| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Cardigan, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Access road, West Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, May 27, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
State Park hasn't opened yet, the road is gated. There is a lot near the gate, with space for 6-7 vehicles properly parked. Some folks parked on the side of the road. Be careful, there are signs where you can't park on the side. The closed area looks nice. Plenty of parking, an outhouse, picnic tables. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Two bridged. The rest are very easy. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Good signage. Thanks |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good for dogs. Saw a young one with her person enjoying the day. |
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 | Bugs: |
Blackflies were o.k. at first, just exploring. Wind kept them at bay. Bad the last hour. Should have taken the net out, because they were finding the areas that I didn't reach with the bug spray |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Found an ear bud on the way down. Then, found the owner on his way down. All's well that ends well. |
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 | Comments: |
Perfect day for this! Gate is not open yet, so we had a .6 mile road walk. Road walk had a few yellow violets. Quick walk, even for me. Nice trail, originally planned to make a loop by descending Skyland and South Ridge Trails, but we had a time constraint. Yes, it's only a .1 mile longer than the out and back, and it looked good on paper, but sometimes "looked good on paper" doesn't work well. So, we did an out and back on the West Ridge Trail.
I loved it - never really steep until the last pitch to the summit. And that wasn't bad. This trail could be said to have three sections, short as it it. First part is a gentle ascent through hardwoods. A few muddy spots, a couple of small stream. Second section - small cascades along the trail, some small boggy areas, evergreens, and a couple bridges. Plenty of painted trillium still in bloom here. Third section - break out of the trees and head for the top. Gorgeous views in all directions, steeper than the rest of the trail, but never really difficult. Breezes at summit kept the bugs away. Great views of snow covered Mt. Washington in the distance.
Blackflies were bad midway to bottom. Want to return to do that loop! Shout out to Mascoma Valley Regional High School. They had a science project - hike to the summit and make wildlife and plants observations. Teachers and other adults lead this group. Polite, respectful, good outdoor ethics. Nice kids. Glad they had a good day for this. |
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 | Name: |
Beckie and Prema |
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 | E-Mail: |
beckiejani@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-05-27 |
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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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