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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Carr Mountain, Waternomee Falls, NH
Trails
Trails: Carr Mountain Trail, Waternomee Falls Spur
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, December 9, 2012
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parking for three typical IQ cars, or four Smart cars, in the small lot at the trailhead.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Standing/Running Water on Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All easily rock-hopped. Be cautious on the moss-covered rocks, however. They're slick. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: From the junction with the Waternomee Falls spur (1,250') up to 1,950' there are several blowdowns of varying sizes. We cut and/or moved several of the smaller ones, but at least two will require a bow- or chainsaw. There are also several step-over blowdowns in this section that aren't worth bothering with.

The trail would benefit from some waterbars in a few spots.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: This is a great hike for dogs right now, and both Polly and Josie enjoyed themselves immensely. There's plenty of still-flowing water. However, note that much of the trail in the final 500' of elevation gain is covered with ice, and some dogs may have trouble in this section.  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Wow, no trail reports on NETC for this route since July! It's a really nice hike, though, and today we made it part of our continuing exploration of the Smarts-Cube-Moosilauke region.


The trail begins with a short roadwalk, ending at a 200-year-old farmhouse (occupied; nice folks). From there the route crosses a meadow and the trail is indistinct in places. Look for an eight-foot-tall post with a yellow blaze near the top of the meadow; that's where the trail re-enters the woods.


After the junction with the spur to Waternomee Falls (small, pretty, and would be refreshing on a hot summer day), the route steepens to a healthy 1000'/mile climb and maintains that degree of ascent pretty much the rest of the way to the top, about two miles. Someone has helpfully and generously be-ribboned the route after the junction with bright pink plastic ties, and following the corridor is no trouble, even though this trail gets little use.


As noted above, the trail is covered with blue flow ice for much of the final 500' of ascent. We bare-booted to the summit but put on Microspikes for the descent of this section and were glad we did.


Limited views from the top due to encroaching trees, but climbing on to the old footings of the long-gone firetower provides some nice glimpses of Moosilauke, the peaks around Waterville Valley, and on to Mt. Washington. The view from the firetower must have been amazing.


Note: This will be a great snowshoe hike.


Anticipating cool temps at the summit, we wore our long underwear, which was overkill yesterday for the first couple of miles of the hike. ("It's like a sow-na in here.")


As expected, we saw no one the whole hike.


Photos at link below.  
Name
Name: The Feathered Hat 
E-Mail
E-Mail: stevebjerklie at yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2012-12-09 
Link
Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/99682097@N00/sets/72157632214601092/ 
Bookmark and Share Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

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