| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Pierce, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mt. Clinton Trail, Dry River Cutoff, Mt. Eisenhower Trail, Crawford Path, Webster Cliff Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, September 20, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
N/A (stayed at Mizpah Hut the nights before and after) |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The crossing of Dry River at the bottom of Mt. Eisenhower Trail was a rock hop on exposed rocks. The minor crossings on Dry River Cutoff were easy. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Plenty of blowdowns, particularly on Dry River Cutoff. One of them midway down obscures the trail somewhat - it makes it look like the trail bears right, but it actually bears left. Several substantial mudpits on Dry River Cutoff. Signs are all in place. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I wouldn't take a dog into the Dry River valley. |
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 | Bugs: |
None. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was a loop starting and ending at Mizpah Hut, and the idea was to grab Dry River Cutoff and Mt. Eisenhower Trail, the two remaining trails in the Dry River valley that I still needed. I made quick work down Mt. Clinton Trail through the blowdown field to the junction with Dry River Cutoff. The first section of Dry River Cutoff is mostly flat, with some muddy sections and old bog bridges that required care to traverse. But there were also nicer sections as well. The portion of the trail that descends into the valley was rough and eroded in spots, and occasionally required care to follow, but still had some smooth areas. I had a sense of foreboding going into this trail, since I'd seen pictures of the worst areas and had assumed that the entire trail was like that. But it isn't. I think the fact that I did this trail during a period of low water made a big difference, since there were few puddles on the trail (just some mud in spots), and the water crossings were pretty easy. A hiker who's experienced with wilderness trails, and accustomed to their challenges, shouldn't have too much difficulty with Dry River Cutoff (or Mt. Clinton Trail, which I hiked the previous day).
I then headed down to the Dry River on Mt. Eisenhower Trail to redline that short little section. The crossing of Dry River was a rock hop, and there are small cairns on both sides of the river to mark the crossing. Then I ascended Mt. Eisenhower Trail up to Crawford Path. Mt. Eisenhower Trail is also rough and eroded in places, though it too has smoother, nicer sections. The big difference between it and both Mt. Clinton Trail and Dry River Cutoff was the lack of wetness and mudpits on Mt. Eisenhower Trail. The trail was pretty dry for most of the way. And there weren't any spots where I wondered which way the trail went, though there were some twists and turns. The trail is a fairly steady climb for most of the way, with just one flat section halfway up. It was cloudy and foggy when I had left Mizpah Hut, but by the time I broke treeline at the top of Mt. Eisenhower Trail, visibility was much better and the views were excellent.
Having seen nobody at all on Dry River Cutoff and just one other hiker on Mt. Eisenhower Trail, I was now along the heavily traveled Crawford Path and saw many more hikers. I decided to skip Eisenhower, and made it over to Pierce in good time - the climb up to Pierce from this direction is nice and gradual. This was my fourth summit of Pierce, but my first without snow, and I was surprised by the lack of views at the true summit in the summer (in the winter, there's frequently enough snow that you can see over the trees from the true summit). The descent from Pierce back down to Mizpah was rough but uneventful.
Very happy to have gotten these trails done, and the conditions made this hike enjoyable. 96.5% complete with redlining! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-09-21 |
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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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