| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Martha, Owlshead, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Cherry Mountain Trail, Mt. Martha Spur, herd path, Martha's Mile |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, June 11, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Small pullout on Cherry Mountain Road across from the trailhead, room for a few cars. The road itself is fine, but watch for a few protruding rocks. Also, this road is very narrow, so be alert for oncoming vehicles. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of blowdowns have been cleared on both CMT and MM from the Halloween storm. The damage and subsequent cleanup on MM is particularly impressive. I removed a few minor blowdowns along CMT. Drainages could be cleaned on CMT, but since this section is a snowmobile trail, I'm not sure how critical it is. One large leaner along the ridge and a large blowdown at the summit of Martha will present problems for snowmobiles if still present in winter. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure, but not much water on this route, so plan accordingly. This side of CMT is also very grassy, so beware of ticks. |
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 | Bugs: |
Not bad in the woods. In exposed, sunny areas, they were ridiculous. For as grassy as CMT is, I was amazed I didn't pick up one single tick. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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 | Comments: |
I'd never hiked the eastern section of Cherry Mountain Trail, so off I went. Easy peasy grades and mostly smooth footing the whole way makes for quick travel. The trail is very grassy lower down, but becomes less so higher up. Mostly dry with just a few small areas of mud. I'm not usually wild about grassy snowmobile trails, but this grew on me as I climbed and the walk along the ridge is actually quite lovely.
At the summit of Martha I dropped down the herd path to get the views out to Franconia Notch. MM was dry as a bone. The USFS crew really did an amazing job in here after the Halloween storm. The two steep scrambles up Owlshead remain a bit tricky, the upper one more so. Fantastic views from the ledges as usual.
I returned via the same route, seeing the only two people I would encounter all day when I got back to Martha. Otherwise, a very quiet and remote feeling hike. |
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 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-06-11 |
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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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