Norcross Pond, Nancy Pond, Nancy Cascades - Wilderness Trail, Carrigain Notch Trail, Nancy Pond Trail - 9-4-2023

Hiking Trail Conditions Report
	Peaks	Norcross Pond, Nancy Pond, Nancy Cascades, NH

	Trails:	Wilderness Trail, Carrigain Notch Trail, Nancy Pond Trail

	Date of Hike:	Monday, September 4, 2023

	Parking/Access Road Notes:	About a half-dozen vehicles at the Nancy Pond trailhead when I got there around 1:30.

	Surface Conditions:	Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant

	Recommended Equipment:

	Water Crossing Notes:	All crossings on Nancy Pond Trail could be rock-hopped. Waterproof boots help though.

	Trail Maintenance Notes:	Carrigain Notch Trail and Nancy Pond Trail west of Norcross Pond were in good shape, with a few blowdowns but nothing terrible, and they were mostly dry. Nancy Pond Trail between Norcross Pond and Nancy Cascades had a lot of mudpits, even with the copious bog bridges. Signs are all in place, and I particularly noticed that the new sign at the junction of Carrigain Notch and Nancy Pond Trail spells "Carrigain" correctly (the old sign misspelled it as "Carrigan").

	Dog-Related Notes:	Sections of Nancy Pond Trail near Nancy Cascades are steep and rough, with dropoffs close to the trail, but I suppose a seasoned hiking dog could do it. However, as I was eating lunch at the waterfall at the bottom of the Nancy Cascades, a dog came up and began to quite intensely rub up against me and reach for my sandwich, even as I tried to push it away (I'm not a dog person, and a well-trained dog would've noticed my discomfort and moved away from me). When the owner finally showed up, he had to literally drag the dog away from me, as it refused to obey any of his commands. The owner apologized, however in all honesty, if you're going to bring a dog that's that poorly trained into the woods, it should be on a leash at all times so it doesn't bother other people.

	Bugs:	Some, but not terrible.

	Lost and Found:	A green cloth or rag of some sort was sitting on a rock a little bit below the Nancy Cascades. I left it there.


	Comments:	This was Day 3 of a 3-day backpacking trip in the eastern Pemi Wilderness (day 1 is here: https://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/nh/viewreport.php?entryid=68203, and day 2 is here: https://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/nh/viewreport.php?entryid=68205). From my camp at the crossing of the Carrigain Branch on Wilderness Trail, I did the quick jaunt back to Stillwater Junction and then headed up Carrigain Notch Trail. As I neared the junction with Desolation Trail, I passed a whole bunch of campsites in that area, some of which were along the Carrigain Branch. This part of Carrigain Notch Trail is a gradual footpath. The section of Carrigain Notch Trail between Desolation Trail and Nancy Pond Trail is almost entirely on an old railroad bed that provides very quick and easy walking. Most of Nancy Pond Trail from Carrigain Notch Trail to the crossing of Norcross Brook appears to be on old railroad beds as well - footing is good and the trail has generally fewer blowdowns than other Wilderness trails (though there are still a couple). The climb from the crossing of Norcross Brook up to Norcross Pond is mostly on an old road that also has generally good footing. It would be a very quick and easy trail to descend, and even ascending it, while carrying a heavy overnight pack, I still made good time. I filled a water bottle from the piped spring mentioned in the WMG, in case I ran out of water descending the other side (I didn't, but I wanted to be safe), so does anyone know if the water coming from that pipe is safe to drink without filtering? The view from the ledges at the outlet of Norcross Pond was outstanding, since it was a nice day. Highly recommend that spot. The side trail to the summit of Mt. Nancy was obvious, but I skipped it this time since I was tired. The trail quickly became significantly rougher than it had been coming up to the pond - lots of rocks and especially roots going around Norcross Pond. But the views across the pond, to Mt. Anderson on the other side and then down the length of the pond at the far side, were excellent. Nancy Pond was fine, but a little underwhelming having just come from Norcross Pond. The most annoying part of Nancy Pond Trail was the next section, from the east side of Nancy Pond to the bottom of the Nancy Cascades - this section is supposedly only a mile long, but it felt significantly longer. The part below Nancy Pond was quite wet, with a lot of mudpits, and also very rough as well. The steep climb down the cascades needed to be taken carefully thanks to my heavy pack and injured toenails. The waterfall at the bottom of the Nancy Cascades is amazingly beautiful - a perfect lunch spot. Below that point, the trail continued to be rough but not as bad. The climb up the relocation was tiring but didn't last for that long, and the switchbacks coming down the other side of the relocation had some good footing (but some rough areas too). The trail is not obvious where it crosses Nancy Brook at the washed-out area 1.6 miles from the bottom - just go directly across and you should see it since the trail on the other side is an old road. This old road was a little bit rocky but still had fairly good footing. Near the bottom, there are a couple of turns and minor crossings where the trail isn't obvious, so look carefully for it. It was never too difficult, though. This three-day backpacking trip got me more than 25 new redlining miles. I'm up to 88.45% complete now.

	Name:	GN

	E-Mail:	ghnaigles@gmail.com

	Date Submitted:	2023-09-04

	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.