CrazySage
New member
Date of Hike: 3/12/16
Trails: Mount Kinsman and Kinsman Ridge Trail
Conditions: The lower elevation section of the Mount Kinsman Trail (up to the Bald Peak spur trail) was pretty clear, with patchy ice in the morning and slippery mud in the afternoon, with no snow to be seen. The stream crossings were a little treacherous in the morning due to iced-over rocks, but the water-level is low so I waded right through in my water-proof boots. Past the Bald Peak spur trail the ice became more prevalent, first only covering the trail (a bizarre type of monorail) but eventually spreading wider so that the trail and the surrounding area was one big ice rink. I put on my microspikes here. It’s only around the 3 mile mark that snow started to appear, making for a little better traction, though there were still plenty of icy patches. The trip between North and South Kinsman had a little more snow, but nothing too deep. All trails were clear of blowdowns and very well blazed.
Special Equipment Needed: Traction … and a lot of it. I wore microspikes on the way up, which was sufficient, but coming down I switched over to my crampons. I wish I had taken the time to sharpen them! I highly recommend a pair of sharp crampons for this hike. I left my snowshoes in the car, and was happy that I did.
Comments: Gorgeous weather, good views and nice people. Enjoyed the abundant sunshine by hanging out and chatting on the summits. It was nice to have good conversations with great people.
Jen English
jenglish one at worcester dot edu
Trails: Mount Kinsman and Kinsman Ridge Trail
Conditions: The lower elevation section of the Mount Kinsman Trail (up to the Bald Peak spur trail) was pretty clear, with patchy ice in the morning and slippery mud in the afternoon, with no snow to be seen. The stream crossings were a little treacherous in the morning due to iced-over rocks, but the water-level is low so I waded right through in my water-proof boots. Past the Bald Peak spur trail the ice became more prevalent, first only covering the trail (a bizarre type of monorail) but eventually spreading wider so that the trail and the surrounding area was one big ice rink. I put on my microspikes here. It’s only around the 3 mile mark that snow started to appear, making for a little better traction, though there were still plenty of icy patches. The trip between North and South Kinsman had a little more snow, but nothing too deep. All trails were clear of blowdowns and very well blazed.
Special Equipment Needed: Traction … and a lot of it. I wore microspikes on the way up, which was sufficient, but coming down I switched over to my crampons. I wish I had taken the time to sharpen them! I highly recommend a pair of sharp crampons for this hike. I left my snowshoes in the car, and was happy that I did.
Comments: Gorgeous weather, good views and nice people. Enjoyed the abundant sunshine by hanging out and chatting on the summits. It was nice to have good conversations with great people.
Jen English
jenglish one at worcester dot edu
