Raven
Well-known member
Date of Hike: 2 February 2014
Trails: Mount Kinsman Trail to Kinsman Ridge Trail to both summits and return same way (10 miles)
Trail Conditions: The trail down low was hard packed. At higher elevations, the trail was covered with an inch or so of loose powder and granular snow over hard pack.
Special Equipment: I wore light traction the whole time and saw about a 50/50 mix of that and snowshoes on the 10 or so people I passed. I expected at some point for the snow to soften up enough for me to need the shoes (I carried them), but I never did. Otherwise, I had cold weather gear, but it was comfortable most of the day even so.
Comments: The day got better as it went on today so was a good one for me to get off to another leisurely 10:30 start. The morning clouds were beginning to clear on the ascent and the view of Franconia Ridge from North Kinsman was cloudy the first time but there were good views regardless from both summits. On South Kinsman, the sun poked through a nice blue oval in the clouds for a short while and on the way back over the north peak, all but Lafayette's summit had cleared from the clouds...but was filling in again as well. Another good day in the mountains.
Trails: Mount Kinsman Trail to Kinsman Ridge Trail to both summits and return same way (10 miles)
Trail Conditions: The trail down low was hard packed. At higher elevations, the trail was covered with an inch or so of loose powder and granular snow over hard pack.
Special Equipment: I wore light traction the whole time and saw about a 50/50 mix of that and snowshoes on the 10 or so people I passed. I expected at some point for the snow to soften up enough for me to need the shoes (I carried them), but I never did. Otherwise, I had cold weather gear, but it was comfortable most of the day even so.
Comments: The day got better as it went on today so was a good one for me to get off to another leisurely 10:30 start. The morning clouds were beginning to clear on the ascent and the view of Franconia Ridge from North Kinsman was cloudy the first time but there were good views regardless from both summits. On South Kinsman, the sun poked through a nice blue oval in the clouds for a short while and on the way back over the north peak, all but Lafayette's summit had cleared from the clouds...but was filling in again as well. Another good day in the mountains.
