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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Starr King, Mt. Waumbek, NH
Trails
Trails: Starr King Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, October 30, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The parking area is bigger and nicer than what we've had for years. The perennial difficult drive in spot is better, and functions as a road water bar well, but it is getting chewed up a bit so it needs to be taken slow. There were a half dozen or so cars there on arrival, and another on departure, so there were still a couple open parking spots.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Snow - Spring Snow 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: There are three major blowdowns across the trail, one between the peaks and two somewhat close to each other a ways below Starr-King. I think the latter were duckunders and the former a stepover but I won't guarantee it. These will require a good sized saw or axe. There is a fourth blowdown that I was able to saw off three stems leaving an easy walk around it, but it should be removed but with a larger saw than the one I had. I took out a bunch of small bendover firs, wrenched a lot of broken branches out of the snow (but there's more) and tossed many others that were loose on the trail. It would be nice if the snow melts to have the remaining broken branches moved off trail, since once frozen in place they'll be there until spring. There's a couple of important waterbars in the upper hardwood section that I tried to scrape open but the dirt was too compacted (frozen?) to move with a boot or pole.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Pepper had fun, as did another 5 dogs. This is a great trail for dogs most of the time; the lack of water for the upper half is not a problem at this time of year. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: I saw a FB post from someone who hiked Waumbek yesterday, so I knew the trail would be packed down and fun for Pepper. Add in some fog and I thought the ridge hike would be a Waumbek classic, but the fog was too thin and the snow on the trees all gone. It was still a nice walk. The trail is largely snow free through the hardwoods and into the softwood sections for a ways. After two days of hikers, it is pretty well packed, but it was not the slush mess we experienced on Jackson yesterday, perhaps because the sun and warmer temps never materialized. Spikes were not needed although I suppose on descent the wet packed snow might induce some slipping, but the same for some wet leaves. There was no "rain" from the tree branches, although I did feel some drizzle at one point. We had a fair amount of solitude on the hike but it was nice to run into some hikers we know, others who were just having a good time and some very happy dogs.  
Name
Name: Pepper and Me 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-10-30 
Link
Link: https:// 
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