| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Table Rock, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Table Rock Climbing Trail, Table Rock E-Z Trail, road walk |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 4, 2021 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The pulloff for Table Rock Climbing Trail is somewhat rough but still fine. I was the only car there. Table Rock E-Z Trail has a larger pulloff that was mostly full when I got down. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Significant |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Only a couple of minor creeks on Table Rock E-Z Trail that were easy to cross. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One blowdown across Table Rock Climbing Trail - I ducked under it, but taller hikers might have more of a challenge. Rock steps in parts of Table Rock Climbing Trail were quite useful, and more would be appreciated for wet days such as this. Table Rock E-Z Trail is very wet, muddy, and eroded in places. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Table Rock Climbing Trail is too sketchy for dogs, particularly in the wet conditions in which I ascended it. Table Rock E-Z Trail should be fine for them, but make sure they are leashed on the rock itself, since they could accidentally knock something (gear, another dog, a human) over the edge. |
|
 | Bugs: |
None. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Table Rock Climbing Trail is not exposed and has no particularly technical rock scrambles. However, in wet conditions, it is extremely difficult, since the rocks are very slippery and the footing is poor. I ascended it very slowly and carefully, carrying just a water bladder and not my full pack, and wearing gloves (I usually don't unless it's the winter). I had to take each step very cautiously, since the trail goes pretty much straight up, and if you slipped you could slide a long way down the steep mountainside on the slippery rocks. There were usually sufficient handholds and footholds, but they too were often very slippery, and in a few places I had to take lunges of faith that my footing would hold. Due to the extreme caution I exercised the whole way up, it took me about 30 minutes to make it to the top (the trail is only 0.3 miles long, but climbs 600 vertical feet).
On Table Rock itself, the more exposed rocks were dry, but there were still some small pools of water from the rain the day before. I went out a little bit further than I had the previous day, but since there was still no view (it was a cloudy day and all we could see was whitish-gray soup), I did not go out the whole way. I descended via Table Rock E-Z Trail - the standing water that had been there the previous day was gone, but it was still very muddy, slippery, and eroded. I passed at least a dozen people who were coming up.
My verdict is that, in all honesty, there's really no reason to use the Table Rock Climbing Trail unless you're working on the Terrifying 25, since, due to the extreme steepness and slipperiness of the trail, most hikers won't save much time by taking the climbing trail over the E-Z trail. And the route via Huntington Cascades and Three Brothers is longer but more scenic than either of the Table Rock trails. |
|
 | Name: |
GN |
|
 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2021-07-04 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
