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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Long Mountain, Puzzle Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Grafton Loop Trail, road walk
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, September 2, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: A couple of open spots seen mid-afternoon @ the southern hiker lot - though there were a couple on the road also. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No issues. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A few downed trees here and there - mostly crawl-overs with a couple developing herd paths around. Trail is blazed in blue - and property boundaries are equally blazed in red and/or yellow. All junctions and spur paths are signed. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Didn't see any. 
Bugs
Bugs: Mosquitoes were very annoying @ Bald Mountain Campsite in the evening probably due to relatively high temps, increasing humidity, lack of wind and water that wasn't flowing real well. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: Day two of a three day Grafton Loop backpack: Town Corner Campsite to Bald Mountain Campsite.

Trail up and over Long Mountain is mostly nice and soft. Path on either side of Puzzle Mountain was steep. Trail heading W from the south starts on a snomo trail and eventually branches off onto a foot bed. Once into the woods I had a look around a couple of times to make sure I was still on the trail - it didn't seem quite as well blazed as most other sections and the woods were more open leading to a bit of confusion.

In the the morning at the Long Mountain view spur I was greeted with a real nice undercast into the Bear River Valley and beyond. The amble down the S slope of Long Mountain was quite pleasant and it's where I encountered the only other backpackers I would see: a family of four and a group of three. Puzzle Mountain was a cool area with lots of ledge goodness around - I had all of it to myself so it was easy to find a scenic lunch spot :) I crossed paths with a dozen or so day hikers as I was descending Puzzle Mountain. Plenty of flowing water leading up to Bald Mountain Campsite but once there is was more reasonable to scoop. The campsite was very quiet and I was the only one there this night.  
Name
Name: HMJ 
E-Mail
E-Mail: trailsntrees(at)gmail(dot)com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-09-04 
Link
Link: https:// 
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