| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Molly, Devils Den Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Collins Path, Homestead Trail, Mt. Molly Trail, Devils Den Road, Devils Den Trail, bushwhacks, herd paths, woods road, snowmobile trail, Valley Way |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 14, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
It appears I was the only one parked at the main trailhead for Collins Family Forest off North Shore Rd. in New Durham. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Overall, not too bad as far as blowdowns go. The biggest concentration of them was along Homestead Trail. As I went along, I cleared deadfall as well as some smaller blowdowns that I could pull out of the way easily. Most signage is now up on the Collins Family Forest trails except for a few that are still to come. One thing I noticed about the signs at the junction of Valley Way and Owl's Head Trail: Some of the arrows are pointing in a way that could be confusing for inexperienced hikers or those not paying attention to blaze colors. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
While black flies have started to awaken in southern New Hampshire, they were not in this area today. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
I packed out some trash that was left at the Mt. Molly summit. |
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 | Comments: |
Some wandering about in the backcountry of New Durham today.
Thankfully, the snow is all gone aside from a few tiny patches on north-facing slopes. These same slopes tended to be a little wetter and muddier. Views were fantastic from Mt. Molly while the sun was out this morning. The summit register is soaked and needs to be replaced.
Getting over to Devils Den was easy. I followed the green-blazed trail to the rock climbing cliffs where the blazing seemed to end. From there I did a fun steep scramble up then followed herd paths along the base of and along the top of the mountain's very cool cliffs. The summit area is interesting; open and ledgy but mostly viewless. Nearby outlooks provide good views though.
The return trip was done on old roads/snowmobile routes until I hooked up with the Collins trails again; I used Valley Way to avoid reclimbing Molly.
I didn't get a chance to get to the cave at Devils Den but I'll be back here later in the year anyway. Very neat area! |
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 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-04-14 |
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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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