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Date hiked: 5/16/08
Conditions: dry for first mile, isolated soft snow patches after that, mostly in cols, then mostly rotting snow on upper 300 feet of Mt. Wolf with some deep post-holing. This is only going to worsen over coming week with additional melting. A few bugs, nothing bothersome at this point.
Special equipment: waterproof boots, poles. Snowshoes might be more a hindrance than help at this point. We bare-booted the whole way.
Comments: the "outlook" from Mt. Wolf is actually just a small window on the Franconias, with barely room for three to stand and look--by itself it was a rather small reward for our efforts. Hoped to get to Eliza Brook Shelter, spend the night, then do the Kinsmans in the morning, but turned around at Mt. Wolf, thinking the north slope of the peak would be in even worse condition than the south. Made camp a couple miles back, then got out on the 17th, to go for a day hike somewhere else. Spoke with another group at Kinsman Notch planning ready to do the same route; they had snowshoes. At least the weather exceeded all expectations; reinforces the idea that it's no use fretting over pessimistic forecasts. Carried full rain gear but never used it.
Conditions: dry for first mile, isolated soft snow patches after that, mostly in cols, then mostly rotting snow on upper 300 feet of Mt. Wolf with some deep post-holing. This is only going to worsen over coming week with additional melting. A few bugs, nothing bothersome at this point.
Special equipment: waterproof boots, poles. Snowshoes might be more a hindrance than help at this point. We bare-booted the whole way.
Comments: the "outlook" from Mt. Wolf is actually just a small window on the Franconias, with barely room for three to stand and look--by itself it was a rather small reward for our efforts. Hoped to get to Eliza Brook Shelter, spend the night, then do the Kinsmans in the morning, but turned around at Mt. Wolf, thinking the north slope of the peak would be in even worse condition than the south. Made camp a couple miles back, then got out on the 17th, to go for a day hike somewhere else. Spoke with another group at Kinsman Notch planning ready to do the same route; they had snowshoes. At least the weather exceeded all expectations; reinforces the idea that it's no use fretting over pessimistic forecasts. Carried full rain gear but never used it.
