| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Cannon Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lonesome Lake Trail, Hi-Cannon Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, February 11, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking is on the right after pulling off the Lafayette Place Campground exit (southbound Franconia Notch). The parking lot to the left is not plowed and used by snow machines - keep an eye out and stay to the right side to avoid collision |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Amazing day with great conditions. My feet started to sink in a good 4 inches with every step at the start of lonesome lake trail, so on went the snowshoes. It had snowed a few inches overnight so snowshoes were a must at the start of Hi-Cannon. Post holes in front of us were about 6 inches. Two people ahead of us tried to go up in micro's but turned around about 50 yards in. At around 100 yards in, the single set of tracks we were still following switched to snow shoes - time to fly! There were others who did follow in spikes, but we smoothed it out on the way back to make it flat for the overnight freeze after our lengthy stop at the summit café. The hot cocoa was perfect along with a non-hurried lunch sitting in a warm room full of skiers and one other hiker (we are so easy to recognize). We then headed back to the tower, then down. The ladder section was almost filled when we arrived in the morning and we easily headed up in snowshoes. However, on the return trip we had to switch to micros at the top as the almost ramp was replaced with steps which rendered our snowshoes ineffective. We replaced our spikes with shoes at the bottom of the ladder and continued to the parking lot. Sections above the ladders were easy to walk right up in snowshoes and the parts in full sun had started to get mashed potato-y on the way down - no ice. The only ice we saw was in two places just beneath the ladders, both easily avoidable. We could have changed into spikes when we arrived at Lonesome Lake Trail without post holing as it was super packed down by all the traffic that day - I was just lazy and didn't feel like making the switch. Overall, an amazing day in great conditions and met a lot of fun people. Probably one of my best Cannon hikes - which says a lot because it is my second least favorite peak (Iso is the clear winner of least favs). After April I won't ever have to hike it again, though I might on another day like today! |
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 | Name: |
BubblesTheHiker |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-02-13 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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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