| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Little Haystack Mountain, Mt. Lincoln, Mt. Truman, Mt. Lafayette, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Falling Waters Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Greenleaf Trail, Old Bridle Path |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, April 1, 2024 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking in the large lot off 93. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Spring Snow |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All crossings on Falling Waters were manageable. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
All trails looked good today, no blowdowns or walk-arounds or duck-unders. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw three well-behaved dogs, all happy to be hiking. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Microspikes were the footwear of choice today and we wore them for the entire length of Falling Waters. The trail was well-packed, with few postholes, all of which were on the edge of the trail. Once above treeline, we removed the spikes to bareboot across the ridge, which looked clear of snow from Little Haystack. Turns out Franconia Ridge trail is about 2/3 clear of snow and ice, but the sneaky 1/3 is a bit of a bother. We ended up putting spikes back on between Lincoln and Lafayette just to avoid slipping on the occasional soft snow/ice and to avoid going off trail in the fragile plant environment. Spikes came off again near the bare summit of Lafayette and stayed off until we hit treeline on Greenleaf trail. Spikes stayed on from there to the bottom on OBP. By our afternoon descent, the packed trail on OBP was soft and slippery, which resulted in a quick descent. No balling on the spikes today! Snowshoes went for a ride. From the ridge, we saw a helicopter making several deliveries to Greenleaf Hut. It seemed too early for hut prep stuff so we guessed it might be materials for trail work. Turns out there were several people working at the hut. They told us the copter brought them (how cool is that!) and then delivered building materials so they can rebuild the top section of the hut wall that faces Eagle Lakes. Apparently, the windows leak and the wood is rotting. They should have an interesting time during the incoming snowstorm! Lovely day on the ridge today, with plenty of sun and little wind. |
|
 | Name: |
Chris C. |
|
 | E-Mail: |
chris.chambrln@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2024-04-01 |
|
 | 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. |
|
