NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks South Baldface, North Baldface, NH
Trails
Trails: Baldface Circle Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, November 15, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of room in the lot off Rt. 113. We only saw 4(?) other people on our trek. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All crossings rock-hoppable. Watch out for black ice. One of our party slipped on the last crossing on the exit hike. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: There was a minor blowdown or two on each side of the loop between the split and treeline, nothing too troublesome to deal with. Few of the blazes on the ledges are visible due to the snow now, a couple extra cairns could be helpful in places coming up the South ledges before the upper junction. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Lots of tricky ledge scrambling, especially now with the mixed ice/snow/bare rock conditions. Know your dog's abilities, some could definitely do it. 
Bugs
Bugs: Nope. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Our group of 6 set out for this hike, most of us had never been on these peaks before. The side trip to Emerald Pool at the Circle Junction was well worth it, looks like a great cool-off spot in the summer. Pretty easy going up to the shelter, at which point the real climbing began and the ice also began. Microspikes were essential in many places getting up to the Baldface Knob junction. The ice isn't thick enough or consistent enough yet for anything more aggressive traction-wise. From there to South there was enough bare rock that a couple of us bare-booted to there. Between the peaks was easier terrain than it looked, but still ice hiding here and there making spikes useful in places. More of the same all the way to the descent on the Baldface Circle Trail. The initial descent was surprisingly steep and was quite icy, lots of butt-scooting and tree-grabbing was necessary, and a few minor spills were had. Be careful! Once off the steeps, patches of ice were here and there, but by and large it was bare-bootable back to the cars below ~2500'. Typical shoulder-season conditions made the ledges much more difficult than they likely would be otherwise. Only 1-2" of snow overall, a few deeper drifts up top. What a fantastic hike though with a great crew of friends. The views in all directions are stunning. Definitely coming back for this one over and over and over!  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-11-17 
Link
Link: https://mattshikes.blogspot.com/ 
Bookmark and Share 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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved