| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Hancock, South Hancock, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Arrow Slide, Hancock Loop Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 11, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty at Hancock Overlook |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No issues crossing anything today, the crossing at North is inundated with spring melt, the only time you ever really see it wet |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blow downs, but nothing major |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A FINE day in the forest was had. A checkmark for May 11 and the first back country slide of the season. I am not sure if Ross actually hiked this yesterday as his trip report, unless snow was farmed from other areas in the mountain and deposited on the trail since last night, is totally erroneous. The first half of Hancock Notch Trail, running north to south, is about half bare ground and half thin crumbling monorail. Cedar Brook Trail, running east to west, is largely bare and mostly dry, with patches of running water. Cedar Brook is wet in a drought so it's looking pretty normal. The first 1/4 mile of Hancock Notch trail, running N/S is largely bare, then a rotting thin rail enters for the entire duration of the hike with snow on the sides. No "large bare patches" noted aside from the area around the junction. My party went up South, I went up North (via the slide). I had to go up the trail about 50ft then whack over to the base of the slide as its a total ocean of spring melt right now. No issues on slide aside from the usual spots. My 5th time on it so I felt pretty confident I could get up it. No issues getting to North. From North to South is a Nick Walenda razor thin corn topped monorail, deteriorating rapidly. Beaver/balls deep (can't discriminate) snow and post holes on each side. Snowshoes would actually create more of a hazard with current trail conditions then a help - so they are not checked. It's all rotten corn snow. We need some sun to melt it - it will go fast if we ever do. These conditions largely continued across the entire ridge, a few fleeting patches of bare ground in the blowdowns but by in large depths ranging from 1-3' of garbage. Same can be said for the descent off south back to the junction. I was told the North side of the loop is largely bare on the bottom half. I did not actually witness this, but I have no reason to doubt their assessment. |
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 | Name: |
The Teal Goat, Lil Squirt, CaptChris |
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 | E-Mail: |
sea2thebiscuit@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-05-11 |
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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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