| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owl’s Head, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Woods Trail, Black Pond Trail, bushwhacks, Lincoln Brook Trail, Owl's Head Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at Lincoln Woods lot off NH 112. This is a fee lot ($5 per day or WMNF pass) that is very large, paved, and plowed after storms. The magnificent pine at the entrance had succumbed to the storm, but was cut and moved from blocking the entrance. Bathrooms are heated and stocked. Kiosk. Ranger station open today. Thoughtful Ranger helping hikers make sure they were prepared for today's conditions. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All water crossings are open. I repeat, all water crossings are open. Water levels are elevated necessitating the hiker to come up with creative ways to keep boots from total submersion and to keep from falling in the frigid waters. I could not keep my boots totally dry today, but was able to negotiate the worst crossings on Lincoln Brook with my trusty snowshoes, poles, and some really slick icy rocks. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I could not believe that this storm didn’t have more blowdowns. There was a lot of debris on trail, but few new blowdowns. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Route:
Out and back using Lincoln Woods Trail > Black Pond Trail > “Black Pond bushwhack” > Lincoln Brook Trail > “Brutus bushwhack.”
Lincoln Woods: flat, popular trail. Nice firm snow in the AM, icy melting snow in the PM. Very slushy in some parts this afternoon. I used spikes in the morning, bare boots in the PM with careful negotiation of the short icy parts.
Black Pond Trail: nicely blazed in bright yellow blazes. I donned snowshoes as there was a couple of inches of new snow that made spikes spin around. I kept the snowshoes on this afternoon as the snow had turned to mashed potatoes. There was one bare booter who seemed to have done just fine out and back to the pond. No post holes. Some bare trail emerging this afternoon, but it was only for about 10 feet. The typical mud vats were open near the pond. I was able to move around them in snowshoes without issue.
Black Pond bushwhack: as always, a bushwhack is off trail. Be prepared to engage land navigation skills. Thank you to the brave soul who broke this out! The herd path broken out meanders a bit, but it gets you there. I made some short cuts in snowshoes, but all paths lead back to the main herd path. Snowshoes were the most logical footwear due to the new snow. Snow depth 2-3 inches, rapidly melting this afternoon. The muddy area just before the unofficial campsite next to Lincoln Brook trail was open. There was enough surrounding snow to avoid it, though.
Lincoln Brook trail: not blazed. Completely unbroken. I wore snowshoes out and back. It was here my struggles started. Snow depth rapidly increased from just a few inches to 4-6 inches. My pace slowed accordingly as I was the only one breaking trail. Some places I had to stop and dig around in my memory to work out where the trail went. Drifts over some parts of trail. But you can benefit from my steps now. See water crossing notes above. Coming back this afternoon there was some serious melting happening. Snowshoes handled it best.
Brutus bushwhack: oh my gad. I’m back in December breaking trail… Again. Snowshoes were a must as the 6 inches of new snow became at least 12 inches and well over that in the uppermost elevations with drifts. I realize were are still in winter, but man, I mentally wasn’t ready to be thrown back in time 2 months. I painstakingly began breaking out the thick new snow along this bushwhack. Doing this on that super steep terrain meant three steps up, a slide backwards, a minute to catch my breath, three more steps, slide, and on and on. Many, many obscenities were flung out to the woods. Groans, sweat. The hardest part is that there was no trough under the new snow. So I’d kick step into the soft snow hoping to catch a piece of solid ground only to find my snowshoe doing its best to grip free standing snow and putting full weight on the shoe would cause me to sink many inches, sometimes up to 6 inches. It was exhausting. As I had to make my own path, I meandered off course several times. I was never far from the herd path, but definitely off it a few times. I stopped 50 feet from the “true” summit as a) I really no longer cared to push through trees that were being whipped by wind threatening to topple over on my head, and b) I was tired of trying to find the route. Coming down I met two hikers!! This lovely couple were also in snowshoes. So there are three sets of snowshoe prints now on the Brutus and all the way back to Black Pond trail.
So, if you’re inclined to go out the next few days, there is at least semi broken out trail to ease your climbing efforts. |
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-03-12 |
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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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