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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Carter Ledge, Middle Sister, Mt. Chocorua, NH
Trails
Trails: Carter Ledge Trail, Middle Sister Trail, Middle Sister Cutoff, Champney Falls Trail, Piper Trail, West Side Trail, Liberty Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, October 10, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: NOTE: the White Ledge Campground closed the gate at noon Monday (Oct. 10). I initially parked at the hiker parking near the outhouse, but was advised by the campground caretaker(?) that the gate was closing in a few hours, so we parked just outside the gate off to the side so as to not block said gate. There is only room for maybe a half dozen well-parked cars to do this, but it doesn't seem to be a popular way up this mountain. The trailhead is a short walk down the left-hand loop of the road after the gate. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Ice - Breakable Crust, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: n/a 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: An 8-10" blowdown somewhat blocking a short scramble partway up the Carter Ledge Trail (near Carter Ledge I think?), it was limbed but still quite a shimmy underneath, there is a beaten bypass. A large widowmaker leaning across the trail about 1 mile up the Middle Sister Trail. A few extra blazes or cairns above treeline on the Piper Trail could be useful, I've briefly lost the trail a few times now on some of those turns, and many other folks were far more confused, though heading up over the ledges does work in general. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: A gorgeous loop up this mountain, and a quiet one at that aside from the mini-loop around the main summit. Carter Ledge Trail has many great viewpoints along the way, and a potentially tricky scramble near its top (fine if dry like this day, potentially dangerous if wet). From Middle Sister we dropped down the short Middle Sister Cutoff to the Champney Falls Trail, seeing the first people of the day. We also took the West Side Trail around to the Liberty Trail and summitted from that side. The top was busy but not crazily so, and we had no issues finding a nice break spot just below the summit out of the wind (20s and 30s mph at times, and chilly!). We completed the 2 mini-loops back over to Middle Sister (taking the Piper and Middle Sister Trails across the ridgetop), before descending down the remainder of the Middle Sister Trail to our cars. A leisurely, and very enjoyable loop, and other than on and near the main summit, we say only 3 other hikers on this loop. The color in the valleys was tremendous. Winter is fast coming, there were a few small pockets of completely avoidable ice near the summit on the Piper Trail.  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-10-11 
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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