| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Black Mountain (Benton), NH, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Chippewa Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, January 23, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Space for 3 cars full on my late arrival, but there is a wider section of the road for parallel parking South of lot (not really plowed, but I had a shovel if needed). |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Snow - Unpacked Powder |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Mostly bridged, few small open spots. Downed tree over one of the first bog bridges; limber up to get under. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails in great shape overall. Few smallish stepover blowdowns. Could use more blazing, but trails easily followed today. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Cody had a spectacular time running back and forth (must covered the trails twice). Mentioned above, there are a few open water spots, not great for grabbing a drink, but Cody went for the ice around them. One other pup on trail passed way down low. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Four solo hikers on the trail today. Most wore snowshoes to ascend and spikes on descent. Ice (flows) under the thin layer of snow was quite slick, so I switched to spikes for part of the ascent to get better traction and agility. Plus, many rocks are showing through, making for an uneven trail, sometimes difficult in larger snowshoes. Snow depths are greater at higher elevation, of course, so snowshoes may be the way to go. Hopefully, the new snow will fill in some of the unevenness around rocks once packed down. |
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 | Name: |
CookiesOnTop |
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 | E-Mail: |
schwarzmc at yahoo |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-01-23 |
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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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