| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Shaw, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Cold Spring Road, Cold Spring Trail, Faraway Mountain Connector, Faraway Mountain Trail, Oakland Ridge Cut off ,High Ridge Trai. |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, May 4, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked in the always excellent "hikers only" lot.Space for many properly parked vehicles, with informative kiosk nearby. |
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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: |
Bridged. The ones that weren't were easy stepovers. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Great job by the LRTC. Excellent signage. One tiny, barely noticeable blowdown. Thanks! |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn't see any today. Check website for rules, and bring water because not all trails have water |
|
 | Bugs: |
Starting. Wind kept them at bay. Blackflies, mostly |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
A pair of sunglasses sitting at the parking kiosk. Another, hanging from a branch along the High Ridge Trail, near the swamp. Wasn't sure if someone could have been hiking along that way, so I left it. |
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|
 | Comments: |
We checked a couple ways to get to Mt. Shaw. The loop from rt 171, which is partially on private land, and a combination of trails mentioned in two wonderful books about 52 With a View (Thank you Ken M and Dan S). Prema noticed a small change would be a little more direct (and so does the Southern NH trail guide, ⁶4th Edition (thank you, Steve).
Before I go any further - FLOWER ALERT! Red Trillum are in bloom, as are a few yellow violets. Many of those violets are right on the trail, so keep an eye out and watch your step. Hike was more strenuous than I expected, but absolutely worth it. Except for one little thing
It was beautiful and sunny for 98% of the hike. Guess where the 2% was! It was interesting watching the horizon gradually return to a sunny day, though. |
|
 | Name: |
Beckie and Prema |
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 | E-Mail: |
beckiejani@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-05-04 |
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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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