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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Carrigain Notch, Hancock Notch, NH
Trails
Trails: Nancy Pond Trail, Carrigain Notch Trail, Signal Ridge Trail, Forest Road 85, road walk, Signal River Trail, Hancock Notch Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, September 16, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: People coming and going at Hancock Trailhead mid-afternoon. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All were rock hopped on this route. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: On the southern mile of Carrigain Notch Trail there were two separate fallen limbs, the branches of which completely covered the trail. I used my pack saw and took about 4 or 5 branches off of each to make clean passages. I also used the saw 3 or four times on Hancock Notch Trail removing awkward limbs encroaching the trail - in addition to flicking, tossing or pulling aside about 15 branches, limbs, etc. along the way. More below. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Didn't see any. 
Bugs
Bugs: Just a couple of annoying flies with rising temps. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: Day two of an overnight hike...

Carrigain Notch Trail: by and large in good shape.

Signal Ridge Trail: the ~ .25 mile I walked was in good shape.

FR 85: seems to me it has grown in a lot since last year. The first section heading S off Signal Ridge is somewhat thick but the path can be followed. Once on the 'road' the surroundings are average hip to head high, however there is a single track throughout that makes passage easy. I found zipping the legs onto my pants made the walk comfortable.

Sawyer River Trail: no significant issues on this section.

Hancock Notch Trail: all of the conditions checked apply here. There are a handful of 'significant mud' sections E of the HOL but those stretches are brief and more often than not have some fallen limbs that can be stepped on. On and either side of the notch the rocks are wet and have some running water making them slick - but those are generally flat. There are some newer looking blazes on the E end but the older, occasional blazes are present on the W end before the highway portion. The new blazing really helped at a major washout across the easternmost (partially dry) crossing of Sawyer River. There are fallen trees along the way but no real nasty blockages - I noted one crawl under, a couple of sit-n-spins and the rest can be easily be walked over I found the trail easy to follow with one exception: going up a dry riverbed where a path led to an impacted campsite across it. That was a dead end and it took about a minute to discover the trail actually stayed along the riverbed. IMO, the best way to describe the trail at the notch and east is to expect Wilderness conditions even though the trail is not in a Wilderness area. If you like this sort of experience it can be fun. On the other hand, if you'd rather be on a well maintained and well beaten path, look elsewhere. I'm in the first group :) The horse-looking poop I saw yesterday on Cedar Brook and Wilderness Trails re-appeared on the E side of Hancock Notch, BTW.

Outside of the popular areas (Signal Ridge Trail, Saywer Pond Trailhead, Hancock Notch Trail W of Cedar Brook Trail) I only saw three people all day: two ascending Carrigain Notch Trail early doing a CCW Carrigain Loop and one young lady in the woods just W of Hancock Notch...with two horses! Mystery of the scat solved! We chatted for a bit and I gave her some extra food as she told me she was hungry and didn't have any food. I guess you just never know what you'll encounter in the woods...

 
Name
Name: HMJ 
E-Mail
E-Mail: trailsntrees(at)gmail(dot)com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-09-16 
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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