| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sunday Mountain, Mt. Cube, Smarts Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Cross Rivendell Trail, Mt. Cube Trail, North Cube Side Trail, Kodak Trail, Hexacuba Shelter Spur, roadwalk, Daniel Doan Trail, Lambert Ridge Trail, Ranger Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 25, 2015 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Spotted my car at Lambert Ridge/Ranger Trail lot on Friday, lot full to overflowing on Saturday at noon. Was dropped at the Norris Road trailhead for Cross Rivendell Trail, parking appeared limited, though there is a turnaround a short walk up the road. Plenty of parking at the lot on Dame Hill Road, and a pullout for a few vehicles on Baker Road. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All crossings on the route were rock hoppable with care. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A couple of easy stepovers on the Sunday Mountain section of Cross Rivendell. The 2 mile section between 25A and Baker Road (not mentioned in the WMG) is fairly easy to follow, but gets very brushy in the middle, and appears to not receive much use. Smooth up to Cube from Baker Road. The AT segments were all clear, with some minor muddy bits. Daniel Doan was pretty much as described in the WMG, though the wet areas in the lower and upper ends weren't as bad as they could be, nor were the slabs. Ranger Trail slabs were slick at times, but presumably drier than they would be otherwise. A group of three equipped with an axe (maybe DOC? There was a DOC truck in the lot) were clearing a birch blowdown on Ranger Trail as I passed. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw one on Ranger Trail with its humans. |
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 | Bugs: |
Clouds and drizzle early on Friday kept the bugs at bay, though they never were incredibly bothersome, even in camp. Saturday they were more out in force, but moving quickly seemed to help. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
A lonely busted boot and sock just below Mike Murphy Spring on Daniel Doan Trail. |
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 | Comments: |
Went to finish off the trails in this area, and decided to do an overnight, to really enjoy the area. Was lightly drizzled on a couple of times heading over Sunday Mountain, and going up Cube, but it never outright rained. Had fantaic views from the main peak of Cube (and North Cube because the weather was holding), and while descending to Hexacuba Shelter. After hanging out at the shelter a while, setting up, and chatting with a thru hiker named Wayfarer (it was his 69th birthday, and he was 2900+ miles into a 3300 mile section hike of the Eastern Continental Trail, which he started in October!), I ate dinner and took off to the ledges about 0.7 up from the shelter to watch the sunset. The next morning us shelter dwellers were out at 6:30, and I headed south to the Eastman Ledges, where I glimpsed a partial undercast to the west. Down to the road, I walked the 1.3 miles to Daniel Doan Trail, and hoofed it up to Smarts where I ran into a lone NOBO leaving the cabin. Heading down the Ranger Trail, I must have seen nearly 20 people in various groups ascending, apparently this is now a popular route! Down to my car just after noon, more was on the agenda. |
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 | Name: |
Bill Robichaud |
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 | E-Mail: |
bill.robichaud@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2015-07-26 |
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 | Link: |
 https://onapathwithheart.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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