Kinsman Pond Tr in winter

[rocksnrolls]

Would anyone be interested in doing a group hike up the Kinsman Pond Tr this winter? Maybe go from the Basin, up to N.Kinsman (and maybe bag South too) and down the Mt Kinsman Tr? Or maybe a loop back via Fishin Jimmy and the hut? I'm thinking later in the winter, so I've had time to work up to it (this is my first winter hiking).

This trail has a reputation as being a tough pile of wet rocks more like a stream than a trail. I was wondering what it's like in winter. Would a few feet of snow make a big difference? Or would it then be hard to follow the trail? Or would it be all ice? Would you expect to need crampons or would my Denalis be enough?

 

[askus3]

I can't join you but I went up the Basin Trail, Fishin Jimmy Trail, and all the way to South Kinsman and back. We actually stayed at Lonesome Lake Hut for three nights. It was an exhilarating trip. I did this March 23-26, 2004. Snow shoes were sufficient except for one piece of trail going up Cannon on the Kinsamn Ridge Trail and that is not on your itinerary. My trip photo album is here.

 

[dr_wu002]

Would anyone be interested in doing a group hike up the Kinsman Pond Tr this winter? Maybe go from the Basin, up to N.Kinsman (and maybe bag South too) and down the Mt Kinsman Tr? Or maybe a loop back via Fishin Jimmy and the hut? I'm thinking later in the winter, so I've had time to work up to it (this is my first winter hiking).

This trail has a reputation as being a tough pile of wet rocks more like a stream than a trail. I was wondering what it's like in winter. Would a few feet of snow make a big difference? Or would it then be hard to follow the trail? Or would it be all ice? Would you expect to need crampons or would my Denalis be enough?

Do you want to go Tomorrow (Jan 1)?

-Dr. Wu

 

[rocksnrolls]

I'm not quite ready for it yet Dr Wu. This is my first year hiking during the winter (climbed Waumbek today for my first winter 4k) and I want to get a little more experience before tackling something difficult. I was thinking more along the lines of doing the KPT in February or March. I'm just looking for info and to gauge the level of interest at this point.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

The Kinsman Pond Trail is less used than the Fishin' Jimy trail, so it is much more likely to be unbroken, and there may be route finding problems. There are also a few stream crossings, which always add to the unpredictability. In other words, this is emphatically not a standard approach to the Kinsmans.

We did it a few years ago for the fun of doing things differently (the road less travelled by). Also, it allows a fun bushwhack from the col between the two peaks back to the Kinsman Pond Trail, avoiding the climb back up North Kinsman. As with most bushwhacks the real purpose is the fun of it, not the savings in elevation gain.

All in all I would describe the Kinsman Pond approach to the Kinsmans as fun for experienced winter hikers, but not really suitable, IMHO, for a begining winter hiker.

 

[kerry13]

Ron, I'm kinda getting my feet wet, hopefully not literally, with the winter hiking thing. Been to Monadnock a few times and gettting more comfortable each trip. Send me a PM any time you want to go out, we're close enough and we can come up with a good 4ker for later in the winter.

 

[RoySwkr]

I have been on the Kinsman Pond Trail 3 times in winter, twice when you could still park at Whitehouse Bridge. As everybody says it is less likely to be broken out and less well marked than the other routes up Kinsmans, you can decide if that is a bug or a feature

I don't think of KP Trail as that bad but Basin-Cascades getting over there can be a real pain, not my choice of a winter route.

With the hut open in winter, I'll bet FJ is usually broken, Mt Kinsman Trail from the far side is a pleasant snowshoe route with poor parking, and KP is the adventure.