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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Northwest Hancock (attempt), North Hancock, South Hancock, NH
Trails
Trails: Hancock Notch Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Cedar Brook Slide, bushwhack, Hancock Loop Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 28, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: lots of parking at 8am but full in afternoon and cars parked down road 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: all rock-hoppable - YAY 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: big blowdown on the loop trail along the ridge 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: pretty bad when the air was still - mostly black flies 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: found and carried out a pink mylar balloon on the ridge on the bushwhack :) 
 
Comments
Comments: My objective was the Cedar Brook Slide, and I wasn't sure after that. Old aerials show the slide open all the way down to the Cedar Brook Trail, but, not so much any more. I basically went up Cedar Brook Trail over the height of land and then turned at the stream at about 2600'. Woods weren't bad in there but I had to keep crossing the stream to find a good path and the rocks were quite "greasy" in the humidity. Eventually the base of the slide opened up.

Very impressive slide. Massive U-shaped and V-shaped channels on either side. I tried to stay out of the channels and there were HUGE rocks in them and I was becoming increasingly antsy about kicking something loose in the gravel. Made me pretty anxious - I was very careful to pick my way up, taking way longer than anticipated. The big channels kind of corner you and then I had to back down a bit in spots to find a way up. Didn't seem overly steep but was very wide. Interesting mix of new/active slides and old mossy slide rocks.

Once near the top, I headed for Northwest Hancock for a revisit but only got about 3/4 of the way there and turned around - just too hot and was getting thicker than I remembered along the ridge. Turned around and headed for North Hancock - found reasonable open woods but had to keep changing course to find a way around spindly spruce.

Lots of traffic along the ridge between North and South Hancock. Nice day!!! :)  
Name
Name: Becca Munroe 
E-Mail
E-Mail: beccahiker@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-05-28 
Link
Link: https:// 
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