| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Lafayette, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Skookumchuck Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, October 5, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Paved lot. Not a fee area. No facilities. Sign on Rte 3 says Bike Path with no hiker sign but the traiilhead is right there when you pull in. No cars in lot at 7AM but about a dozen on the way out |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
About 6 smaller brook crossings, all very easy rock hops with dry feet. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails in very good shape. Skookumchuck Trail very well blazed with fresh blue rectangles in both directions, particularly the lower sections in the hardwoods. Drainage trenches structurally sound and clear. There was one easy step over in an area of storm damage where all the trees are leaning over toward top of ridge that parallels South Branch Of Gale River (6-7" diameter tree,N44 10.431,W71 39.171). Garfield Ridge trail had very worn out, harder to see blazes and the cairns were somewhat spread out and set oddly back from the actual trail in many spots. Still able to follow even in today's fog. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good trail for dogs. Saw a few. Not much water on 2nd half of trail though. |
|
 | Bugs: |
To my horror there were actually mosquitos out in several spots! Hopefully the next frost is not far. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
none |
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|
 | Comments: |
Trail in very good shape overall. The lower sections that follow the brook were surprisingly wet and muddy given how dry it has been. There were many sections of stone pavers so I assume this is just "one of those trails" that is wet all the time (never did this trail before). Very comfortable grades and footing pretty much all the way to the top, except the first few hundred yards out of the parking lot. All the freshly fallen leaves made seeing mud, rocks and roots a little tricky at the bottom but not a huge issue in most places. Summit was socked in with fog by the time I got above treeline so I didn't bother going to the actual summit of Lafayette to hang with the crowds. |
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 | Name: |
DayTrip |
|
 | E-Mail: |
bblanchette0709@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-10-06 |
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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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