| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Oregon Mountain, Mowglis Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Old Dicey Road, Elwell Trail, Oregon Mountain Trail, Back 80 Trail, Back 80 Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 25, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We parked at the trailhead for the Back 80 Loop. As per our report from a week ago, a passenger car can navigate Welton Falls Road, with care. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Nothing of note. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Old Dicey Road from trailhead signpost to Elwell Trail has been brushed. Elwell Trail has been brushed from Old Dicey Road to Oregon Mountain Trail intersection, and then from Mowglis Mountain to Back 80 Trail intersection. All blowdowns now removed EXCEPT one, not too far from Back 80 Trail, that will require a chainsaw. It has been de-limbed and some brush nearby removed so that one can get up and around one end of it without too much trouble. Will return at a later date and get that, as well as refresh blazes.
Back 80 Trail is very brushy for about the first half mile east of intersection with Elwell Trail. There's a bit of deadfall here and there on that section, as well.
Back 80 Loop is brushy in some sections, too -- also, the top half of a hardwood blowdown obscures part of the trail just south of the main water (ledges) crossing. Back 80 Loop really hasn't recovered yet from the logging there a couple of years ago. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Yes -- everything and then some; ticks, black flies, deer flies and mosquitoes. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A trail rekky trip with the goal of some minor brushing and a return at a later date turned into a complete brushing/blowdown removal trip -- after reading earlier trail reports, we were prepared to find numerous blowdowns and serious brushing necessary, but just a pair of hand secateurs and a small folding saw was all that was needed to get these sections into shape, so we took the time. Heartening to see a couple of weedy, overgrown logging cuts on the Elwell Trail that we began working on a decade ago now matured to the point where they only require a bit of light brushing each year (instead of power tools!).
We saw pretty much every type of wild flower in bloom, from trout lily to blue bead lily to pink ladyslipper -- even some rock harlequin.
Saw no one all day except one car driving up Welton Falls Road while we were driving down it. |
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 | Name: |
Pancks and Tesco Heaney |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-05-25 |
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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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