| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Washington, Mt. Clay, Mt. Jefferson, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Dolly Copp Road, Great Gulf Trail, Gulfside, Clay Loop, Castle Trail, Presidential Rail Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, June 25, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Two other cars at Randolph East Trailhead at 6 AM. Small lot full with a bit of overflow at 230 PM. |
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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: |
Waded one crossing on the Great Gulf Trail going up and once on Castle Trail descending, where water a little too high for a clear and easy rock hop. Otherwise, lots of water but hoppable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Several major blowdowns on Great Gulf Trail as expected, and several also on Castle Trail. Great Gulf has a few false spurs that have been getting hiker attention leading to dead ends. Normal wilderness expectations. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a few on the ridge. |
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 | Bugs: |
Minimal early morning; some black flies and a few bigger buzzers above 3K and when the heat came on. Not as bad as I expected. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Big oddball loop combining road, trails, and rail trail. Great Gulf is as spectacular as advertised. Really special place. Saw last speck of snow on the headwall. Gorgeous fast water the whole way from the West Branch of the Peabody River. Wet rocks and mud and a few short wrong turns amid the blowdowns. Happy chaos. Headwall is tricky to keep with trail; very few cairns at this point, and I saw no evidence of blazes, faded or otherwise. Added a pebble or two to the cairns when I thought to. Maybe just a little cooked from the sun and ascent, but the headwall seemed more exposed than some of the other big ravine/slide trails in the Whites—King Ravine, North Slide, etc. Great challenge. Descent on the Castle Trail predictably punishing and slow-going in the full sun, but the views from the Castles into the ravine are particularly nice. Under tough interrogation, giant icy Fanta at McDonald's in Gorham was perhaps the best part of the day. |
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 | Name: |
Yanihoohoo |
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 | E-Mail: |
iancrouch@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-06-27 |
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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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