| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Huntington, South Huntington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hancock Notch Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, December 28, 2014 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Spring Snow |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Quite a few minor ones flowing, but all rock hoppable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Pretty smooth to the Cedar Brook Trail junction. Pretty nasty chainsaw blowdown soon thereafter, as well as a bunch of smaller bendovers. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Hancock Notch Trail from the highway to the Cedar Brook Trail junction (ie the portion you hike when doing the Hancocks) was well packed for bareboot traffic. Occasional open mudpit areas. I snowshoed on the way in, but opted to boot on the way out.
Beyond the junction, it appears there had been some traffic at some point this month, but snowshoes were a must, especially as the snow softened later in the day. Snow depths of probably 1-2 feet.
Just prior to reaching the height of land, we descended from the trail in open woods, then ascended Huntington, initially in okay woods, but then in some rubbish (worsened by the morning rain that lasted a lot longer than the forecast had suggested yesterday). We stayed west of the talus slope, but eventually hooked around it and to the summit. Snowpack generally ranging 1-2 feet. Much easier a few Aprils ago in deep snowpack.
Heading to south, we went north a little bit to skirt some cliffy steeps, but ended up in thicker spruce. On the return trip, we went directly up the steeps to stay out of the wet, thick junk. Eventually, though, there is a nice stand of mature trees in the col, which was welcome in the Chappaquiddick bushwhacking conditions. A little thicker nearing the summit of South Huntington (again, much easier in deeper snowpack).
Above maybe 3,200 feet, the snowpack was generally firm enough to allow snowshoe flotation. As the day progressed, the snowpack below that was softening into a spring snow. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2014-12-28 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos |
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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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