| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Red Rock Mountain, Butters Mountain, Durgin Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Miles Notch Trail, Red Rock Trail, Great Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, August 25, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
A short gravel road stretch leads to the two trailheads where there is room for a few cars at each to park. One could drive up the Great Brook trail/haul road further to the gate which is closed and park in a wideout I'd guess, but don't block the gate. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
rock hops |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Miles Notch in good shape up to Red Rock, with a nice footbed, some small rock piles and periodic paint blazes. On the north side it was quite different, with lots of water and some mud higher up. The waterbars had been recently cleared and in places some recent brushing, but little or no blazes. At the far north end off USFS land it runs through a grown-in road and it takes attention to stay on a footbed often hidden by vegetation. It really could use signs and brushing. It meets the Hasting Trail at nice signs in a big clearing. The road in from the north looked okay, more grass than road. The Red Rock sections were a pretty nice footbed but with no markings and almost no signs; it is followed by paying attention to the footbed, and in some cases that can be hidden in vegetation. But most blowdowns had been cleared, some recently, and with attention it is easily followed. Great Brook had some erosion and accumulated debris in the steeper sections, it has very few blazes, and above the road it is followed by focusing on the footbed. Its lower stretches are a wide haul road. There were a couple of blowdowns on Miles Notch south and a few more on Red Rock. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Miles Notch south had two small drainages whchi Pepper could dip in. The north section was great for him with a brook nearby and other drainages. Red Rock has almost no water and Pepper really would have liked to dip. It was warm. Bring water. Great Brook had a small drainage up high and some crossings in the middle that Pepper dipped in happily. |
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 | Bugs: |
A skeeter early and a couple at the end was it. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
We went the entire length of Miles Notch, back up to Red Rock to Durbin and then down Great Brook. The road walk out Great Brook seemed a bit long, and I have no idea why it is called Great Brook since it only has a couple of very modest brook crossings/parallels. Miles Notch south goes through woods with plenty of big 'ol trees in it. We saw no one else, it was a lot of hiking on a ridge in hardwoods and with the trails often feeling like herd paths, it was quite a contrast with a typical 4K hike. Thanks Pep for doing some redlining with me. |
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
windriversjohn at gmail dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-08-25 |
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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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