| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Lafayette, Mt. Truman, Mt. Lincoln, Little Haystack Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Old Bridle Path, Greenleaf Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Falling Waters Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, February 22, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of space all day at OBP/FW trailhead |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All frozen. Someone broke out a trail ON the river at the crossing above Cloudland Falls instead of on trail, and it’s seen a lot of traffic. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw one really good girl on the ridge, and a set of three returning when we were starting. Windy day for them, but snow conditions were good. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Started at 8am. Snow conditions were excellent, with few drifts or post holes. The most holes we saw were between Lincoln and Little Haystack. We found a couple of drifts along the ridge that were still in good condition despite seeing only three people carrying snowshoes while everyone else wore micro spikes. We stuck with micro spikes the whole trip, because the trail was well packed (sans those couple of broken out drifts), and the ridge was too bony for snowshoes. We didn’t see a single person wearing them today. The winds were sustained on the ridge from the incoming storm, with the worst of them being on the exposed section of Greenleaf to the summit, and descending Lafayette until Truman. We were stunned when we came to the first crossing while descending Falling Waters, because initial trail breaking for the winter season was done ON the frozen river! No one has even attempted to follow or break out the true trail at this crossing, and it will ultimately get messy once the spring thaw starts. There is also a well packed trail to Stairs Falls, and someone clearly walked/climbed up them. We hoped it was ice climbers, but didn’t feel super positive about it. For now the path is solid, but again come spring...be wise!
Anyway...nice undercast when we started, ran into a familiar face, and managed to keep the sun the whole time! |
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 | Name: |
bria, danielle |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-02-22 |
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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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