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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Israel, NH
Trails
Trails: Guinea Pond Trail, Mead Trail, abandoned Firewarden's Trail, herd paths, bushwhacks
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, November 27, 2015
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: plenty of parking at the Guinea Pond Trailhead off Sandwich Notch Road. Sandwich Notch Road in its usual horrible shape. I was glad I had 4WD and good snowtires as there were a LOT of icy sections. Mid-day, when I left there was a bit of 2-way traffic and a dirt bike - had to be really careful for places to pull over.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: all were rock-hoppable... lots of stream crossings and mud pit crossings near the beaver swamps and the Mead Trail 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: quite a few large blowdowns up the Mead Tr - most had well-established herd paths 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: lots of water - why not!!!! 
Bugs
Bugs: some spider webs along the trail 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Terrific time exploring the herd paths and old trail on the northwest side of the top. I jogged in to Mead Trail and eventually jogged back down the Mead from the summit after exploring. I was really looking for evidence of the old Firewarden's cabin but found nothing definitive. I found a few mounds of stones with herd paths around them, and I assume from the old trail descriptions, that I was in the right area.

It wasn't that easy to find the old trail from the summit itself - I spent a decent amount of time putting around up there. There is flagging on some trees but it doesn't seem to follow the actual trail - ?

Here's a terrific resource for this area and many others:

http://www.franklinsites.com/losthikingtrails/viewtrail.php?id=2

Anyway, I eventually found the abandoned trail (maintained apparently, occasionally, although the path was sketchy in places - glad I had a tracking device!!!!). I finally turned around after dropping to around 1500' or 1600' - VERY steep and slippery area was very difficult to pull myself back uphill after sliding down it off the ridge. I could hear activity below so I don't think I was far from civilization down there.

Terrific time fun to jog all the way out. Saw almost noone except at the summit area. Took a few headers on the way up and down and did get a little muddy but trail runners worked well.  
Name
Name: Becca Munroe 
E-Mail
E-Mail: beccahiker@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2015-11-27 
Link
Link: https:// 
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