| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Cannon Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Kinsman Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, December 22, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Tram parking lot? Easy. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One tree down midway up the trail. Very easy to step over. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn't see any today. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Gorgeous day for Cannon; spikes were the name of the game. Rock spikes needed...but also sharp spikes needed? Take that as you will. I used last year's spikes without issue; others I passed on the trail said they were using rock spikes; still others were using sharp spikes.
As others have mentioned in trail reports, the rain earlier this week wiped out the snowpack below about 2,500'. I bare-booted from the tram parking lot for the first 4/10ths of a mile or so. After that, spikes become necessary. Midway up the trail, there is a significant ice flow, which does require some bite from the spikes. I used my spikes from last winter, and they were fine...but if your spikes are really dull, you might want to think about bringing a sharper pair. Above about 3,200', the snowpack is intact; from there up, KRT is essentially hardpacked frozen granular, very well-suited for spikes. On the descent, the only sketchy section was the ice flow midway up the trail. Take careful steps and work to the edge of it, and it's not too bad. Definitely nothing that would require crampons, and I didn't feel the need to use the sharp spikes I had brought. Last year's leftovers did the trick just fine. Views were amazing, and not a puff of wind on the summit today. Great first winter 4k of the year :) |
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 | Name: |
IDB |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-12-22 |
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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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