| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Middle Osceola, West Osceola, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Mt. Osceola Trail, herd path, bushwhack |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, August 20, 2016 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Tripoli Road lot full when I arrived at 9:15, I parked alongside the road. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
MOT is in fine shape, a well-traveled highway. The slanted slabby sections were wet, some with running water. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure, on MOT. I wouldn't bring them on the bushwhack. |
|
 | Bugs: |
A few. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Inspired by Snowflea's report from the other day, I decided to hit these two subpeaks today.
MOT was its usual easy, slanted self up until the last switchback. Here, I left the trail and proceeded at first along the abandoned Osceola Trail to the big boulder. Here, the old trail descends off the ridge to the left. The herd path to Middle and West turns right behind the boulder. From here, you are kinda on your own. ;)
The herd path is followable all the way to West, but it is very easy to lose, faint and blocked in places. Hunt around nearby and you'll pick it up. However, as Snowflea mentioned in her report, even with the path, this is still very much a bushwhack, and I had a compass bearing for backup. The ridge between Middle and West is very narrow, so it's very easy to stay on it. There was one blowdown tangle to work around approaching Middle. Woods we pretty ok overall, with some pockets of thicker stuff. The path climbs steeply up to West, with one challenging scramble to a fantastic view ledge (is this Peggy's Perch?) just before the summit. Getting up and down this ledge is a little tricky.
Middle's summit is flat and broad, and I did not notice anything marking what appeared to be the high point. West's summit is very sharp and narrow. A metal handle (no canister) bolted to a tree marks the high point.
I retraced my steps back out, following the path most of the way. I did lose it for a while coming back. As I neared the MOT, I encountered two unprepared hikers who wandered down the herd path a bit, thinking it was a trail. I turned them around and put them back on MOT.
Nice to finally visit these two peaks. I attempted this a couple of years ago but didn't get there. |
|
 | Name: |
KenM |
|
 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2016-08-20 |
|
 | 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. |
|
