| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Piper Mountain, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Whiteface Mountain Trail, Piper-Whiteface Link, Vista Trail, Valley View Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, July 13, 2015 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Limited room at cul-de-sac at end of Belknap Mountain Road. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Minor rock hop on Whiteface Mountain Trail. One possible crossing on Valley View Trail was dry. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One blowdown on northern descent of Valley View Trail. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Would not recommend Valley View Trail for dogs due to scrambles and numerous crevasses, especially on rock slide. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Occasional mosquitoes and deer flies. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Trails were dry. Good blueberry crop atop Piper Mountain.
Took Valley View Trail clockwise. Northwestern branch starts off the yellow Vista Trail shortly after Piper-Whiteface Link, marked by cairn atop a ledge on the left (once on said ledge, blazes and sign are visible).
Trail initially descends on ledges that could be dangerous when wet, then slabs across the slope (some portions hard to follow due to faint footbed), soon descending via scrambles to the boulder field. From this boulder field, the trail then climbs to a rock slide, which requires some bouldering/scrambling. Also noted a porcupine hiding in a crevasse. Trail then ascends steeply to the junction of the green Swett Mountain Trail and yellow Vista Trail junction. Tricky to take this trail clockwise or counterclockwise, but I think clockwise is probably the way to go. I found this trail to be more challenging than the Holt Trail, which is considered by some to be the most challenging sanctioned trail in Southern New Hampshire. Easily the most challenging sanctioned trail in the Belknaps. Similar in challenge in places to the Ice Gulch Trail up north in Randolph.
Backtracking up the yellow Vista Trail, the best blueberries of the hike were around the southern Piper Mountain vista (which in my opinion is by far the best viewpoint on the mountain). |
|
 | Name: |
rocket21 |
|
 | E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2015-07-13 |
|
 | Link: |
 https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos/NewHampshire/pipermtn-2015-0713.php |
|
|
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. |
|
