| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owl's Head, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, herd path, Lincoln Brook Trail, herd path, Owls Head Path |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, January 3, 2024 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lots of room |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Both were challenging & required planning. Rock hoppable but icy on top & sort of far apart. We brought garbage bags but didn't need them on the ascent. May have been helpful on descent as some of the ice patches around rocks were giving way. We crossed the last crossing about 50'-100' upstream. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of erosion along several sections Lincoln Brook and Lincoln Woods along sections that have gradually been eroding over time. I'm sure it's just a matter of time (& resources) before these sections are re-routed |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
We had an experienced hiker with us so she navigated the water crossings well. I would urge caution regarding bringing a dog while the crossings are unbridged. |
|
 | Bugs: |
|
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Unbelievable conditions for a January hike! We bare-booted until the above mentioned eroded section on Lincoln Brook, which was a slab of thick ice with a precipitous drop and needed spikes for the water crossings. As noted above, crossings were challenging but doable. Please use caution and prudence regarding your dog's abilities. While the intrepid Eva (yellow lab) managed the crossings well (better than us!), she is a strong, experienced hiking dog. My mini poodle, who loves hiking but is not as experienced or intrepid, would not have and carrying him across would have been difficult for balance. I think these crossings would be tough for smaller dogs because of the distance between rocks & ice formations (in the middle of the brook) plus the strong current. We bare-booted about half way up the Brutus BW then switched to spikes & kept them on until past the treacherous sections of Lincoln Brook. We saw only 2 individual hikers the whole day (please see Bruce's report also as, he went up the slide) and another gridder. Many thanks to Donna, Dick and Dorothy for joining me on my first big hike post-surgery. |
|
 | Name: |
Elizabeth |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ewberry1@aol.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2024-01-04 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
