| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Lafayette, North Lafayette, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Skookumchuck Trail, Garfield Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, October 19, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Easy breezey |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Well maintained and waterbars looked clear previous to recent leaf fall. Obviously they are pretty full of leaves now. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good water down low on Skookumchuck. Pretty long stretch without water above the stream, but then plenty of relatively clean puddles up high. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Skookumchuck is such a lovely break from the busy greenleaf/bridal path loop. The first 1.8 miles is gentle and meets up with the lovely (and not so aptly named) Skookumchuck brook. Then you get an intense but well built rock stairs climb, and then moderate grades until timberline. The Garfield Ridge trail to the summit above timberline is gorgeous and is quiet compared to the ridge trail between Lafayette and Lincoln. North Lafayette is a nice bonus with really great views north and into the Lincoln Woods Wilderness that are different enough from the true Lafayette summit to make the trip worth it.
We passed one group on Garfield Ridge, didn't see a soul on Skookumchuck, and then I counted over 50 people at one point on the true Lafayette summit. I love the relentless summit push from the Bridal Path, but the desolation and lack of I93 road noise on Skookumchuck makes this a really nice alternative to that craziness. |
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 | Name: |
Brian, Crystal & Kya |
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 | E-Mail: |
brian dot m dot schuster att gmail |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-10-20 |
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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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