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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Firescrew, Mowglis Mountain, Bear Mountain, Big Sugarloal, Little Sugarloaf, NH
Trails
Trails: Holt Trail, Manning Trail, Mowglis Trail, Elwell Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, April 27, 2013
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of parking at both the AMC Cardigan Lodge and the Elwell Trail trailhead across from Wellington State Park, near Newfound Lake. Also, Shem Valley Road to the AMC Cardigan Lodge is in good shape -- mainly dry and recently re-surfaced with gravel. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Snow - Spring Snow 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Not an issue 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Trails are in decent shape -- a number of small- to medium-sized blowdowns and a fair amount of winter deadfall are on the Mowglis and Elwell Trails, the latter from the intersection with the Mowglis Trail all the way until the intersection with the old Hebron Turnpike/Bear Mountain Road. All can be stepped around, under, or over, and most can be handled with simply pulling off the trail or a bow saw. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: A few black flies are out -- none biting, but many doing the bump-into-the-head routine. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: We decided to do a traverse of the Elwell Trail to check trail conditions and get some exercise, and added an ascent of Firescrew (near Mt. Cardigan) on one end. We spotted a car at both the Elwell Trail trailhead near Wellington State Park, and the AMC Cardigan Lodge.

In general, trails from the lodge were dry until about a half mile (or a bit more) from the summit of Firescrew -- after that, a mixed bag of spring snow, blue ice, and dry ledge, all the way until the Mowglis Trail and then until just past the intersection with the Oregon Mountain Trail to the summit of Oregon Mountain, off of the Elwell Trail. From there, trails are almost completely snow-free and mostly dry -- all the way until the parking lot for the Elwell Trail, near Wellington State Park.

Quite a few wildflowers are blooming -- Spring Beauty on the eastern slopes of Oregon Mountain, along the Elwell Trail) -- or just about to bloom -- Trout Lily (everywhere) and Red Trillium (on the Elwell Trail, on the eastern slopes of Bear Mountain).

A fine day to be on the trails today -- saw one person going up the Manning Trail, one person near the summit of Firescrew, and then three people near the summit of Big Sugarloaf.

Other than that, we had 12 miles of trail completely to ourselves -- well, except for a moose, some grouse, turkeys, and a passel of spring peepers.  
Name
Name: Pancks and Tesco Heaney 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2013-04-27 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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