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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Victor Head, North Percy Peak, NH
Trails
Trails: Old Summer Club Trail, Victor Head Side Trail, Percy Peaks Trail, Rowell Link, connector trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, July 8, 2023
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of room at Christine Lake at 7:50 AM, however when we got back in the early afternoon the parking area was totally full with a few cars parked along the road. A lot of people were enjoying Christine Lake today. I also noticed something weird at the parking area - there's a sign asking people to pack out their trash, but directly below the sign is a large dumpster. Kind of mixed messaging here... 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Nothing major on this route at all. A couple of very easy drainages on Old Summer Club Trail (though the rocks may be very slippery!), and another few easy crossings on Rowell Link. The larger crossing on Rowell Link is bridged. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Not bad at all. A few blowdowns, but nothing serious. Not a lot of mud, which was nice - the muddiest section was on the logging roads near the bottom. Signage was good for directing ascending hikers. However, at the junction of Old Summer Club Trail and Rowell Link, the sign for descending hikers makes it look like Rowell Link continues straight, but it actually turns left onto the logging road (there's a sign for Rowell Link just ahead on the logging road, but it's not visible from the junction). Also, at the junction of Bald Mountain Notch Trail, Rowell Link, and the connecting trail back down to Christine Lake, there's no sign for the connecting trail and nothing telling us where it goes. If you hadn't done your research ahead of time, you'd have no idea where it goes. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Dogs should be fine. We met a woman with two dogs who was doing a similar route to ours, and the dogs seemed to be enjoying themselves. 
Bugs
Bugs: Not too bad, surprisingly.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: Not too difficult to follow Old Summer Club Trail from Christine Lake up to the junction with Rowell Link. Much of it is on logging roads that are muddy in places, but the mud wasn't too bad today. At the junction with Rowell Link, the sign said there was a shelter on the trail we had just come up, however we didn't see any shelter. Old Summer Club Trail above the junction had mostly good footing, if damp today due to all the recent rain. Victor Head Side Trail also has fairly good footing, especially for a trail that steep (and it's steep). Even though it's unblazed, it's not too tough to follow - the footbed is pretty clear. The view of South Percy from the summit was very nice, and we signed in on the register at the summit (which was in good condition). From the junction, Old Summer Club Trail continued up gently, with a few minor descents, but then started to get significantly steeper. The upper half-mile or so is much steeper, rockier in places, and has one very steep pitch that includes a tricky rock scramble. The junctions in the col between North and South Percy are well signed, and the slabs going up North Percy were dry today.

On the way down, we redlined Rowell Link as well. It ascends gradually for most of its route. The right turn off the major logging road is well signed and pretty obvious. The eastern section of the trail twisty, turny, and less obvious, though still not difficult for an experienced hiker to follow. The connecting trail back down to Christine Lake (which, as mentioned above, is not signed at its upper junction) had some muddy spots but was otherwise fine.

We didn't get rained on, but it was still an extremely humid day, the sort of humidity that just saps the energy right out of you. What better way to cool off than to take a dip in Christine Lake after the hike!  
Name
Name: GN 
E-Mail
E-Mail: ghnaigles@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2023-07-09 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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