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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Gibbs Falls, Mt. Pierce, Mt. Eisenhower, NH
Trails
Trails: Crawford Path, Gibbs Falls Spur, Mizpah Cutoff, Webster Cliff Trail, Eisenhower Loop, Edmands Path, Mt. Clinton Road
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, June 27, 2015
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The Mt. Clinton Road lot was full, so we parked at the Highland Center. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All significant crossings have footbridges. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No problems on these heavily-used routes. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw a few who appeared to be having fun. :) 
Bugs
Bugs: Not too bad, mostly just some mosquitos later in the day. Breezy on the summits to keep them away. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: "Found" Mizpah Springs Hut, the only hut I hadn't yet visited. 
 
Comments
Comments: A great day above treeline for a Pierce/Eisenhower loop. Starting out, we took the short side trail down to Gibbs Falls. The pool looked very inviting! Instead of going straight up to Pierce, we took the cutoff and headed over to the hut for a break, water refill and snacks. I got the last free pancake! ;) I hadn't been to this hut before, so it was nice to visit. The Cutoff is a very attractive trail!

Leaving the hut, the WCT scrambles steeply up to Pierce's SW summit (the 4185' mark on topo maps). From there it was an easy walk to Pierce's main summit. It was my third time on Pierce, but felt liked the first, as I'd only climbed it in winter. It looked so different.

Knowing we had more climbing to go, we dropped down on Crawford Path and headed over to Ike. This was aslo a new stretch of trail for me, and it was a lovely ridgewalk. Then the short steep ascent to the summit and we were there. A bunch of folks on top, and a bit windy, so we went down the other side of the loop to get out of the wind for lunch.

From there, we took Edmands Path back down, which is always a pleasant route. We had planned to and started to walk the road back to the Highland Center, but some folks we met on the trail stopped and offered a ride. Thanks! All in all, a great day out. :)

A couple of annoyances: We had to politely ask some people to not stand on the alpine plants, both on Pierce and Ike. :( Als0, Edmands Path has a LOT of toilet paper along and ON the trail in its middle sections. C'mon people! :(  
Name
Name: KenM 
E-Mail
E-Mail: kmacgray@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2015-06-28 
Link
Link: https:// 
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