| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Meader, Eagle Crag, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Basin Trail, Basin Rim Trail, Meader Ridge Trail, Eagle Cliff Trail, Wild River Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 14, 2016 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of room at the Wild River campground. Red Corollas seemed to be the car of choice today. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Rock hops, but some of those of the upper Wild River and its tributaries took some care and used rocks with a bit a water on them. We crossed Spruce Brook roughly 100' upstream from the trail crossing. We crossed the Wild River near Black Angel by going down Highwater a short ways to where the old bridge used to be as we did last week on another hike. I see Bill Robichaud has a report that covers the Wild River trail crossings so I'd check it out for more detail. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
All signs in place. Basin had some wet/mud spots but I was able to avoid them without going off trail in most cases. I don't recall any significant blowdowns. Basin Rim and Meader Ridge were a delight all the way to Bicknell. Eagle Cliff was in pretty good shape too. I took out a blocking blowdown high and another low, and tossed a couple of large broken branches out of the trail. There was relatively little broken debris on these trails and I flicked a lot of it out or tossed the larger pieces. Wild River had a fair number of step over blowdowns and a few larger ones, pockets of mud/water that were doable by carefully picking ones path to use rocks, roots, dry spots, etc., the worst wet stretch went north from the East Branch Trail intersection, a few damaged areas from Irene and yet many stretches of wonderful trail. I don't know if my trail calibration has changed from doing so much redlining, or from doing this trail numerous times, but it seems to be in much better shape than I remember from my first hike of it, excepting for the Irene damage. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Pepper had fun, no wonder given all the wonderful sip n dip opportunities. I think he has become a connoisseur of brooks, and loves to sample the different varieties. The trails were generally easy on the paws, and the slopes were mild. There weren't too many squeaky toys though, and I'm happy to report that this time there were no encounters with a porcupine. |
|
 | Bugs: |
A few black flies were annoying in a few places, but for the most part they were a non issue even when we stopped to snack on the ridge, at the Wild River and East Branch trails junction or along the Wild River. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Ragged Jacket knob, Meader East Knob, Eagle Crag
This is a wonderful hike. We've done it three years in a row now and it gets better each time. We had the trails to ourselves until running into a group of 6 overnighters near the Spruce Brook campsites. But it was a great day to be out in the woods and mountains, with my best pal, made even more touching by yesterday's passing of Atticus. Despite the fact that we were all primarily solo hiking pairs, I always liked to think Tom and Atticus, Ed 'n Lauky and Pepper and Me shared a common thread in our love of the trails, mountains, and our tough but loving little dogs. With Lauky and now Atticus gone, and Pepper nearing his 10th birthday, every hike carries an extra feeling of time's flow. On Meader Pepper listened while I told him Atticus stories. Atticus was a great hiking dog, none better. Afterwards, we saluted his wonderful life with Tom and left the peak. Atticus, like Lauky, will be forever young
Thank you Pepper for the best day. |
|
 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2016-05-14 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
