| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Kinsman, South Kinsman, Bald Peak, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mt. Kinsman Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Bald Peak Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, March 8, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Clear and dry, room for about a dozen cars, two others there at 7:30am |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Three water crossings with good flow, navigable with spikes and rock hopping. Sadly I was barebooting at the first crossing and took a dunk due to the glazed rocks early in the day... |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Several blowdowns in the first mile or so, and one larger one about a quarter mile above the Bald Peak spur junction. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Returned a white Trek bike water bottle with red lettering to the trailhead - may have been from the mountain biker I encountered early in the day. |
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 | Comments: |
Spring conditions in full force with every flavor of trail condition on the menu. I barebooted to the third water crossing just below Bald Peak spur but should have donned spikes much earlier (and avoided the dunk at the first water crossing due to glazed rocks). Early in the day the lower few miles were mostly frozen mud but a mess on the descent in the afternoon. Ice patches from ~1500' to Bald Peak spur at ~2400', after which the monorail picks up but is fading fast, and ice bridges are a roll of the dice. Uppermost MKT is still in decent shape. Up on the ridge at the MKT-KRT junction, the KRT north looked heavily postholed. KRT south to the North Kinsman was overall in good shape, though with a number of sketchy ice sections. The ridge between North and South Kinsman definitely warranted careful foot placement to stay on the softening monorail - snowshoes would definitely be better in some areas. Spikes were overall most effective for me today, and K-10s and snowshoes rode on the pack. Encountered a mountain biker finishing up shortly after I started my ascent - I thought he may have been biking on the lower trails, but I followed his fat-bike tracks all the way to North Kinsman - respect!! |
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 | Name: |
whitebirchoverland |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-03-08 |
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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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