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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Moosilauke, NH
Trails
Trails: Tunnel Brook Trail, Benton Trail, Beaver Brook Trail, Carriage Road, Glencliff Trail, High Street, Long Pond Road, abandoned Tunnel Brook Road
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: I parked at the current end of Tunnel Brook Road, room for a few cars. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The eight brook crossings along TBT were easily hopped. The only tricky spot was crossing Tunnel Brook along BT. Water was high and fast and I bushwhacked upstream a bit to find a better spot. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No problems on the main Moosilauke trails. TBT had several stepover blowdowns. It is overgrown and hard to follow in the area of the beaver ponds. I lost it completely near a grassy campsite on the shore of Mud Pond. The trail is cut off near a swampy area, but there is a herd path bypass to get around it. Some nicely constructed cairns in the woods that few will ever see. This trail isn't in a wilderness area, but feels like a wilderness trail. All trails had some wet or muddy areas from the recent rain. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Sure. Lots of water at lower elevations, but not up high. 
Bugs
Bugs: Only a few. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: A white t-shirt along TBT and a white cap at the summit of Moosilauke. I packed both out. 
 
Comments
Comments: Thanks to Irene and its destruction of Tunnel Brook Road, this is now a loooooong 16 mile loop.

The walk to the BT trailhead is unpleasant through slash and wrecked roadway. Benton itself is quite lovely, with nice grades all the way up, nothing is ever steep. There is a fantastic view down into Little Tunnel Brook Ravine from high atop the lip. Just a huge, high, massive ravine. Benton is a great trail and lightly used, even more so now with its accessibility issues.

Above treeline was spectacular as always, this was my 8th time climbing Moosilauke. Many through hikers passing over, some in awe of being above treeline for the first time. One said they'd been waiting since Georgia for this. :) Sunny, clear and cool on top with a light wind, just perfect weather.

Can't say Glencliff is one of my favorite routes, but it got me down in good time, passing many through hikers along the way who had started at Jeffers Brook Shelter. Once down, I walked the short distance along High Street and Long Pond Road to TBT. From there it was just over 6 miles back to the car.

Before Mud Pond, the trail follows a well defined logging road with easy walking. At the pond are great views up to Moosilauke's South Peak and Slide Ravine. Further on, the upper beaver ponds provide good views over to the slides on Mt. Clough. It feels very wild and remote in this section. There's a short very overgrown push through high brush before the trail pops out at the old trailhead and parking area. From there it's a 2.1 mile walk along the abandoned section of Tunnel Brook Road, which was unwelcome at that point in the day.

A long day, but a beautiful one, and 11.4 new redlining miles. I will never tire of the Moosilauke area. :)  
Name
Name: KenM 
E-Mail
E-Mail: kmacgray@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-08-24 
Link
Link: https:// 
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