| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Kearsarge, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lincoln Trail, Rollins Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, April 4, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
There is a pullout on the east side of Kearsarge Valley Road with room for several vehicles. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
A few small streams on the way up, no problem crossing these. The hardest water crossing is ironically 50 yards from the trailhead where you need to gingerly step across a small flooded area on sticks. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few small blowdowns, easy to navigate. There is no trailhead sign, but the path is obvious heading east across the field from there. Signs mark the important junctions, and white blazes are nailed to trees. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I see someone posted a report for today for the northern approach to Kearsarge, so this report on the southern approach should cover all bases!
A fantastic bluebird day in between storms today. Got into the lower 60s down low, and in spite of a pretty brisk wind on top, it was easy to find shelter in the lee of rocks on the east side of the summit. Not many people on the mountain today - saw a few around the top and one person on the trail lower down.
Typical spring conditions dominated today - a mix of things. Some dry trail, some wet, some muddy, and some snow and ice. The Lincoln Trail is 90% clear of snow & ice; there are a couple short icy sections on the north side of Black Mountain but I was able to navigate these without needing spikes.
The upper part of the Lincoln Trail (the scramble) is nice and dry - in fact, it's safer right now than the Rollins Trail, which is heavily eroded, full of running water, and has several stretches of ice. You can get up and down Rollins OK without spikes if you're careful, but some may want them on.
Stunning view from the top, 80+ miles in multiple directions. Only Mount Washington was obscured by clouds, and faraway peaks such as Camel's Hump, Mount Equinox, and Mount Greylock were visible. And most notably, skyscrapers in Boston (they're just to the left of the twin Uncanoonuc peaks). You can only see the tops of the 3 tallest skyscrapers, but they are very obvious via binoculars.
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 | Name: |
Dan Saxton |
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 | E-Mail: |
daniel.saxton7@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-04-04 |
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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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