Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Miles Knob, Red Rock Mountain, Butters Mountain, Durgin Mountain, Speckled Mountain, Spruce Hill, ME |
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| Trails: |
Road walk, Haystack Notch Trail, Miles Notch Trail, Red Rock Trail, Bickford Brook Trail, Spruce Hill Trail, herd paths |
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| Date of Hike: |
Thursday, April 28, 2016 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at East Royce trailhead, my vehicle the only one there when I left, and on my return. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow - Spring Snow, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
Except the first crossing of the West Branch of the Pleasant River (heading eastbound on Haystack Notch Trail), which was achieved by dunking my feet, all other crossings were hopped on wet and/or dry rocks. Hop with extreme prejudice, most of the rocks I hopped on were fairly loose! |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Haystack Notch Trail had several crowns down in the trail, along with many stepover and duckunder blowdowns. A lot of sticks down in the trail too, and with a few obscure turns, plus a minimally defined treadway in the eastern section, not easy to follow at times. Miles Notch in good shape overall, a few stepovers that I recall. Red Rock had a few crowns, and plenty of stepovers and duckunders, but signs of maintenance in the last year and a half since I've been up here. Bickford Brook and Spruce Hill in good shape. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
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| Bugs: |
Not many out today, breezy and cool on the ridge. |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Got out and enjoyed this glorious day, up on the long eastern ridge of Speckled. Patches of snow on north facing slopes, and for stretches on Red Rock, Bickford Brook, and Spruce Hill trails. Carried traction but never needed it. Bickford Brook and Spruce Hill saw other traffic today, the rest of the trails did not (except by me). Quite breezy and chilly on the ridge, but the sun was nice in the lulls. Big views from the Red Rock cliffs, ledges near Durgin, and Speckled itself. Really nice to be out on these lesser used trails, enjoying some solitude, didn't see a soul all day. |
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| Name: |
Bill Robichaud |
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| E-Mail: |
bill.robichaud@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-04-28 |
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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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