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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Lost Pass, Flat Mountain Ponds, NH
Trails
Trails: Snows Mountain Ski Trail, Upper Snows Mountain Nordic Trail, Cascade Brook Nordic Trail, Woodbury Trail, herd paths
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, September 17, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at North End of Snows Mt Ski area parking lot 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: brooks running very low and small streams are dry 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Snows Mt ski area main trail is mowed, all Nordic Trails well marked, note Cascade Path is temporarily CLOSED due to ground hornets on both sides of brook, Abandoned Woodbury Trail has had blowdowns removed over the years and is clear--trail disappears at top of Cascade Brook. Super new lookout on Snows Mt Trail  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: sure why not  
Bugs
Bugs: none 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: We hiked straight up the ski area to the top of the lift and then down the Nordic Trails/road, shortly after crossing bridge over Cascade Brook we went right up Cascade Brook Trail. Near the height of the trail in a grassy field (there is an apple tree on right) we bushwhacked straight ahead along the bank of the brook. A short distance in we found old metal stuff and buckets--artifacts from the Cascade Camp! In a few hundred feet we found the abandoned Woodbury Trail--it is not blazed or marked in anyway but it has been cleared of blow downs and the trail sees use from more than moose--foot bed was easy to follow as it followed the brook. At the top of the brook the trail seemed to disappear so we backtracked and discovered we had missed a right hand turn to cross the brook. The trail continues now more as a rough hiking trail than the wide back country ski trail. We followed a less obvious foot bed and looked for signs cuts tree butts to help us stay on the trail. We were able to keep our feet dry due to the dry summer, even the mossy areas were dry. We arrived at the Lost Pass meadow much more quickly than we imagined due to the "bushwhack trail". We decided hike around the meadow as we made our way around I decided it looked dry. The meadow was lovely and full the white puffs of blooming cotton grass. We walked on the swamp grass and it was only damp we were able to walk right into the middle of it, something you'd think you'd only be able to do if the ground was frozen. We continued across the meadow and while we continued to go around the swamp we hit another path. We looked at the map and thought hmmm maybe this goes down to the logging camp by Flat Mountain Pond, so down we descended about 500vf in two miles. I can't find a name for this brook but it makes sense to call it the Lost Pass Brook. As the trail flattened we were were obviously on a railroad grade we found lots of lumber camp artifacts just off the trail; stove doors, metal stuff, bed frames etc. Oh lovely upper Flat Mt Pond why we never had ventured here before? this should be in the guide book it is easily reached just before you cross the brook(the brook that should be called Lost Pass Brook) there is a Flat Mt Brook Trail sign that points you to cross the brook and away from the path. We bushwhacked to the edge of the main pond and enjoyed a long lunch break. We retraced our route except this time we stayed on the path right to the top of the brook at the end of the meadow. Here there is a grand vista of South Tripyramid and its slides. We continued back over the pass and back to the Nordic Trails. On Upper Cascade Trail we made a short clockwise bushwhack to connect to the Snows Mountain Trail and hiked the loop and went to the signed outlook and it needs some clearing but in a short distance there is a newish outlook that is super duper looking right down on the Town Square and a nice view of Tecumseh. We followed the trail right down to where it exits at the end of a resident's driveway. We walked down the road, visited the The Knoll gazbo, walked by the tennis courts and then back at the ski lift we watched the Waterville Academy students do flips off the summer jumps into a big airbag! The lift was running for mountain bikers and tourists (ten bucks for a single ride). On our way out of WV we stopped by The Eddy. We soaked our feet and I ended up going swimming since I fell in the Mad River's cool water. Thanks Becca for a grand adventure idea.  
Name
Name: Nordic Gal, Becca Munroe 
E-Mail
E-Mail: amybike@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-09-18 
Link
Link: https:// 
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