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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Eastman Mountain, Baldface Knob, NH
Trails
Trails: Slippery Brook Trail, Eastman Mountain Trail, Baldface Knob Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Next to the gate at the end of Slippery Brook Road. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No issues. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Two blowdowns on EMT. One a duckunder and the other knee high. That trail could also use some brushing in spots. Recent axe clearing of blowdowns on the footpath section of SBT and brushing appears to be in progress. The upper section of the trail is brushy in spots but not hard to follow. SBT has no blazes. The turns along the logging road section are marked with small arrow signs. The first is on the ground and could be missed. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Sure. Not much water on this route though. 
Bugs
Bugs: A cornucopia. Mosquitoes and deer flies along the logging road section of SBT. Deer flies and still some black flies holding on at the summit of Eastman. There was also a swarm of dragonflies there as well, which was cool to see, and any other bugs are probably lunch by now. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: If this isn't the easiest way to get up to the ridge, I don't know what is. Flat to easy grades the whole way, and you don't have the long drive up to Evans Notch.

The first two miles of SBT are on logging roads, which were grassy and wet. After that the trail turns into the woods and becomes a footpath. Just a few minor areas of mud with some brushy areas. Very quiet out here, this trail feels very remote and has a wilderness quality to it.

EMT was an easy ascent to the summit. The one minor scramble can be bypassed on the right. You need to move around the summit to see stuff, but views are great.

BKT starts out easy but then quickly becomes very steep up to the knob, with the trademark Baldface shelf ledges. I hung out on top for a while. I considered going to South Baldface, but this was just fine. I enjoyed looking at the peak rather than from it today.

I saw a few people out along the ridge, but no one at all on SBT. It was neat to watch hikers climb up to South Baldface from the knob. Pleasant temps, sunny skies and a nice breeze. Perfect! Nice to close out some redlines as well as make progress on another goal ...  
Name
Name: KenM 
E-Mail
E-Mail: kmacgray@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-08-09 
Link
Link: https:// 
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