| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Percy Peak, South Percy Peak, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Percy Loop Trail, Percy Peaks Trail, Old Summer Club Trail, herd path, road walk |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, June 25, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I was the only car parked at Percy Loop Trail. There is a small pulloff/parking area for a few cars immediately before the trail starts on the right side of the road and immediately before you cross Long Mtn Brook (sign). There were three others cars at the Percy Peak Trail lot at 12:30ish when I passed it. Room for probably to to three others. It was empty by the time I got down at 7:15pm. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Just a few very easy rock hops/stepovers. Nothing of any significance. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Below Trip Trail Percy Loop is generally very well blazed in red and there’s also an occasional yellow blaze. Above the jct with Trio Trail it is also blazed in yellow. Percy Peaks Trail is blazed in orange. It was generally blazed pretty well although there were some spots below tree line generally around the lower slabs before any junctions that I couldn’t see any blazes and wondered which way to go. I imagine this is mostly an issue on the descent. Above tree line the blazing was pretty good which was nice and there were also (small cairns). The orange blaze is sort of a dull color though and doesn’t really jump out at you like the red or yellow does though. Old Summer Club Trail is blazed in yellow (part of the CT) and was well blazed. Most blowdowns that I saw were on Old Summer Club Trail. I think they were mostly toward the Percy side or in the middle; not so much on the Victor Head side. They were a mix of stepovers, leaners, and widowmakers and there were several including one small cluster. No blowdowns on Percy Loop Trail that I’m recalling and I think there were just a few more minor ones on Percy Peaks Trail all below the jct with Old Summer Club and Percy Loop. Although the path to South Percy is rough, I don’t recall any obstructions. On the Percy Peak Trail up North Percy there is one dangerous totally eroded part that is very difficult to get up/down that should get taken care of. Roots are exposed with nothing for a about a foot beneath them. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None seen. Many dogs wouldn’t be able to handle the steepness of the ledges on North Percy or the path to South Percy. Many would also need boosts up the steep portion of Old Summer Club Trail. |
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 | Bugs: |
Mosquitos down lol and black flies up higher. The wind kept them somewhat away up high. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
A nice redline in the Nash Stream Forest yesterday. I went up Percy Loop Trail, then to North Percy along Percy Peaks Trail, then did an out-and-back along Old Summer Club Trail to the side trail to Victor Head hitting the unmaintained trail to South Percy on my way back, then down Percy Peaks Trail and walked back along the road to my car for 1.1mi. The hike (including road walk) was 10.7mi with 3800ft of gain. It took me about 7hrs which included an hour long break on top of North Percy and a half hour to 45min break on South Percy.
Percy Loop Trail was in great shape with very little to no mud and what there was was minor/dried. There was some severe mud you didn’t want to step in on Old Summer Club Trail. There’s a herd path around most of it. I don’t recall the conditions on Percy Peaks Trail. There isn’t a way to these peaks that isn’t steep. The unmaintained trail to South Percy was clear of obscteictions surprisingly but definitely felt like a herd path. The trail up the slabs to North Percy is also very steep. Percy Loop Trail is relatively gradual below Trip Trail but is surprisingly rough at times above it and steeper. The spots along Percy Peak Trail by the lower slabs that are below tree line and before any jct are also steep and tricky. I wasn’t immediately sure which way to go descending this way either.
Spectacular views from the summit of North Percy and I spent nearly an hour peak identifying and taking photos of it all. South Percy isn’t entirely open at the top but also had some great views. Saw one group headed down North Percy as I was headed up (nice to run into some students! that had come up from Christine Lake) and one man waiting for another at the jct with Victors Head. All the people with their cars at the start of Percy Peaks Trail must’ve already headed down. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-06-26 |
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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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