| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Lafayette, Lincolns, NH |
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 | Trails: |
franconia ridge, bridal path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, October 15, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
not applicable but time to bring traction if you are hiking |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Started this hike around 0545. Wasnt sure about traction so it took a ride. The forcast indicated rain the night before and then a forcast at ~3500ft in the area was 34(F). To me this means ice at high summits. This would end up being correct but not as cut and dry as yes or no. All the plants had rime ice, the rocks on the very edges of them all had rime ice, and any left over water than was not a puddle had also turned to a extremely thin layer of ice. This made wearing traction not the right choice, but also made bare booting it slightly dangerous. For me this added time to the ascent up lafayette. The worst part was going up north lincoln as the winds coming from the NW were contributing to the overall freeze.
Overall the weather ended up great as the day progressed. The skies cleared. At the saddle out to liberty i decided to turn around as all the water that melted was pooling and this hike was purely for conditioning/gains. All log bridges/planks were iced, but otherwise this part of my hike was unremarkable.
On the return i was ascending parts of the trail hit directly by sunlight so it also was unremarkable aside from the great views. I was moderately surprised by the number of people as the day went on. It is the last week Greenleaf is going to be open and though i rarely stop where i think people will be gathered, i went in thinking i would sit at a table to eat a lunch. The tables were loaded with people staring back at me, so I ate on the porch.
At the parking lot SAR & fish and game were gathered. Thinking about it i am not super surprised as the conditions were sneakily dangerous and in the afternoon the trails down were soaked. Its possible as the trails become more accessible for the public with the work that is being done that we see more people getting up to higher elevations with ease & getting in situations they might not have been prepared for, but who am i to say so....
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 | Name: |
Jack be nimble |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-10-16 |
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 | Link: |
 https://jackmillennial.com/?p=2630 |
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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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