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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Adams, Mt. Madison, NH
Trails
Trails: Caps Ridge Trail, Jefferson Loop, Gulfside, Israel Ridge Path, Lowe’s Path, Osgood Trail, Valley Way
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, June 27, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Met at Appalachia at 6:15am. There were still several spots in the lot although it had overflowed from the day before. Obviously many cars on the road when we returned just shy of 2:30pm. Caps Ridge trailhead parking lot only had 3-4 cars in it at 6:30am but had slightly overflowed (room for about 4 cars in a pull off opposite the trailhead) when we returned around 3pm. Jefferson Notch Rd from Valley Rd is mostly gravel and thus in much better shape than the paved portion coming from Crawford Notch... at least at first. Very smooth to start but does get bumpier and tougher as you ascend to the HOL. I’m sure even low clearance cars do it though. Just take it slow as it’s narrow and there’s some sharp turns.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Minimal on this route and given how low water currently is, they were barely noticeable...kind of scary. Hope the thunderstorms/showers forecasted for the next few days come to fruition!  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Caps Ridge Trail is blazed occasionally in blue. Cairns are put often enough above tree line but one guy ahead of us still asked us where the trail was. Obviously could become an issue in thick cloud. Easy to follow below tree line. Not any blowdowns that I recall. Trails above tree line are marked well enough with cairns but usually aren’t blazed or, if they are, are done infrequently and with different colored blazes (sometimes white as you’re on the AT but you’ll still see old yellow lead blazed as well). Easy to get off trail above tree line if you aren’t paying attention to the cairns on the boulder piles but that’s always the case. Perhaps the only one of note is Israel Ridge Path to Adams from Thunderstorm Jct; it’s cairns are a little less notable and it contours to the left some as you ascend toward Lowe’s Path. Valley Way is blazed in blue and is easy to follow. No blowdowns that I recall.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Didn’t see too many and I wouldn’t recommend Caps Ridge Trail for most dogs nor would I this hike unless they’re in good shape and you have something to protect their paws from the jagged rocks.  
Bugs
Bugs: The black flies were very bad below tree line on Caps Ridge Trail if you’re stopped. Moving, they didn’t bother you much though. Not too many above tree line but I’m sure the winds helped with that. I don’t recall Valley Way as well. I think they reappeared but not as bad as on Caps Ridge Trail.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: I’m baaaack... I’ve been a bad boy and haven’t been posting here the past several months. Too busy hiking and with a new job and wasn’t able to give back to the hiking community in the way I would’ve liked to. My apologies! Hopefully with more time in the summer we will get back in the habit of posting!

Standard traverse of Jefferson, Adams, and Madison with a friend to grid out the month. Not thrilled about the forecast but the winds weren’t as bad as I thought and we weren’t in cloud very much at all. Jefferson was in the cloud as we ascended but only the last couple hundred feet of it as we were above tree line and the clouds were starting to lift as we approached it although it was all very flirtatious and we were mostly in cloud on the summit. From there, for the rest of the day we were pretty much in the clear although Washington seemed to stay in the clouds. Worst winds of the day were obviously on the summits and were probably 30-40mph with gusts to 50 I’m guessing. Again, not as bad as predicted especially considering they were much less off the summits and we were often sheltered from them. No rain/thunder either. Saw many people out but not as many as I would’ve figured so I guess the forecast kept some people away.

Caps Ridge Trail was mostly dry below tree line but the rocks were sometimes wet and occasionally slick above tree line due to some rain the previous afternoon that never dried due to a lack of sunshine since the summits were in the clouds. This made some of the scrambled tricky but doable. From Jefferson on, things were drier as we weren’t much in the clouds and the sun begun to dry things. 10.3mi hike that took us 7hr45min.  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney 
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-06-28 
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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