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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Straightback Mountain, Mt. Major, North Avery Hill, NH
Trails
Trails: Old Stage Road, Blueberry Pasture Trail, Straightback Mountain Trail, Belknap Range Trail, Beaver Pond-Jesus Valley Trail, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, August 8, 2015
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: parking is at the end of alton mountain road in alton. drive straight past the last house at the turn around and fork with snowmobile trail a short distance to a large grassy area the landowner keeps mowed. i parked here at his direct request after initially parking with other cars on the side of the road at the snowmobile trail junction across from his house. there is a split in the stone wall which connects you to the stage road by the scare crows of finland. i noted no signs other than those for snowmobiles and one dedicating the trail, but it gave no trail name. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: a couple mosquitoes. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: the stage road was dry with good going over a shoulder and down to the junction with the blueberry pasture trail which leaves to the left. i didn't noted any signs denoting this junctions. the trail was a mix of good footing and eroded footbed up to straightback mountain trail. i noted no trail markings of any kind then signs at the junction. lots of nice dry ledge from there to the summit. good dry going to the weekend circus over on mt major. i doubled back and picked up the beaver pond trail down over great ledges into the woods where it is essentially a snowmobile/atv trail down to just above the stage road. the trail is very well marked, but fairly rough and eroded. where it turns north i stayed on the snowmible trail to the right down to the stage road near jesus valley road. from there i followed the stage road back up over the north shoulder of the 1,157' peak i am calling north avery hill and left the trail southeast on a bushwhack to its summit. woods were open then a little scrappy before breaking out into the open broad summit area. great close up views to straightback and avery hill and an interesting perspective on mack ridge, durrell and grant as well. i then back tracked to the trail and trailhead.

nice hike. i had been in this area on straightback once a number of years ago and ended up having to bushwhack out to rt. 11 after a failed attmept to figure out the beaver pond trail. a big difference today as the trail is well marked at the confusing junctions above jesus valley road. i couldn't resist checking out north avery and it payed off with nice views for such a short bushwhack.  
Name
Name: bryan 
E-Mail
E-Mail: bryancuddihee@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2015-08-08 
Link
Link: https:// 
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