| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Liberty, Mt. Flume, Big Coolidge, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Bike path, Liberty Spring Trail, Franconia Ridge Trail, Osseo Trail, Old Osseo Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, June 29, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Drop off at whitehouse tr lot, pickup at the eastern side of Village of Loon |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Everything was easily rock hopable |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Champ had a great day |
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 | Bugs: |
not too bad |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
With the relatively few reports for Big Coolidge and some of them describing awfulness ascending from Old Osseo, thought I'd try an alternate approach from the top of Old Osseo, combining with a fliberty grid day. Easy going from Liberty Springs to Old Osseo (which is in remarkably good shape in general), then started my whack shortly after Old Osseo begins to curve to the east around 3750ft. Tried to follow a mini-drainage on the topo map to until achieving Flume's SW ridge. Did an OK job at following, but was constantly tempted by slightly less dense woods to the SE of my intended line. Woods were variable, but only awful at one spot, just south of the nub around 3500ft. If I were doing this again, I'd aim to go over the nub vs. going south of it. After the nub, there were a number of mini-cliff bands, all fairly easy to navigate in open woods. Once at the col, the ascent up Big Coolidge was steep, but fine, certainly preferable to some of the horror stories ascending from the east. I did detect the 'cut' trail that others have mentioned as I approached the summit. I followed it and lost it at times - would be curious to follow it north and see where it goes. Took about 2hrs from Old Osseo to the summit of Big Coolidge.
From the summit, we followed the cut trail maybe 50 yards south before cutting ESE. Descent was way easier than I anticipated. Woods were open at times and never awful, and all the cliff bands were fairly easy to navigate too (I always went south when I hit a band). Hit the base of Old Osseo before too long and then out to the condo development. There were a couple unsigned intersections near the base of Old Osseo, no doubt leading to different parts of the condo development - I took the 'middle' path that seemed most traveled and popped out at the first sharp bend on Clearbrook Rd. A little over an hour from Big Coolidge to the condos.
Overall I would recommend this route for Big Coolidge, particularly if you find bushwhack ascents far more difficult than bushwhack descents.
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 | Name: |
Big Al Dente |
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 | E-Mail: |
bigaldentenh@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-07-07 |
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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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