| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Rowe, Gunstock Mountain, Belknap Mountain, Piper Mountain, Whiteface Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ridge Trail, Brook Trail, Saddle Trail, Blue Trail, White Trail, Old Piper Trail, Piper-Whiteface Link, Whiteface Mountain Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, October 19, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at the Gunstock ski area, even with the chairlift taking tourists to the top of Gunstock. I was the first vehicle at the Whiteface trailhead around 8:30 in the morning, but a few cars were parked along the road when we got back around 2:45 PM. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None. Even the small crossing on Whiteface Mountain Trail halfway up to the ridge was practically dry. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Can't remember any blowdowns. No significant drainage issues, and I noted trail work in several sections to alleviate areas that are sometimes wet. Signs are all in place. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw several well-behaved dogs and respectful owners. They shouldn't have much of an issue here. |
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 | Bugs: |
None. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
We found a navy blue baseball cap on the trail going up to Belknap. We hung it from a tree so it would be more visible. There was also some sunglasses on one of the concrete blocks at the summit of Belknap. |
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 | Comments: |
What a superb day to be outside! Spotted cars from the Whiteface trailhead to the Gunstock ski area, and then headed up Ridge Trail toward Rowe. The road had plenty of loose rock and gravel but was still pretty quick. The trails were all in good condition - very little mud, blowdowns were not an issue, and 99% of the ledges were dry. Views from the numerous viewpoints on this route were outstanding. Plenty of people at the summit of Gunstock who had taken the chairlift up. We didn't see very many other hikers until the viewpoints on the descent of Belknap, at which point we started to see numerous groups of hikers heading up to Belknap or going to Piper and/or Whiteface. We must have seen at least a dozen kids as part of these groups of hikers, all of whom seemed to be having a great time. The seven "Whiteface Lakes", as I call them (a la the Connecticut Lakes in Pittsburg), large puddles along Whiteface Mountain Trail, were still there, but a bit smaller than usual.
It started out cool, but warmed up significantly during the day. Great to hike with Ben again! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-10-19 |
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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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