| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Pond Hill , NH |
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 | Trails: |
FR250B, skidder roads, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, May 19, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Pond of Safety Rd wasn’t quite as bad as I’d heard it was years ago. If you want to drive all the way to FR250B mid-clearance, at minimum, is needed. Mid-clearance also recommended for the whole road but a low-clearance vehicle could probably get in the first mile or two if you’re careful and go real slow. The last mile or so (I didn’t pay real close attention to the odometer, sorry) there’s some deep ruts in the road that a mid-clearance vehicle could bottom out on. There’s maybe 4-5 of them and my CR-V which supposedly has 9in of clearance, only got scraped on one of them. No real pull outs along the road so you’d be just pulling off the road. I stopped at the jct with FR250B which seemed reasonable though if I got that far I could’ve also made it to the end of FR250B where there’s room for many cars. AWD won’t help you on this road. FWD will do fine. Clearance is the key. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No major blowdowns across FR250B to the pond |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure but might want to watch out for beer bottles around the pond. I packed out a few. |
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 | Bugs: |
None. Yay! They’ll be back tomorrow without the rain I’m sure… |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
Day 200, Peak 190. A cool, cloudy, and eventually rainy day but I was able to sleep in and still squeeze this one in before the rain ;)
You could start this hike further down the road and walk it or bushwhack sooner, likely using the woods roads that head north buf this seemed easiest if my car would make it. I walked down FR250B to the pond and continued on an overgrown road behind a sign. This took me up to around the 2300fr knob south of the peak a short distance from the pond. From here, I walked west to a clear cut with some restricted views toward Pliny, the Weeks, Cherry Mtn, and the Dartmouth Range. I then headed north into the minor col between this knob and Pond Hill. I headed up the relatively steep grade toward the peak but slabbed some so it didn’t feel all that bad. I thought it would be steeper honestly. I hit the ridge about a 1/4mi east of the summit and walked along it at gentle grades to the highpoint.
Love the register that was hung by the Bill’s for their finish. Very unique! For my descent, I took a more direct line, headed straight down from the summit rather than following the ridge back. After an initial steep descent, I ran into an old road which I followed for quite a ways back into the col until it was taking me too far west. At this point, I whacked more easterly down to the pond (rather than ascending back up to that knob again) and found an overgrown road that allowed to contour above the pond. This dumped me out onto the road I came in on not far from FR250B. I walked down to the pond on my way out and right as I was thinking about how this would be a place moose would like, spooked one drinking from the pond right next to me! Didn’t get a good picture unfortunately as it bolted off into the woods but very cool :)
The woods were open, but hobblebushy, the whole way. Not that I thought this hike would be hard but this one was one of those that was easier than I thought it would be. 3mi, just over 600ft of gain. Took me 1.5hrs. Don’t usually avg 2mph while bushwhacking but the woods were good and roads were helpful :)
165 more days and 175 more peaks to go… |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-05-19 |
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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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