| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Abandoned Stevens Brook Trail (attempt), NH |
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 | Trails: |
FR 429, bushwhacks, skidder roads |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, November 7, 2015 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked along road near FR429 (careful not to block gate) - signage indicates this is a working forest, part of the Pemi Ranger District. This woods road is on Buffalo Road in Wentworth, about .25miles west of the Rumney/Wentworth town line. NOTE: I originally tried to find the eastern terminus of the Stevens Brook Trail (on Stinson Lake Rd a little over a mile south of the lake. I think I found it and a parking spot along the road - I believe it's an old road but the old road passed really close to houses I could see had people outside and I was afraid of walking around the houses. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
east branch of Stevens Brook was fairly small and had many nice pools - I crossed it many times - very rock-hoppable |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
logging roads were well-maintained |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Very scary (unleashed) older black dog appears to guard the entrance to FR429 when he is not asleep as he probably was when I started out. When I returned, he did repeatedly snarl/bark/charge me like yet another presidential race polling organization. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I decided to attempt to follow the abandoned (in the 1980's) Stevens Brook Trail, which is on the topo map. The major logging road (FR429) appears to follow the route for almost a mile. At about 950' I took a left next to a stream (nice old iron riveted culvert here) where the trail likely went and found an old trail marker (I believe). On the way to this point, the woods are managed by the WMNF for timber harvest on a regular basis. I found a really neat apple orchard, farm cellar hole, and evidence of a forest fire - REALLY neat stuff!
Anyway, I bushwhacked in the mostly open woods following the approximate route of the old trail for maybe .8mi, criss-crossing the WMNF boundary which was at the stream edge. I found one other trail marker. I was hoping to find evidence of the old footbridge across the brook but couldn't identify anything. There were a few man-made rock creations but I wasn't sure what was what. The logged clearings made it a little difficult to pick my way up the hillside due to prickers.
At about 1600' in relatively open woods, I hit my turnaround time and found a few skidder paths that made for a speedy descent though avoiding the prickers was a bit of a chore.
All in all, a really neat area to explore! |
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 | Name: |
Becca Munroe |
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 | E-Mail: |
beccahiker@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2015-11-07 |
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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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