| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams, Mt. Madison, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Great Gulf Trail, Chandler Brook Trail, Six Husbands Trail, Jefferson Loop, Gulfside, Israel Ridge Trail, Airline, Osgood Trail, Parapet Trail, Star Lake Trail, Buttress Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, August 10, 2017 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at Great Gulf trailhead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All crossings hopped with care on sometimes wet rocks. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
General blowdowns here and there within the Great Gulf Wilderness. Blowdown at the first crossing while ascending Chandler Brook, makes finding where the trail goes on the other side a bit confusing. VERY brushy sections on Parapet, basically the entire middle section, and on Buttress when flirting with treeline. Both trails easy enough to follow, but would be a car wash in the wet. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Black flies surprisingly a problem down low at our campsite both afternoons. Otherwise, very few. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Did a nice overnight in the Great Gulf on Wednesday (8/9) and Thursday (8/10). Hiked in to set up camp just beyond the Wamsutta/Six Husbands junction, then doubled back to hit Chandler Brook. Ran into Sandy and Maryanne, who specifically requested a report (even though we saw them after doing it, and gave them fresh info), very nice to see you both! Chandler Brook was more wild than I remember it being, time has a habit of doing that, but was good for ascent and descent. The tread below treeline is narrow and sometimes indistinct, though it's not hard to follow for those experienced in travel on less used trail, and the above treeline section has enough cairns to keep you on track. After an evening enjoying stream chilled beers (luxury items), and a nights sleep lulled by the sound of running water, we were punished for the general ease of the prior day. That punishment came in the form of the Six Husbands Trail, right out of the gate, with not woken up bodies or brains. It's just as brutally steep as I remember, and we heated up quickly. Looks like there is new fastening hardware on at least one of the five ladders too, not sure you'd be getting up the trail without them! Always demoralizing to get to the top of the knee, and still have more than 1000' to gain to get to Jefferson, which appears a long way away. Great sunny, breezy, and cool conditions across the northern Presidentials, then came the tedium of Parapet and minor tedium of Buttress. Both beautiful but rough trails, with the aforementioned brushy sections. Descended back to camp, had the last beers (which had still been hanging out in the stream), broke down and packed ourselves out. Another excellent foray into the Great Gulf, glad to have Ashley along for the fun! |
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 | Name: |
Bill Robichaud |
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 | E-Mail: |
bill.robichaud@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2017-08-11 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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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