| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Stowe Mountain, Bald Mountain, Southwest Puzzle Mountain, Long Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Grafton Loop Trail, Bald Mountain Campsite Spur, Stewart Campsite Spur, Town Corner Campsite Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, August 29, 2015 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The Grafton Loop TH (South end of the notch) was PACKED late morning. Puzzle Mountain is understandably a terrific day-hike location. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
A bunch of easy step-overs and rock-hops on the West side of the road, and the one "major" crossing between Puzzle and Long Mountains was a fairly easy rock hop (on mossy rocks). |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Clear sailing on the West side of the loop, though a sign or two could be used on the woods road near Rt. 26 for those heading CCW on the loop (well-signed for CW travel). The trail was a little overgrown here and there on the ascent to Long Mountain, but very overgrown in places between the summit and Town Corner Campsite. Also very rocky, wet, muddy, and eroded in the same stretch. Quite a contrast from the West side. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a couple day-hiking Puzzle Mountain. Not much water along the way. |
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 | Bugs: |
A few skeeters during the hot afternoon climb up Long Mountain. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Day 2 of a 3-day Grafton Loop. Had to be a long (~17-mile) day to position myself to finish on day 3. Had a fairly easy descent down to the Bald Mountain Campsite (2 wooden platforms, bear box, decent flowing stream for water), assisted in the steep places with wooden staircases. Once walking the short way up Rt.26 and starting the ascent to Puzzle, I slowed hard. Heavy pack and a few years since backpacking will do that to you. Still, once nearing the top the views open up and they are terrific. Best views of the day for sure. It took a brief bit of poking around to find the trail down off the summit towards Long Mountain, but once on it, it was a steady but not awfully steep overall descent to Stewart Campsite.
Stewart didn't look that appealing, a trickle for a water source and I only saw one tent pad, right underneath a long rope strung up through the trees that looked like a bear bag setup. But I had to push 5.5 miles (and 1500' climbing) more over Long Mountain so I hoped for better at Town Corner. A fairly easy descent to the col, grabbed some water from the stream while talking with a large backpacking group heading out over Puzzle, then had the long, steady, occasionally steep ascent up Long Mountain. That about did me in. The "viewpoint" near the top was merely OK in my book, but there was a bench there.
Descent to the campsite for the night was steep for a short while, and eroded, muddy, and slippery. The campsite was nice though, a large clearing with numerous tent pads scattered around and a small but reasonably flowing stream for water. Only 3 of us there, myself and a young couple that came in 30 minutes after I did, doing an overnight backpack of the East side of the loop. We were awoken around 2AM by a Barred Owl hooting away quite nearby for 5-10 minutes, very cool! |
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 | Name: |
madmattd |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2015-08-31 |
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 | Link: |
 https://mattshikes.blogspot.com/ |
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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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