| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owlshead, Mt. Martha, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Owl's Head Trail, Martha's Mile |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, August 21, 2011 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking for eight or 10 cars at trailhead off of State Route 115. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Two small ones, both easily crossed. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One step-over blowdown at 2,450 feet elevation. Otherwise clear. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
There's water at the trailhead (small brook) and a small brook crossing at 1,650 feet, but no other water, so plan accordingly. Small dogs will have trouble on the ledges just below Owl's Head summit. My guys made it down fine, but Polly needed a push on the way back up (Tuckerman bushwhacked his way around). |
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 | Bugs: |
Two or three. Summer's over. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
With the high-peaks forecast emphasizing heavy afternoon thunderstorms, this was a Plan B hike. (Rain, even downpours, are fine, but thunder, lightning and hail? No thanks, not with the dogs.)
Virtually everyone hikes these peaks via the Cherry Mountain Trail (check the past 25 trail reports for Martha and Owl's Head), so we took the Owl's Head Trail just to be contrarian. It's a nice path, with a great footbed, but it is a climb -- the upper portion of the 2.5-mile route to Owl's Head gains 1,600 elevation feet in 1.3 miles. Martha's Mile over to Mt. Martha is wonderful, except for the ledges just below Owl's Head summit, which are very steep but brief. As noted in other Owl's Head/Martha reports, the views of the Presidential Range from Owl's Head are outstanding. Met five nice people on the trail today and three sweet dogs. Photos at link below. |
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 | Name: |
The Feathered Hat |
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 | E-Mail: |
stevebjerklie at yahoo dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2011-08-21 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/99682097@N00/sets/72157627362559707/ |
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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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