| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Great Gulf Trail, Osgood Trail, Daniel Webster Scout Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, June 29, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at Great Gulf parking area. This is a fee ($5 per day) parking lot that is paved and has clean, stocked privies. One picnic table. The lot is paved and plowed in winter. Can hold numerous cars. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Nice suspension bridge on Great Gulf. Nothing else worth noting. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Daniel Webster Scout could really use updated blazing. Otherwise, these are lovingly maintained trails. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I personally would not tear up a pups paws on the Presidential rocks, but tough canines can totally take these trails. |
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 | Bugs: |
Punks. No seems flying right up the nostrils… The black flies (few in number) manage to get in my eyes and ears JUST when I’m trying to get down tricky scree. I love winter hiking for the sole reason of no bugs! 😀 But really, if you don’t stop they can’t get you. Bug numbers surprisingly low. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Water bottle at the kiosk in the Great Gulf parking area. |
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 | Comments: |
Route:
Great Gulf > Osgood Trail > Daniel Webster Scout Trail > Dolly Copp Road > NH 16 (see notes below regarding this infernal road walk).
Great Gulf Trail: unblazed. Several diverging cross country ski trails off this trail. Super mellow trail with a wide path and blatantly apparent footbed. I was quite enjoying myself at 05:30.
Osgood Trail: from the junction with Great Gulf, this trail is blazed in blue. Though less frequently blazed, the footbed was well defined and the trail was simple to follow. Shoulda payed attention to the wind when I was down here… After the junction with Osgood Cutoff, the trail becomes the AT and is blazed sparingly in white. This portion is well travelled with many glorious rock stairs to tree line. At tree line, and at least to the junction with Daniel Webster, this portion is well marked with white blazes and large carins. I had no issue at all following the trail.
Once above tree line the wind hit me full force. Osgood is very exposed for a surprising distance. What was forecasted to be 30 MPH winds were clearly more than that. I estimate that winds were 40-50 MPH as I was getting knocked around at 160 LBS and my glasses were ripped right off my face. Oh momma don’t play that game. My loose plan included moving from Madison to Washington, then circling back to the Great Gulf. But I have done these peaks many times and was NOT in the mood to get blown off the Presidentials. So, another day. I don’t like that kinda wind above tree line. I’m more than confident that the mountains are still there.
Good news! I had an egress that took me away from the winds and kinda back to the car (oh the story gets better). Ok. Out I went on Daniel Webster.
Daniel Webster Scout trail: this trail is blazed in blue below tree line. But these are very faded. The footbed below tree line is well travelled and simple to follow. Above tree line carins mark the way. It would be a struggle to follow them in low visibility. They are small (but most welcome!).
Descending this trail took an inordinate amount of time due to the scree and my knee still hurting from the Mahoosuc Traverse. It was on the scree when I finally ran into some crazy people, I mean hikers. I cautioned about the winds but I really felt that if the groups of hikers stayed together they could make it. Slowly. The winds were fierce, but not unmanageable with a group.
Then…
After descending on Daniel Webster and coming within 0.4 miles of Dolly Copp campground, I come to a large sign that says “DETOUR.†Say wha?!? The trail to Dolly Copp campground is posted as closed. So, the detour is well signed and you end up following a cross country ski trail (NOT marked as such, by the way) 0.7 miles to the temporary parking area for this trail. This segment was simple to follow. It then there are a plethora of signs saying not to enter Dolly Copp. Well, jeeze dudes! After throwing a small temper tantrum and refusing to rehike back up the cross country ski trail in order to bushwhack to the Great Gulf Link trail, I marched my hot, sweaty rear end down paved Dolly Copp road to NH 16 then down NH 16 back to the Great Gulf parking area. I took a swim break in the Peabody River along the way.
Oh I shoulda stuck with my initial plan of going into the Pemigewasset… But at least I got a trail traced. Only 0.3 left of the Osgood. Don’t judge… I’ll get there when I get there. 👊😉
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-06-29 |
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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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