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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks East Sleeper, Mt. Whiteface, Mt. Passaconaway, NH
Trails
Trails: Blueberry Ledge Trail, Blueberry Ledge Cutoff, Kate Sleeper Trail, East Sleeper Spur, Rollins Trail, Dicey's Mill Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 24, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Ferncroft lot filled most of the way by mid afternoon, but still room. Porta-potty had been recently serviced. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All trivial except the main crossing on the lower part of Dicey's Mill Trail. The big log is still ere, but it was wet and slippery, so I went upstream a few feet and rock-hopped with just damp boots. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: It's Spring, and the usual maintenance is needed. Not bad on blowdowns, I took out a small one in the middle of a short steep climb near East Sleeper. A large 10-12" blowdown on Blueberry Ledge between the cutoff and Tom Wiggin, awkward height and it now has a bypass. No new blowdowns on Kate Sleeper, not that there are any trees left to blowdown near East Sleeper. The same big 10-12" blowdown blocking the trail and the spur at the East Sleeper Spur though. Rollins was ok, as was Dicey's Mill. Lots of standing water on the flat stretch of Dicey's Mill Trail just below the birch log crossing though. Very muddy in there. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw a yellow lab on the Whiteface ledges, he needed a boost once or twice, but did fine. 
Bugs
Bugs: A few flying around nothing biting (yet). 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: First up the trail today. Took the Blueberry Cutoff for something new, definitely a less-traveled route, and maybe a bit rockier than the main trail. The ledges were damp and took a little doing, but weren't as bad as I expected. A few peeks to Passaconaway opened in the clouds while I was on the ledges. Intermittent blue skies and clouds on the out and back to East Sleeper, and over the Rollins Trail. Decent views from the ledge near the summit of Passaconaway, but could see weather moving in fast. Not 10 minutes down from the summit I had to pull out the rain jacket and it rained steadily though not terribly heavy for the next hour or so. All in all though, a nice day out.

There is still some pockets of ice on the trail along the Kate Sleeper Trail between Whiteface and the Downes Brook Trail, and along the Rollins, plus one icy ledge near the Dicey's. Mill/Rollins junction on Dicey's Mill. Otherwise, the usual mid Spring mix of mud, wet roots, and wet rocks. Don't bother with the traction devices for his one, what little there was could be mostly avoided, often even still on trail, and it won't be around much longer anyway.  
Name
Name: madmattd 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-05-24 
Link
Link: https://mattshikes.blogspot.com 
Bookmark and Share 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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