| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Rogers Ledge, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Unknown Pond Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Mill Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, June 20, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Room for at least a half-dozen cars at the Berlin Fish Hatchery (trailhead of Mill Brook Trail), with more space available in front of the building (though hikers probably shouldn't park there unless the spots to the left of the building are all taken). The 4.5 miles on Mill Brook Road to reach the trailhead of Unknown Pond Trail is in relatively good condition - my Corolla didn't have much trouble on it. We left the fish hatchery at around 5:10 PM, and the gate was still open. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All brook crossings were minor and easy. The pond/bog crossings at and near Kilback Pond had bog bridges, however some of them had deteriorated and were in very rough shape, requiring care to get across while keeping feet dry. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The western section of Unknown Pond Trail was in good condition. Some blowdowns on Kilkenny Ridge and Mill Brook Trails, but none were a major obstacle to get by. Kilkenny Ridge Trail north of Unknown Pond Peak, and Mill Brook Trail, were very brushy in many places, at times obscuring the footway almost completely. The trails still were not difficult to follow, but they definitely need some major trimming. All signs were in place. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
They'd probably be fine. |
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 | Bugs: |
They were a constant presence, particularly along the descent on Mill Brook Trail, but not horrible. DEET helped somewhat to keep them at bay, but one hiker wore a headnet for the final mile out on Mill Brook Trail. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
A member of our group lost a small yellow foam seating cushion - the sort that folds up and you can strap to your pack. It probably fell out of her pack somewhere along Kilkenny Ridge Trail between Unknown Pond Trail and Mill Brook Trail, due to the brushiness of the trail. If you find it, we'd appreciate if you could contact me via e-mail. |
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 | Comments: |
This was a beautiful hike nicely far from the crowds. The western section of Unknown Pond Trail starts off gradual and then climbs moderately (but never steeply) on a sidehill through a beautiful birch forest. Kilkenny Ridge Trail first climbs a little bit up to the Unknown Pond Ridge, and then descends fairly steeply but with good footing - this section is extremely brushy and could use a major trim. The areas near Kilback Pond are beautiful, and we heard lots of frogs (but sadly never saw them), however some of the bog bridges are badly deteriorated, including a few that are clearly over deep mud and one that's on a beaver dam - this one requires caution to keep feet dry. The section going up to Rogers Ledge was quite brushy in the lower part and steeper in the upper part, but it wasn't steep for too long, and the views from Rogers Ledge were outstanding.
Mill Brook Trail is quite gradual for its whole distance, and the footing alternates between wet, rocky, muddy areas and nice smooth, dry places. It seemed to go on forever at the bottom, but that was probably mostly because we were all tired.
It was a long, but very scenic and enjoyable day. |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-06-21 |
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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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