| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Zealand Mountain, Mt. Guyot, South Twin Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Zealand Trail, Twinway, Zeacliff Pond Spur, Zealand Mountain Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, October 11, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of room at the Zealand trailhead both upon arrival and departure. |
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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: |
Crossings on Zealand Trail were straightforward rock hops, though one of them had a beaten detour to cross on a log over a narrower section of brook. Crossings of Whitewall Brook just above Zealand Hut were easy. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Just a couple of blowdowns along the entire route. Several significant wet and muddy spots - they generally had rocks and/or logs to use to cross, but good balance was required to avoid slipping off them into the mud. All signs are in place - the sign for Zeacliff Pond Spur in particular looks new. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
The ladder between Zeacliff and Zealand Mountain might be tough for less-experienced dogs. Besides that, they'd probably be fine. |
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 | Bugs: |
None - too cold and windy. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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 | Comments: |
This trip involved a 2-night stay at Zealand Hut. The previous day, I hiked up to Zealand Hut, and the next day, I hiked out. Zealand Trail was muddy in places but straightforward as always.
The big hike I did was an out-and-back from Zealand Hut to South Twin. Since I knew I'd be hiking 12.5 miles over rocky terrain, and that the Hut serves dinner at 6 PM, I left as soon as I could once breakfast was over to begin the hike. The first mile, from the hut up to Zeacliff, is no joke - it's very rocky and has moderate-to-steep grades most of the way. The rocks were all wet from the rain the day before, making them slippery, so I had to be careful. In addition, despite the cooler temperatures, it still seemed quite humid - I was sweating quite a lot. There were plenty of fallen leaves on the trail, but they were not an issue (following the trail was easy throughout the whole hike - it is the AT after all). Once past Zeacliff, the grade generally moderated - there are still ups and downs, but also flatter areas. The spur to Zeacliff Pond has a new sign, and the pond was actually very nice (not a bad spot for a thru-hiker to camp!). There's a steep pitch just past the spur, but the climbing and the ladder were pretty straightforward. Zealand Mountain was its usual underwhelming self (IMO it's the least impressive summit of a 4000-footer). The descent into the Zealand/Guyot col is steep but short, and the climb up to Guyot is a mix of easier sections and some very rough and rocky parts. The trail above treeline on Guyot was quite windy but easy to follow, though some areas (including right at the Twinway/Bondcliff junction) have very poor footing. The descent into the Guyot/South Twin col is gradual and easy, as is most of the trail to South Twin - it still has plenty of rocks, but nothing unusual. The final climb up to the summit of South Twin is a moderate-to-steep climb. I saw a few extremely small patches of snow there - just a few square inches. The summit of South Twin was very windy and completely socked in, so I didn't stay for long.
Retraced my steps to the hut. Long day, with less-than-ideal weather, but glad I got it done, and it was nice to chat with the other hikers at the hut. This hike got me up to 90% complete with redlining the WMG! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-10-12 |
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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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