| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Pemigewasset, NH |
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 | Trails: |
US 3, Indian Head Trail, Mt. Pemigewasset Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 28, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at Flume Gorge, tons of room. Room for a dozen or so at the Indian Head Trailhead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None were remotely troublesome. Easy rock hops. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A couple blowdowns on each trail that should be dealt with. The worst is on the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail, where a multi-limbed beast has blocked the entrie trail not 5 feet downhill of a drainage bar. A herd path around utilizing this drainage bar has formed, but this will lead to some serious erosion. A large saw or an axe is needed for the 6-10" diameter limbs.
Also, the Mt. Pemigewasset Trail is massively over-blazed, at least on the downhill (didn't look on the uphill). The corridor is mostly obvious, and in several spots where the trail goes straight and is impossible to miss, there are 3-4 blazes in a 100' stretch...
Contrast that to the Indian Head Trail, which is hard to follow in a few spots. Blazes are few, far between, and badly faded. At least one blaze I saw was 10+ feet off to the side of the trail with no corridor anywhere near said blaze. Some blazing would go a long way in here, as the woods are really open and the footbed isn't too clear in spots. Also, the trail is badly eroded in spots, and has become a streambed. Rather muddy as a result too. That said, a cool trail, just needs some TLC. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Shouldn't be anything to cause a dog issues on either trail. |
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 | Bugs: |
Saw a few run-of-the-mill flies. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Hike 2 on the day in place of a Kinsmans hike that the legs weren't going to permit.
Parked at Flume Gorge and walked the 1.25 miles down Route 3 to the Indian Head Trailhead. The ascent was steep in spots, but not terribly so, but the legs were burning! The woods are wide-open nearly all the way to the trail junction up top, and the sun was beating down on me the whole time. No snow as a result though, just a little bit that showed up in the last 1/10 ascent to the trail junction, not enough to warrant microspikes. The spur to the summit ledges had snow throughout, some might want microspikes here though I managed without. Same for the upper tenth or two descent on Mount Pemigewasset Trail. From there, all clear of snow/ice/whatever. The monorail that there was was only a few inches deep at the deepest.
Another new 52WAV peak for me, with 2 more trails red-lined to boot. A cool hike, and terrific Southern views from the ledges, and a limited NorthEastern view of Franconia Ridge from the summit ledge. A few people at the top when I got there, but all soon left and I had the place to myself until I descended. Ran into a lot of people heading up as I descended, once again nicely timed! |
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 | Name: |
madmattd |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-04-28 |
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 | Link: |
 https://mattshikes.blogspot.com |
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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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