| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Great Gulf Trail, Wamsutta Trail, Nelson Crag Trail, Alpine Garden Trail, Trinity Heights Connector |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 23, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Quite a few cars at Great Gulf lot in the AM, and still quite a few in the evening. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The deeper you find yourself in the Great Gulf, the less manageable the water-crossings are. The section of trail in between the Wamsutta and Sphinx junctions in particular is very "wilderness" as far as crossings. I found myself giving up and wading through everything at the end of the day. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Great Gulf - A pleasure up until Wamsutta junction. everything beyond that is pretty gnarly. Blowdowns, washed out trail, running water on trail, herd paths to avoid precarious wet slabs, deep mud, etc. There were numerous signs of recent trail work, as well as orange plastic ties with future work plans indicated.
Wamsutta - Very fun, very rugged, and, north of the cliffs, VERY overgrown with fir trees in the trail. Very tight, scratchy green corridor makes it hard to see the trail footing.
Nelson Crag - Smooth sailing, great trail. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Black flies wanted our blood on the slow, careful descent down the Great Gulf's running-water segment after the head-wall. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Had a gorgeous, challenging and sweltering day hiking the entirety of the Great Gulf Trail. 17-ish miles for a big loop from the parking lot, tagging Washington summit along the way. The lower Great Gulf is an absolute pleasure to hike. Excellent grades make it possible to really cruise in and out. Wamsutta was a really fun, steep ascent. I would honestly call it an underrated piece of trail. The steep cliff climbing was challenging and physical, and the sections above tree-line presented stunning views of the Northern Presis and the Great Gulf below. The portion of Nelson Crag we hiked was very well marked with BIG cairns, and the hiking was pretty smooth for the area.
Mount Washington was a crowded disaster and I wouldn't recommend it to any sane person, but the bowl of Mac and Cheese with a Chili Dog really hit the spot.
Hiking down Great Gulf was truly gnarly and precarious, with lots of shifting rock under foot, and running water to maneuver around. Plus it's just REALLY STEEP. I was really happy with the TONS of wildflowers along the steeps. The Alpine Garden was light on flowers, but the Great Gulf Trail's alpine zone was bursting with color. The melancholy pond along the trail was cool, as was the waterfall, which I waded waist-deep into. Much needed cool off! From the pond down to the Wamsutta junction can be pretty unpleasant at times, with some very unruly and occasionally confusing trail. But after that, hiking out is a breeze.
Awesome day!
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 | Name: |
BONESTONE |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-07-24 |
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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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