably very cold water, and it's high enough to get in over the tops of your boots should you step into the drink unexpectedly. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Things are nominal for early spring. A blow down or two, one of which needs to be ducked under. The other can be stepped around with no hesitation. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
A few snow flies. Nothing major. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A last of the month hike, bagging the Hancocks for my March grid. Woo-hoo.
If you need these peaks for your April grid, consider leaving them until the second half of the month. On the steep parts of the Hancock Loop trail, there's a ton of blue ice, and it can stretch for five or even ten feet, completely unbroken and mostly featureless. The trail is quite treacherous, owing to angles of 35 to 40 degrees. If it were me, I'd give it a couple weeks so the ice can melt away a little. No need to put yourself in danger.
Apart from that, the col is very straightforward. Not a lot of posthole damage, and what postholes one might find are pretty tame at the moment. Down low, things are very solidly packed in. There are a few places where you'd call it aspiring monorail, and a spot or two (maybe 100 yards total) of actual, unquestionable monorail. It was 50 degrees out when I hit the trail, so all this monorail conjecture could be moot in as little as three days. YMMV.
For the daring, I highly recommend full-bore crampons, and consider bringing along an ice axe. I used Hillsound lightweight crampons, and found myself wanting in a few places. Micro Spikes will be fine on the approach, but once past the split between the north and south sides of the loop, they're completely inappropriate (I'd argue they're outright dangerous) for the conditions at the moment. As I was on my way home, the rains came pouring in, which will further muddle things up there. Be safe, remember the mountains will still be there tomorrow.
Photos and a more detailed write up are on my blog, as always. Share and enjoy, and please subscribe! |
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 | Name: |
Protean Wanderer |
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 | E-Mail: |
hiker@proteanwanderer.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-03-31 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.proteanwanderer.com/2022/03/31/trip-report-how-quick-a-jaunt-up-the-high-hancocks/ |
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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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