| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Big Coolidge Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Old Osseo Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, October 15, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
parked in a visitors space at the clearbrook condo development just uphill from the start of the trail. i believe this is about .4 from the kanc on clearbrook road. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
crossing of clear brook was not an issue. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
the trail was in nice shape. a few muddy spots. a thick carpet of leaves is developing which obscures the footing a bit. i left the trail at about .75, shortly before it would cross back over clear brook, and headed northwest to pick up the broad ridgeline running down from the summit. this ridgeline is north of the prominent slide filled drainage on the mountains east side. woods were open hardwoods down low with some low scrubby beech in spots. the beech trees were still holding their leaves and actually quite pretty to hike through. with elevation some spruce and fir began to mix in, but the going stayed open with increasing steepness. i hit a few scrappy sections and some blowdown before the woods opened up again and became decidedly steep with a few small cliffs to navigate before topping of just south of the summit. i was able to hold the same line back down through the cliffs then ended up in a bit scrappier woods north of my ascent line before getting back up on the ridge and eventually back into the same hardwood forest.
after having my attempt to get out into the hubbard brook road area shutdown by the govt i decided to take a shot at big coolidge. i had scoped out the line i ended up using from whaleback a few weeks ago and was actually pleasantly surprised by how well it went. i was expecting more difficult woods up high than i ended up encountering. got lucky. noted a fair amount of bear activity in the area with scarred beech trunks, scat and foot prints in the leaves along the ridge. then i managed to unknowingly walk up within 30 feet of where one was bedded down by a large rock before it got up and bolted uphill about 30 yards and stopped. we both stood there for a moment then i took a couple more steps forward and it really took off bounding up the ridge. got some filtered views across the way to the whalebacks and potash knob through the beech leaves on the way down. great to be out.
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 | Name: |
bryan |
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 | E-Mail: |
bryancuddihee@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-10-15 |
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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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