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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Bear Mountain, Welton Falls (attempt), NH
Trails
Trails: Welton Falls Trail (North), Elwell Trail, Welton Falls Trail (South), Templeton Brook Trail, logging roads
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, September 4, 2017
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Welton Falls Trailhead is well-marked (roadside) off Valley View Road in Hebron - room for multiple cars roadside but I have never seen another car there.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: no issues - no major crossings 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Soon after starting up from Valley View Road, I reached a log skidder road - wasn't obvious where to split off from the skidder road but I found it on the descent. Scratchy through the power lines; fun challenge to find cairns and blazes between Bear Mtn and the Welton Falls Trail/Elwell junctions.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: why not? lots of puddles along the way!!!! 
Bugs
Bugs: a few here and there from the standing water in the puddles 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: nothing 
 
Comments
Comments: HMMMMMM, this is a good route if you A) already have a GPS track and B) LOVE and adventure!!!!! Lots of logging has really opened up the views, but, has also made the route finding really challenging but fun!!!! I love to explore this area in Hebron/Alexandria between Bear Mountain and the Welton Falls area at least once/year as it is always changing - always a surprise!!!!

First off I surprised a fox puppy in the power line area hunting - very cool to see him/her pouncing on prey! The rest of the routes has deadfall, logging cuts, and occasional wide views of Cardigan and its ridge to the west as well as Plymouth Mountain and the ridges east of Newfound Lake.

For extra challenge, I tried to follow the route of the OLD Welton Falls Trail (southbound - towards Fowler River Road) which has apparently been abandoned for quite some time. The lowest yellow blaze I found was at about 1520'. From there I tried finding another blaze in several directions, going first down the dominant main skidder road to about 1280' (but couldn't find any indications of the trail), then I tried again going towards the stream to the right of the last blaze. After studying NH F&G's map of the area, I am pretty sure the trail is also known as the Templeton Brook Trail. Logging was recent and perhaps some parts are still active.  
Name
Name: Becca Munroe 
E-Mail
E-Mail: beccahiker@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2017-09-04 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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