| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Quabbin Starfire crash site, Indian Kitchen, Wendell's Grave, MA |
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 | Trails: |
Greenwich Dana Road, unnamed trails, herd paths, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, July 15, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
A Monday, so no other cars in lot when we got there around 8:15 AM, only one other car when we got back at 2 PM. This belonged to a woman we met walking in about halfway to Dana Common. There were several trucks at the Common with people working on something there. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
MDC roads are well cared for. Old dirt road to Starfire and Indian Kitchen has some stepover blowdowns. Indian Kitchen is still a bushwhack with faded orange blazes and there isn't really a herd path yet except when you get close to the destination. Old dirt road passing by Wendell Farnsworth's grave is really overgrown with lots of blowdowns requiring bushwhacks around them, although it more passable on the northern end. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Not allowed there. We didn't see any, but we have in the past. |
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 | Bugs: |
Worst swarms of horseflies (or deer flies?) I have ever seen. I used Natrapel and augmented it with DEET. Only a couple lit on me and started biting. But their buzzing was enough to cause insanity after awhile. The only times when they let up was when we were stopped for a few minutes. Maybe they are attracted to moving objects. However, when we were stopped, the mosquitoes moved in. We also brushed off some ticks which I think we must have picked up on the bushwhacks and on the overgrown road going past the Farnsworth homestead. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Dead deer on the road about halfway in towards Dana Common. Its guts were spilled and there were flies gathering but it must have been very recent as it did not stink yet. We informed a passing ranger in a pickup truck who suggested it was the work of coyotes. On our way back to the car we discovered that it had been moved off the road and thrown into the ravine alongside the road. This is going to ripen in a few days and probably be quite "fragrant" for passing hikers for quite awhile, unless scavengers consume it. |
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 | Comments: |
HOT and plenty of nasty bugs. But Greg and Ethan and I had a good time. |
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 | Name: |
greatoz |
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 | E-Mail: |
greatoz.tz...gmail |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-07-15 |
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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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