| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Liberty, Mt. Flume, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Whitehouse Trail, bike path, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, August 1, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of room at the Liberty Springs Trailhead parking (sign by entrance) off route 3, but this was midweek. Google Maps shows the turnoff to parking as "Gorge Rd," but there is no street sign. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The first few minor ones were small and easily crossed. The only one that could have been a problem after a lot of heavy rain, was low enough to rock hop, even using the numerous barely submerged rocks. There is a collection of logs going across much of the width on the upstream side, and some of us used that, although poles certainly help that traverse. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trails used are in generally very good shape. There is some mud in the flat spots between peaks, but not a big deal. Just below the top of Liberty, on the way toward Flume, there is that short set of boulders and ledge that requires care, particularly in wet weather. Over recent years, I had noticed what started as a very short bushwhack that goes around this, with the top end just below the very top of Liberty on the north side and the lower end just a few yards below that tricky ledge section on the east side. Neigher end was too obvious just a year ago, but now both ends can't be missed. There really isn't any "whacking" of bushes on the walkaround, and there is a lot of loose small rock underfoot. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a number up there, all well behaved. |
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 | Bugs: |
None that I saw, even without bug juice. Weather was cool, and a bit breezy up top where exposed, so that would have helped anyway. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
After a long ten mile hike, walking along a paved bike path certainly is easier than along that 0.6 mile Whitehouse trail, and it's tempting to stay on the bike path to get back to the car. When viewing the routes of Whitehouse and bike path, you see that the bike path comes quite close to the southern end of the parking lot. Back at the parking lot, I walked a few feet SE from the parking log, along an obvious herd path, and I could see the bike path perhaps 200 ft from the parking lot. I did once take the bike path, but I missed the close approach and came out to some clearing to the south, and I had to walk up along the access road to the parking lot. I suspect that now there also is an obvious herd path from the bike path leading over to the parking lot. |
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 | Name: |
Pappy |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-08-02 |
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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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