| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
South Moat Mountain, Middle Moat Mountain, North Moat Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Moat Mountain Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, April 21, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lots at both Diana’s Bath and South Moat mostly free of snow, no mud |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
One major crossing at Lucy Brook that is crossable with slightly submerged rocks; two smaller crossings after that |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Drainage issues on trail leading to Diana’s bath from the Red Bridge Trail junction, leaving 20-40 foot sections of swamp for the trail |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
SO MANY good bois…my favorite was Denali! |
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 | Bugs: |
The slight wind kept bugs at bay |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I never thought I would ever find a ridgeline hike as beautiful as the Presidentials or Franconia Ridge, but the South to North Moats traverse yesterday was a thing of beauty I won’t soon forget, and am adding it to my “must repeat” list!
*South Moat trail to South Moat summit was 99% free of snow, a few wet spots along the ledges that were easily avoided, and minimal mud, no spikes needed
*South Moat to Middle Moat has a few stretches about 20-30 feet in length in the trees with knee-deep postholes, but still doable with bareboots. Views are stupendous!
*Middle Moat to North Moat the ledges were dry and free of ice and snow. Entered the woods and the misery began. Narrow unstable monorail, knee to thigh-deep postholes and crumbling snow changed our 1.5 to 2mph pace to a less than 1mph crawl. Microspikes helped to walk above the postholes for some spots, but it was pretty much slow going testing each crumbling step. Many spots were tightrope narrow and would have been an ankle-rolling disaster with our snowshoes
*Scrambles up to North Moat free of ice and pretty easy to navigate. Back side of North Moat heading to the Attitash Trail junction had a mostly firm monorail and microspikes were a must to keep upright…it’s STEEP, folks. Some ice bulges still present, but avoidable.
*Moat Mountain Trail from the junction to
Diana’s Bath is mostly a dream trail, clear of roots and rocks, and then you run into a swampy muddy section so be prepared! Water crossings were easy to rock hop (there are two after the initial Lucy Brook Trail). Diana’s Bath to parking lot is flat, dry, and quick!
My advice would be to wait a few more weeks for the snow in the woods between middle and the Attitash Trail junction to melt before attempting the full traverse for maximum enjoyment, but it’s totally doable with the right mindset (and waterproof socks are a blessing!) |
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 | Name: |
Islandgirl |
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 | E-Mail: |
joannhall4@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-04-22 |
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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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