| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Flat Mountain Pond, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Flat Mountain Pond Trail, Gleason Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, August 13, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of room at both trailheads of Flat Mountain Pond Trail. Bennett St. is a bit rough near the end, but any car can make it to the trailhead if they take it slowly and carefully (my old Corolla made it to the trailhead two years ago). The Whiteface Intervale Rd. trailhead has a couple of potholes near the entrance but is still easily accessible. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Plenty. The first one on FMPT (just before the junction with McCrillis Trail) was barely rock-hoppable - you needed good balance (or good walking sticks) and the rocks were slippery. The second crossing, a little bit further up, wasn't too bad for me, but my hiking partner tried to jump across, landed on a rock on the other side, couldn't keep his balance, and fell backward into the water. (Luckily, the water and his pack cushioned his fall, so he wasn't hurt, just very wet.) The next two crossings, just before the steeper climb up to the pond, were rock-hoppable but on slippery, slightly submerged rocks. The crossing of the inlet brook to Flat Mountain Pond was wider, and required major care, but was still rock-hoppable. The crossing of the flooded area at the hairpin curve on FMPT west of the pond was the toughest of the day, and the only crossing where I put my waders on. It was either waders or water up to your shins - there were no other options. (My hiking partner, whose feet were already wet, just walked straight through.) The three crossings soon afterward all required caution but could be rock-hopped. The crossings of the major tributary just before the junction with Bennett Street Trail and the brook just after the junction with Gleason Trail were easier. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few blowdowns at various points along the trail, but nothing too bad and nothing that required bushwhacking around. Plenty of water and mud in places, but it did rain for a little bit during the climb up to the pond, and also it's been such a rainy summer that practically every trail has been muddy. Signs are all in place. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a few. Shouldn't have any issues. |
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 | Bugs: |
There were an unusually large amount of bugs today, especially compared to recent hikes I've done. They were the worst near the beginning of the hike and then when we stopped for lunch between the junctions with Bennett Street and Gleason trails. A little bit of bug spray helped to keep them away. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
When my hiking partner fell into the brook, his hat fell off, and we couldn't find it once he had gotten out of the water. We assumed it had been swept downstream with the current. However, when we got back to the Whiteface Intervale Rd. trailhead at the end of the day, his hat was hanging from the kiosk! A HUGE thank you to whoever found it and brought it back to the trailhead. |
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 | Comments: |
This was a fun hike - not too strenuous, but it definitely made us think at the river crossings. We started from the Whiteface Intervale Road trailhead - the trail starts off very easy, but it was quite buggy in that area. The trail has two signed turns off logging roads and then winds around on a footpath - there were a few mudpits in this section. Once across the Whiteface River and in the Wilderness, the trail alternated between rough, muddy areas and a nice smooth footpath. Right around when we crossed the two brooks in quick succession at the base of the steeper climb up to the pond, it started lightly raining, and the light rain continued for much of the remaining climb up to the pond. There's a rocky area near where the trail levels out at the top of the climb, and this light rain made the rocks very slippery. Luckily, the rain was over and the sun was back out when we ultimately reached the pond. The trail going around the pond is quite rough, with many small ups and downs, and isn't always clear, but we figured it out. The shelter is very nice, and the view from the end of the pond is excellent. Most of the rest of the hike was down the old railroad grade that Flat Mountain Pond Trail follows - parts of it were wet and rocky, but then there would be a waterbar and the trail would suddenly become smooth and dry again. A few pieces of old rail were poking out on the stretch leading to the hairpin turn. At the hairpin turn, the trail is underwater for a short distance - somebody attempted to bridge the gap with logs, but they too were underwater. After that crossing, there are three more crossings in fairly quick succession - scout them out and make a plan for how to cross before starting to cross them. After those crossings, the rest of the trails were easy. We did the short out-and-back on Gleason Trail to redline it - it had a little bit of mud but wasn't too bad and was generally a moderate climb/descent. The junction where Flat Mountain Pond Trail turns left off the railroad grade is well-signed, and there's a log across Guinea Pond Trail right there. On the hike out, we were just slightly behind a family with a young girl who had climbed Sandwich Dome - we were impressed!
This hike gets me up to 86% complete with redlining, and the only remaining trail I still need in the Waterville tab is that elusive Dickey View Spur. Thanks so much Rick for joining me! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-08-13 |
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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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