| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Ice Gulch (attempt), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ice Gulch Path, Peboamauk Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, October 3, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Room for a half-dozen cars along Randolph Hill Road opposite the start of the trail. Since it was a wet and cloudy day, we were unsurprisingly the only vehicle there at both the start and finish of our hike. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Five (I think) brook crossings on Ice Gulch Path between the trailhead and the Marked Birch (lower junction with Peboamauk Loop). These are normally trivial but had a little more water than usual - they were still not difficult though. Four crossings of Moose Brook on Peboamauk Loop - these are normally also easy but took a little more thought this time since the water was higher. Still, if you have waterproof boots, you'll be able to keep your feet dry. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Two blowdowns on Ice Gulch Path between the trailhead and the Marked Birch. A few wet and muddy areas there as well, but not horrible. Peboamauk Loop has one short section that's eroded away so that the trail is in the stream for a dozen feet. Some of the bog bridges are in good shape, but others are broken or deteriorating. Signage has improved somewhat since I was last here, but the sign at the upper junction of Ice Gulch Path and Peboamauk Loop, for Ice Gulch Path going away from the Gulch, is still somewhat misleading IMO as it mentions the word "Peboamauk" and doesn't mention "Ice Gulch Path" even though the trail it's pointing to is Ice Gulch Path, not Pebaomauk Loop. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Peboamauk Loop is mostly rough and in places steep, but I suppose an experienced hiking dog could probably do it. Don't even think about taking a dog through the actual Gulch, though. The White Mountain Guide says of the Ice Gulch Path, "This trail is emphatically NOT suitable for dogs", and it's 100% correct. |
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 | Bugs: |
Very few. Not an issue. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
There was something hanging from the trailhead sign at the start of Ice Gulch Path. I did not closely investigate what it was. |
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 | Comments: |
It is the essence of redlining that sometimes you have to hike five miles just to complete a half-mile section of trail. That is exactly what we did here today.
The two miles of Ice Gulch Path between the trailhead and the Marked Birch are generally quite gentle, with usually good footing - you can make good time on that section. Peboamauk Loop is much rougher, and also quite steep in places - it first descends very steeply down to Moose Brook at the foot of Peboamauk Falls (which was beautiful, and flowing well), and then climbs steeply and roughly up next to the falls. The remainder of Peboamauk Loop has generally gentler grades, but remains rough, and crosses Moose Brook four times. It's an extremely scenic trail though.
When we reached the upper junction with Ice Gulch Path, we took a left and immediately climbed a very steep section. At the top of that section, Ice Gulch Path descended gradually down to the Marked Birch, with several wet and muddy sections. Bog bridges in this section are very slippery. The short stretch in this area that was disrupted by logging has a narrow, very brushy, and quite wet and muddy path through it, but it's easy to follow. We then hiked back along Ice Gulch Path to the trailhead. The usual views of the Northern Presidentials from the trailhead were completely invisible - we were greeted with a spectacular view of gray soup instead.
It was wet, but not actively raining, during the hike. Never a bad day in Randolph! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-10-03 |
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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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