| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Baldpate Mountain - West Peak, Baldpate Mountain - East Peak, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Grafton Loop Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, August 12, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Southern trailhead parking is 0.6 miles north of the actual trailhead. The road walk is short but sketchy. Not too much of a shoulder to walk on. Look out for the logging trucks. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Everything was low and easy to hop. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
AMC has some serious catch up to do on the western half.
Blowdowns for days. Some were tricky. Several miles (yes really) are so overgrown you can’t see your feet and the brush is so thick I had to use body weight to push through. It made for pretty slow going.
The eastern half is maintained by the MATC and is much better although still some tricky blowdowns approaching Long Mountain, and Puzzle.
The mileage sign on top of Puzzle for Stewart Campsite is way off. It said 2.7 but it wasn’t more than 1.1. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Very few. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Grafton Loop Trail clockwise from the southern trailhead
Did the loop over 3 nights (3.5 days hiking). Great hike notwithstanding the overgrowth. Some great views and forest landscapes. Pretty streams.
The Bald Pates were super nice. Puzzle had some incredible views. Call me crazy but I really liked Long Mountain. No views but the mossy forest was beautiful and felt very remote. The old logged areas are producing lots of raspberries and blackberries right now.
Lots of water sources were dry. Bull Run had water, the Bald Pate lean to had water but it was pretty low, and Stewart Campsite was bone dry. Not sure about the other sites but I think I remember hearing some were dry.
I saw and photographed 3 peregrine falcons at the summit of Puzzle.
I loved this hike and would probably do it again, but not until the overgrowth is cleared. |
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 | Name: |
Greg |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-08-12 |
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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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