NH Tramper
Member
Date of Hike: Apr. 1, 2013
Trail Conditions: Not including Lincoln Woods Trail, this was a snowshoe hike from end to end. In fact, they were needed mostly from just past the swamp and small hump next to it near the beginning of the Black Pond Trail to the Owl's Head summit. Due to the rain we got (except high up where it was light sleet and snow), the snow pack is soft, mushy, and pretty saturated now. This means snowshoes will be needed for the next few days unless it gets VERY cold for a few days, in which case it'll turn to concrete. It would reasonable to expect the crossings to be slightly higher due to the rain and warmer temps of today. That said, though, the water levels were pretty low and the crossings were easy. Lincoln Brook was actually well-bridged and supportive in most places, offering many crossing options (unlike what it was a mere two weeks ago when I hiked it last). There were some minor blowdowns and some downed branches on Black Pond Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, and on the Brutus Bushwhack, but none were even remotely challenging to get over or around. Speaking of the Brutus Bushwhack, the trail is split into maybe two to three separate paths. We picked one and went for it. This may or may not be the right one and may or may not be the most packed out. Our track will, however, be the freshest. You can decide when you get there how you want to tackle the climb. I'd say, take the freshest, most packed out, and try to limit the number of options -- even though it is a bushwhack.
Special Equipment Used: We used snowshoes as noted and I would strongly advise the same for the next few days, depending on the temps and additional precipitation, if any. The snow is wet and may ball, though we didn't have issues. Trekking poles, of course, were helpful for crossings and probing the ice. In addition to the bushwhacks, snow depths on the trail must still be a good three to four feet up high meaning much of the higher trail's canopy is now at face level making things tighter in places. Thus, there are sections of this route in which wearing glasses might not be a bad idea so as to prevent eye injury. At least be aware of this possibility when you're up there.
Comments: Hiked this one as a participant on an AMC hike (part of my training) and while the company was great, the weather sucked. It rained on and off all day (pouring at times) and the freshly dusted trees wept at the coming of spring thanks to warmer temps. In these conditions if you protect yourself from the rain you wet out with sweat -- no winning the game. Apparently the weatherman played an April Fool's joke on us. Still, it's 121 for my grid.
Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
Trail Conditions: Not including Lincoln Woods Trail, this was a snowshoe hike from end to end. In fact, they were needed mostly from just past the swamp and small hump next to it near the beginning of the Black Pond Trail to the Owl's Head summit. Due to the rain we got (except high up where it was light sleet and snow), the snow pack is soft, mushy, and pretty saturated now. This means snowshoes will be needed for the next few days unless it gets VERY cold for a few days, in which case it'll turn to concrete. It would reasonable to expect the crossings to be slightly higher due to the rain and warmer temps of today. That said, though, the water levels were pretty low and the crossings were easy. Lincoln Brook was actually well-bridged and supportive in most places, offering many crossing options (unlike what it was a mere two weeks ago when I hiked it last). There were some minor blowdowns and some downed branches on Black Pond Trail, Lincoln Brook Trail, and on the Brutus Bushwhack, but none were even remotely challenging to get over or around. Speaking of the Brutus Bushwhack, the trail is split into maybe two to three separate paths. We picked one and went for it. This may or may not be the right one and may or may not be the most packed out. Our track will, however, be the freshest. You can decide when you get there how you want to tackle the climb. I'd say, take the freshest, most packed out, and try to limit the number of options -- even though it is a bushwhack.
Special Equipment Used: We used snowshoes as noted and I would strongly advise the same for the next few days, depending on the temps and additional precipitation, if any. The snow is wet and may ball, though we didn't have issues. Trekking poles, of course, were helpful for crossings and probing the ice. In addition to the bushwhacks, snow depths on the trail must still be a good three to four feet up high meaning much of the higher trail's canopy is now at face level making things tighter in places. Thus, there are sections of this route in which wearing glasses might not be a bad idea so as to prevent eye injury. At least be aware of this possibility when you're up there.
Comments: Hiked this one as a participant on an AMC hike (part of my training) and while the company was great, the weather sucked. It rained on and off all day (pouring at times) and the freshly dusted trees wept at the coming of spring thanks to warmer temps. In these conditions if you protect yourself from the rain you wet out with sweat -- no winning the game. Apparently the weatherman played an April Fool's joke on us. Still, it's 121 for my grid.
Mike "Tramper" Cherim
Nottingham NH
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