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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Talcott Mountain, CT
Trails
Trails: New England Trail, Tower Path, herd path
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, April 22, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of parking b/c a rainy day. Still lots of hikers out. Rain had ended by 4 pm, I started at 4:30. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No biggies. Some muddy spots. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A few sizeable blow downs just south of Simsbury Rd. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Here's the main reason for this report. There is a lot of bear activity, much more than usual in my years of experience, at Talcott. Fellow hikers I met at Heublein Tower told me fellow hikers had reported seeing two cubs maybe half a mile north of the Tower on the Yellow-blazed Tower Path. This would've been around 4-5 pm today. No report of a mother bear. I had seen a lot of trees with scratchings by a bear, looked like a good sized one, judging from the height of the scratchings - chest to head high on me - 4-6 feet or so. There was a cluster of scratchings about 1/4 south of Simsbury Road on the Metacomet, and another likely-scratched tree on the ridge crest on the Metacomet, mabye 50 yards north of where it joins the Tower Path. People should take care for the foreseeable future with their dogs, and leash them in this park where usually leashes are not needed for the dogs' safety. 
Bugs
Bugs: No issue. Chilly, windy day.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: See above about dogs. There was a report of two bear cubs around 4-5 pm today on the Tower Path about half a mile north of Heublein Tower. I also so several bear-scratched trees on the Metacomet in the two miles or so between the Penwood parking lot and the Tower Path. Will be reporting this to DEP. Good idea to take care meantime - two bear cubs probably mean the mother bear is nearby.  
Name
Name: Chris Stratton 
E-Mail
E-Mail: christrattonlaw@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-04-22 
Link
Link: https://www.facebook.com/Arkie.in.CT/posts/10213333114225303?pnref=story 
Bookmark and Share 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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