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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Scar Ridge - West Peak, NH
Trails
Trails: Ski trails, herd path, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, June 1, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at Loon Mountain 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Significant Blowdowns on south side of the summit  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Dogs would be okay if blowdowns are avoided 
Bugs
Bugs: Abundant black flies on ski trails, minimal once under the cover of the woods 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Hiked up the ski trails at Loon Mountain to the North Peak Summit. Ate a snack on a chair while taking in some majestic views of the surrounding mountains. At the North Peak Summit the yellow "Out of Bounds" sign (located on skiers right at the summit) is easily spotted. We ducked in the woods at the sign and followed the backcountry ski trail/herd path from that point. There was a small patch of snow right at the opening, but that was all we encountered. The herd path/backcountry ski trail heads all the way over to Black Mountain, but around 0.6 miles is where you want to start your "whack". There were 2 birch logs on the ground positioned in a "V" or arrow, along with a piece of surveyors tape that indicates where you should start. After that however, the real bushwhack begins. As previous reports state, if you stay to the north side of the ridge (more towards the left going up) you will avoid the massive blowdowns that cover a significant area below the summit. There was no real herd path or anything to follow from where you turn off the backcountry ski trail, so a compass & GPS is a necessary to stick to your bearings. At times, more towards the summit, the brush was very thick, but at other times (more towards the bottom) the forest opened up a little. There were a couple identifiable herd paths at the summit, and after following a couple, I stumbled upon the orange canister and the summit sign...which is surrounded by blowdowns. Hiking up and down ski trails isn't the greatest, and walking through some thick brush can be difficult, but this hike is definitely doable if you have the right mind set!  
Name
Name: The Trail Widow 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-06-05 
Link
Link: https:// 
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