Kinsman Ridge tr. conditions - Cannonballs section?

[BobC]

Does anyone know if the section of the Kinsman Ridge trail between the junction with the Lonesome Lake trail and the Kinsman Pond trail has been broken out recently? This is the section that goes over the "Cannonballs".

 

[andrewb]

This info may be of little use but I would like to let you now that late last April, this section was still tough. It really appears to get almost no use in the winter between the Pond and NE Cannonball because all the peakbaggers out there are just wetting their pants to climb the Kinsmans or take the shorter route to NE cannonball - and have no use for this section.

I may sound upset about this but certainly am not. The day we were out this 2 mile section absolutely kicked our *****, but we loved it! Breaking trail is fun, but this section feels a little more remote and it is quite challenging and rewarding because so few people go for it.

I will bet the short section up to NE peak is broken but all the butt sliders have probably made it treacherous. The rest of the trail to Kinsman Pond is likely yours for the taking! Note the trail does not go over other 2 cannonballs only near them.

 

[BobC]

Thanks Andrew. This does help. I'm staying at the hut Friday night and doing the Kinsmans Saturday. This was more or less an alternate plan in case I decided to not do the Kinsmans after all. I'm heading into the hut fairly early on Friday so I might just go up to Northeast Cannonball from the hut and then turn back to the hut from there.