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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Unknown Pond, The Horn, The Bulge, Mt. Cabot, Unknown Pond Peak, NH
Trails
Trails: Unknown Pond Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Horn Spur, bushwhack, herd path
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 27, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: At the end of Mill Brook Road in Stark, just after the last bridge. The road was curiously lined with empty beer cans stuck on branches. No issues on the road, it's dirt but smooth. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No issues. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Several blowdowns on both UPT and KRT, some blocking the trail. Two require short bushwhacks. Lower UPT has a lot of hobblebush that needs clipping. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Sure. Saw several. 
Bugs
Bugs: It stayed cool enough for most of the day so they weren't a problem. But right around 3:30pm, boom, they appeared out of nowhere. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: One tent spike on the UPP which I carried out. 
 
Comments
Comments: I finally finished my last 52WAV peak on The Horn after trying to get there for the last few years. That was my main goal, the other stuff was just an add on. Trails were wet and muddy from the previous rain, but had started to dry out nicely in the afternoon.

UPP is a lovely, gradual ascent through birch forest to the pond. The view of The Horn across the pond is striking. KRT is rough and rocky approaching the Horn Spur. This side path is very brushy in spots. The scramble up the summit ledge is an easy walk up if you follow it around to the left and come up the back. Tremendous views from the ledge.

After that I continued on to The Bulge, where there is nothing. The moose really like it though. I've never seen so much moose poop in one place.

I wasn't originally going to go to Cabot, but since I was close, I continued on to pick up the redline. I also grabbed that elusive spring spur. The entrance is marked with a cairn and a brushed in tree, so some mixed signals there. The path is very overgrown and is approaching bushwhack status. The bottom of it still had snow and ice monorail.

Heading back to Unknown Pond, I continued along the KRT to the height of land and bushwhacked up to Unknown Pond Peak. Super easy and short bushwhack through open woods. Once on the ridge, a well beaten herd path leads right to the canister. I then retraced my steps out UPT to the car.

Lots of people on the KRT, UPP was very quiet. The campsite looked to be hopping. Coming into this area from the north feels very remote, like you're in the middle of nowhere!  
Name
Name: KenM 
E-Mail
E-Mail: kmacgray@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-05-28 
Link
Link: https:// 
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