| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Crawford, Stairs Mountain, Mt. Davis (attempt), NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Davis Path, Crawford Spur, Stairs Spur |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 25, 2014 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Very large paved lot with no facilities. Not a fee area. Only two cars in lot when I arrived about 7:20AM, although several cars had driven down dirt road to bridge and parked where the sign says no parking. On way out after 6PM there was only 8 cars, 5 of which was a family having a picnic along the river. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Only one actual river crossing easily rock hopped. Many smaller brooks all no problem. All of the small brooks mentioned in AMC Guide had enough flow at the trail to be used for filtering/filling water bottles (at least to the 7 mile mark or so) |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Only a few faded blue blazes at beginning before entering Wilderness area. Spur paths had some yellow blazes and many of the open ledges had some white blazes and/or arrows. Pretty well spaced out and some badly faded. Small rocks used on many of the ledges to point way. Too many blowdowns and leaners to detail. Generally all easy step overs. Only real awkward one was approximately 7 miles in. Back to back duck unders with thick brush on either side. I had to get on hands and knees for first one. Second one was an older log so I sat on it and bounced on it until I made it a step over. Would have been a tough crawl under/step over. There is a short stretch after Stairs Mountain spur where some tree work has been done and it is relatively clear for a mile or so. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
All trails fine for dogs. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Few mosquitos and gnats out early with the occasional bite. Not a real issue. Few random flies and bees in the open ledge areas but light breezes kept everything away for the most part. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
There was a single green/blue running sock on ground near no parking signs at bridge. |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Trails very wet, especially in the morning. Climb up to Crawford has a lot of trickling water in the rocks with loose gravel so some care is needed. After Crawford Spur there are a lot of pockets of standing water and mud to negotiate going through the ledgy areas to the side of Resolution. Steep 1/4 mile or so up to Stairs Mountain Spur was also very wet and slick. After Stairs Spur the path narrows quite a bit and gets very wet, muddy and awkward. There were even several patches of soft snow and hard packed monorail type ice (nothing worth traction). At about 6 miles or so the path takes a hard right and goes through a small notch. It was extremely wet and muddy and the trail was very hard to follow. It actually takes a sharp left and climbs out of the notch very steeply in a badly overgrown section of muddy trail. That turn was very hard to see. After notch it was just muddy PUD for endless stretches. I decided to turn around with about 1.5 miles to go to Davis. Was very unpleasant walking with no views. Just water, mud and face slapping branches. Feet were drenched. The views from Davis will have to wait for another time. The open sections of trail and ledges had dried out nicely by afternoon between Stairs and parking lot. |
|
 | Name: |
DayTrip |
|
 | E-Mail: |
bblanchette0709@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2014-05-26 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
