| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Lowe's Bald Spot, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Old Jackson Road, Madison Gulf Trail, Great Gulf Trail, Chandler Brook Trail, Auto Road |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, June 5, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
More open parking spots than I expected at Pinkham Notch Visitors' Center when I got there around 8:30. No issues at all, and they have water and restrooms at the trailhead (which feels like a luxury compared to most of the other trailheads I've hiked recently). |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
A few easy river crossings on Old Jackson Road. A lot of crossings on Madison Gulf Trail - these were mostly straightforward rock hops. The three crossings on Chandler Brook Trail were all quite doable. The second was the only one that required stepping on a submerged rock. The third crossing required stepping on a couple of sloping rocks, but luckily they weren't slippery. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Plenty of blowdowns. The trail with the highest concentration of them was Chandler Brook, not too surprising since it is in a Wilderness (though there was evidence of some blowdowns being cleared as well). The other trails all had some blowdowns too. The portion of Madison Gulf Trail (i.e. south of Great Gulf Trail) was quite wet in places, with lots of mud and some standing water. All signs were in place. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I'd advise against taking a dog up Chandler Brook Trail - it's extremely steep and rough, and some dogs may not be able to handle it. The other trails we did would probably be fine - plenty of water on them. We didn't see a single dog the entire day though. |
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 | Bugs: |
Surprisingly (at least to me), there were very few bugs, and the ones that were there were not bothersome. They only started to get a little annoying in the final half-mile or so heading back to the Visitors' Center. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None. |
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 | Comments: |
This was an enjoyable and challenging hike. Old Jackson Road is relatively easy - after the first sustained climb near the beginning, it's mostly flat with just a few short climbs. Madison Gulf Trail from the Auto Road to Great Gulf Trail is quite rough, with a lot of boulders, some of which were slippery; and quite wet, with a lot of river crossings, mud, and standing water. Most of the trail is fairly gradual though. Great Gulf Trail from there to the junction with Chandler Brook Trail is rough, but mostly fairly gradual. Nothing too bad in that section.
Chandler Brook Trail was, as expected, very steep, rough, and strenuous. It starts out as a moderate climb, with several potentially difficult-to-follow areas marked with cairns in the lower part. The trail doesn't cross the brook until after it gets steep, and you'll know when it gets steep. The trail reminded me in places of the Sphinx Trail, but it's not quite as difficult as Sphinx Trail - the water crossings are not as bad, and, crucially, the rocks are generally not as slippery as those on Sphinx Trail. The exposed rock-hopping in the upper part of the trail was just fun, and had amazing views of the Presidentials and the Great Gulf. Right near the top, there's a spot that's a bit ambiguous - a side path to the left leads to an open area with a very small cairn, while the trail leads to the right and shortly reaches the Auto Road.
The walk down the Auto Road is a bit tough on knees and feet, but it went by fairly quickly for us. Plenty of cars passed us, both ascending and descending. We chatted with an Auto Road worker who was inspecting a culvert. No one gave us any trouble.
We saw maybe 4-5 other hikers on Old Jackson Road in the morning, and then, surprisingly, three hikers on Chandler Brook Trail (three more than I was expecting to see there, frankly). They all seemed to be enjoying the challenge. The weather was absolutely perfect today - nice and cool with a breeze - which definitely improved my enjoyment of this hike. |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-06-05 |
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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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