| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Madison, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Howker Ridge Trail, Osgood Trail, Valley Way, Randolph Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, May 28, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Spring Snow |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All rock-hoppable |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few large snarls of blowdowns on Howker Ridge Trail (especially between the 2nd and 3rd howk) |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Barely saw any bugs until the last mile of Randolph Path on our way back to Randolph East. We were viciously attacked by black flies and mosquitoes (and dozens of caterpillars hanging from their butt ropes). Took a lot of flailing to get the clouds of bugs far enough away that we could get into the car. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Had a gorgeous day revisiting Madison! Really enjoyed Howker Ridge. The falls were all at a moderate flow, so although not magnificent, they were pretty. There were small patches of trillium lower down on the trail. Between the 1st and 2nd howk we were astounded/entertained by the amount of moose duds on the trail! They really, really must love that area! Between the 2nd and 3rd howk there were some significant snarls of blowdowns. One was especially painful to navigate through. There were a few small patches of snow on the trail after the 3rd howk, but we bare booted over them and were fine (we did have our spikes just in case).
Enjoyed lunch and some gorgeous views of Star Lake from the summit before heading down to the hut, where we were able to refill our water.
Valley Way was in great shape and we encountered ~1/2 dozen hut croo making their way up to Madison Springs with their first loads of the season. No blowdowns or snow to speak of.
The section of Randolph Path between Valley Way and Randolph East was a bit overgrown, muddy, and very buggy. |
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 | Name: |
Erin Reynolds |
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 | E-Mail: |
erincreynolds@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-05-29 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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. |
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