| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Old Speck Mountain, Mahoosuc Arm, Goose Eye Mountain, Mt. Carlo, Mt. Success, Cascade Mountain, Mt. Hayes, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Eyebrow Trail, Mahoosuc Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
When we pulled into the large lot in Grafton Notch it was empty. My awesome shuttle driver Dan aka Road Warrior told me he has never seen it without a car. Slightly ominous start. I was only vehicle parked at the railroad bridge in Gorham on route 16. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Mud - Significant, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easy rock hops |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of blowdowns everywhere. Half of the million big bridges in the Mahoosucs are actually booby traps. Trust them at your peril. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I would emphatically say not to bring a dog through mahoosuc notch, or the entire traverse, unless you hate your dog. |
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 | Bugs: |
Very few it was great |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” I feel like whoever first said this might have just done a single day Mahoosuc Traverse with a large-ish pack in May. Should have waited until running vest season with dry trails but apparently I wanted to hike the trail in expert mode. The descent down the Arm is just ridiculously huge,steep and rough. Real sketchy and very wet. The bottom 1/3 to 1/2 of the notch is mostly free of snow/ice and the rocks had dried out by 11am. I was having a blast in the jungle gym. The higher up I went the more snow and ice appeared. The last few tenths were super sketchy with deep rotting snow, ice, and tough navigation. I thought I was gonna posthole all the way to China a few times-very unnerving. Through hikers are getting through it, as did I, but if you’re not into cheap thrills and elevated risk tolerance then give the notch 2-3 more weeks I would say. The entire traverse is a mud pit wherever it isn’t a steep rough scramble. If the entire pemi loop was the Garfield Ridge Trail, it would be comparable to a Mahoosuc Traverse. Views were incredible-I was socked in until the notch but had perfect weather rest of day/night. Crazy amount of moose sign, but no moose. Finally finished redlining the mahoosuc tab after staring at it for several years now! |
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 | Name: |
Spence |
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 | E-Mail: |
stormyweatherholt@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-05-30 |
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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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