| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Goose Eye Mountain, Mt. Carlo, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Carlo Col Trail, Goose Eye Trail, Mahoosuc Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, August 6, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Ahhhh, Success Pond Road. The road is in fairly good condition - I could go 20 - 25 mph in my Forester for most of the drive. There's a white trail sign for Carlo Col Trail on Success Pond Road. Head up the dirt side road, and there's room for maybe three vehicles right there on the left, and one or two others on the right just past there. I was the only vehicle there in the morning, but there were three other vehicles there when I returned despite my not seeing anyone else on Goose Eye or Carlo Col trails. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossings on Carlo Col Trail and Goose Eye Trail are all straightforward rock hops. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Some blowdowns, but nothing terrible. Some eroded sections on Carlo Col and Goose Eye trails, but again not terrible. Mahoosuc Trail, of course, is heavily eroded and wet in many places. Signs are all in place. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I wouldn't recommend bringing a dog on Goose Eye Trail or Mahoosuc Trail. Goose Eye Trail has some very steep rock scrambling near the top that would be very difficult for a dog. And Mahoosuc Trail, besides its many steep rock scrambles, has a section of iron rungs and a large ladder just below the junction with Goose Eye Trail - a dog would probably not be able to do this section. |
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 | Bugs: |
Not an issue except while I was eating lunch. And the bugs were probably more interested in my sandwich than in me. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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 | Comments: |
The time has come to admit that I lied in a previous post. I wrote in this post from two years ago (https://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/nh/viewreport.php?entryid=55809) that when I came back to the Mahoosucs to redline Goose Eye Trail and Carlo Col Trail, I'd redline them both as out-and-backs instead of doing a loop including the connecting section of Mahoosuc Trail. Well, guess what - I did that loop today, including that connecting section of Mahoosuc Trail. And honestly, I don't regret it - yes, that section of Mahoosuc Trail is very rough, very steep in spots, and is quite slow. But doing it as a loop still saved me some time along with reducing my elevation gain by about 1,000 feet. And I really didn't mind that section of Mahoosuc Trail too much (maybe since I was only carrying the weight of a day pack this time, instead of the weight of an overnight pack).
The bottom of Carlo Col Trail follows a dirt road, and Goose Eye Trail diverges from that at a sign. The lower part of Goose Eye Trail involves a section along an overgrown old road with tall grass, and the turn-off into the woods isn't obvious (but it is signed). The lower half of Goose Eye Trail is gradual and easy, which may make you wonder when the climbing is going to start. Well, it starts... and becomes steep, and pretty much doesn't let up until the summit. It's a long, grueling, sustained climb, with some challenging and very steep rock scrambles near the top (luckily the rocks were dry today). But the reward is absolutely incredible, The summit of Goose Eye Mountain has to be one of my favorite summits out there - panoramic 360-degree views of mountains in all directions. The breeze cooled me off quickly. I could've stayed at that summit for much longer - it's just an absolutely spectacular place.
Mahoosuc Trail coming off Goose Eye Mountain is extremely steep, with a large ladder and several sets of iron rungs. Nothing is especially dangerous if you take your time. There are a few false summits (which have nice views) on the way down from Goose Eye. Plenty of rock scrambling though. Mud isn't too bad - bog bridges in this section are generally working well. The climb up to Carlo, again, has lots of steep wet slabs, but they're still not too bad. Several small but steep and scrambly ups and downs near the summit of Carlo. The descent down to Carlo Col is the easiest part of this section of Mahoosuc Trail. Carlo Col Trail was a generally uneventful descent - moderate in the upper part and gradual in the lower part, with footing that alternates between smooth and a little rougher (but still not too bad).
This hike finished my redlining of the trails leading to the Mahoosucs from Success Pond Road. Unlike on my hikes yesterday, I met at least 8 other hikers, all of whom were thru-hiking or section hiking the AT. Still didn't see anyone on the trails leading up to the AT. |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-08-06 |
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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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