| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Stinson Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lower Loop, woods road, bushwhack, snowmobile trail, logging roads |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 18, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Quincy Pasture Forest parking lot off East Rumney Road was not plowed (a bit of an uphill to get in), but there was room for one or two vehicles to park in the entrance. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Nothing particularly big. |
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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: |
I've been eyeing the southern ridge of Stinson for years and decided to go for it today with the ideal bushwhacking conditions (firm crust with a couple of inches on top.
I started in the Quincy Pasture Forest, barebooting the Lower Loop trail because of barespots and frozen postholes. Encountered close to a dozen deer and two dozen turkey. I missed a sharp right turn and ended up on a woods road that had been snowmobiled prior to the freeze. Snowshoes went on at about 1,000 feet in elevation (not too far after I hit the snowmobile tracks) and stayed on until I returned to the missed turn. The snowmobile tracks led to a private cabin near the USFS boundary.
I then straddled the USFS boundary (noted some old barbed wire as indicated on the USGS topo), going pretty much up the fall line to the ridge. On the return trip, I opted to hold the ridge southbound, hitting some recent logging and sticking with it until the logging road dropped west to the USGS logging road.
I noted evidence of an old path on the ridge at times. Really open woods as far as White Mountain bushwhacking goes. Quite a few ledgy areas (fortunately full snowpack for smooth sailing) with beautiful views, probably exceeding those on the summit. Having poked around the summit in prior visits, I opted to wrap around to the north (onto the eastern fork of the snowmobile trail) to avoid the spruce and steeps.
Above 1,000 feet, there was generally 1 to 2 feet of snowpack. Snowpack was generally firm enough to support snowshoes, though a few north-facing softwood stands were not as supportive in places.
About 7.5 miles roundtrip with cumulative vertical probably exceeding 2,500 feet.
Partly sunny morning giving way to a mostly cloudy afternoon, temperatures generally staying below freezing. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-02-18 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.franklinsites.com/temp/stinsonmtn-2024-0218a.jpg |
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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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https://www.franklinsites.com/temp/stinsonmtn-2024-0218a.jpg