| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
South Hancock, North Hancock, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, Hancock Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 6, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plowed |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The crossing only partly bridged and you had to step carefully but they weren't hard |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One significant multi tree blowdown along the ridge. Two spots half way down North Hancock section where blow downs had been cut back but not all the way off the trail so it would be easy to hit your hit as your looking down... as one of us can attest. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
2 dogs having fun |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The trail is mostly well packed but we saw a few post holes where someone had tried to bareboot the ridge. You can use snowshoes from the road all the way up and back but there are area areas of rocks, water in the trail, or rocks just below the surface of the snow especially on Hancock Notch trail and Cedar Brook. It was hard to decide exactly where to put snowshoes on but you definitely want them for the ridge and many of the people we ran into put them on about halfway in Hancock Notch trail. I waited until after the river crossings because I thought they might be open. They were only partly bridged. We all used them for the way up South and the ridge but only 1 of us used them coming down North. Another used spikes for that part and I opted for Hillsound Pros (one step below crampons). They all worked but nothing was easy coming down the steep section especially since is was hard to know if you would hit rock just under the snow. |
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 | Name: |
Rick Simmons |
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 | E-Mail: |
RickNH1@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-12-07 |
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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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