| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Terrace Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
York Pond Trail, Kilkenney Ridge Trail, Bunnell Notch Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 8, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking for three or four cars at Bunnell Notch trailhead. Parking for several more at the Unknown Pond trailhead 100 yards away. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
There are a couple of small but tricky water crossings on the lower portion of the York Pond Trail. The major crossing on the lower part of the Bunnell Notch Trail is presently rock-hoppable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
York Pond Trail needs some puncheons and rock work in muddy areas. Kilkenney Ridge Trail from Willard Notch over Terrace Mountain needs to be brushed in several spots. There's a stretch of rerouting on the Bunnell Notch Trail at the 2,200-foot elevation level. It looks like Irene caused the brook right there to destroy the old footbed, which hugged the brook. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
This is a fine hike for dogs, with lots of critters to chase, frogs to investigate, and mud to thrash around in. Right now water isn't an issue anywhere on this route (but always carry extra, of course, just in case). Josie and Polly seemed to enjoy themselves very much indeed. Josie has never met a mud pit that she thinks couldn't be improved by her presence in the middle of it. |
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 | Bugs: |
Not as bad as anticipated. Cooler temperatures and a nice breeze kept them pretty much at bay for the day. Some black flies and larger flies down low on the Bunnell Notch Trail were annoying whenever we stopped. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
After last week's hike to Rogers Ledge, this week was a return for us to the wild, quiet North Country. We love it up there.
The first half-mile of the York Pond Trail is quite muddy in several places, and there are two somewhat tricky water crossings (especially so for dogs unless the dogs don't mind getting wet). But once the YPT route climbs away from the brook, the footbed is superb, soft as a padded carpet much of the way.
The Kilkenney Ridge Trail from Willard Notch over Terrace Mountain to Bunnell Notch crosses a few old slides, and route-finding in these areas requires attention. Generally, though, the KRT is easy to follow, though overgrown in a few places.
Boy, Willard Notch is a nice spot. Must return.
Saw Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris), Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota), White Clover (Trifolium repens), a few fading Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), and a fire-red berry I couldn't identify all in bloom. Along York Pond Road there are a few big, bright Day Lilies (Hemerocallis fulva) to be seen right now.
Except for a few brief broken views along Kilkenney Ridge and the broken view from the spur to the summit of Terrace Mountain, this is not a view hike. What it is, however, is a great trip into some lovely country that's rarely visited by the 4K-obsessed. Indeed, on this beautiful summer day we did not see another person anywhere on the route, not even on the Bunnell Notch Trail.
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: |
2012-07-08 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.flickr.com/photos/99682097@N00/sets/72157630509923978/ |
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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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