| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Cube, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mt. Cube Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 18, 2014 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Limited parking on the south side of Highway 25A for about six cars. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The crossing of Brackett Brook, the largest crossing on this route and the third one up from the trailhead, is a bit dicey right now due to recent heavy rains. It's still rock-hoppable, but take care. We crossed at a spot a few yards downstream from the usual crossing. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The route is in excellent shape, considering all the recent rain. The spur to the north peak, which is sometimes brushed in, is clear. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
This is a superb dog hike right now, with lots of canine-pleasing mud. The many small brooks will keep dogs well hydrated and happy. Polly, Josie and Owen enjoyed themselves immensely. (I want to give kudos to a young couple we met near the end of the hike. They saw us coming and moved off the trail. "I'm afraid of dogs," the young lady said, and she asked me to call back Josie, the only one of my three dogs who hikes off-leash, which I did immediately. We passed by with nary a bark nor even a nod from the dogs. This couple did just the right thing to prevent what could have been a tense situation for the young woman, and I appreciated it.) |
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 | Bugs: |
Just a few black flies down low. A nice breeze at the summit kept the top of the mountain bug-free. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A very enjoyable Sunday morning hike up this fine mountain. We had the trail pretty much to ourselves until the south peak, when shortly after our arrival a large, talkative crowd -- a couple dozen people with three or four dogs -- came up from the south side. So we hied on over to the north peak, which we had to ourselves. The views from both peaks were superlative.
There's quite a bit of mud on the trail due to recent rains, but no huge mud pits, and I suspect that a dry spell of a few days will reduce the amount of mud considerably.
Many hikers on this route miss a large cellar hole that's just off the trail right before the spot where the trail crosses a dirt road, as you come up from the trailhead. Don't pass by without stopping to take a look -- the stone work is quite impressive.
Thank you to Chris for great company on a beautiful day.
Photos at link below. |
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 | Name: |
The Feathered Hat |
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 | E-Mail: |
stevebjerklie.at.yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2014-05-19 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/99682097@N00/sets/72157644700799816/ |
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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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