| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Whiteface Mountain, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Whiteface Mountain Trail, bushwhack, logging road, unnamed trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 20, 2018 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
At the turnaround at the end of Belknap Mountain Road. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Nothing of note. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No blowdowns on WMT. Water bars could use a cleaning. The ridge continues to be torn up by ORVs. Lots of dislodged boulders, some large, lying in the trail. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Black flies were horrendous, especially on the whack down into the valley, which was shielded from the wind. A breeze kept them at bay on the summit. I picked up a few ticks during the whack. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
I found a decrepit hunting stand along the logging road down in the valley. |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Damp conditions on the actual hiking trail, but easy walking all the way to the summit.
From there I bushwhacked down into the valley between Whiteface and Piper, which I'd done before, in mostly open woods. I crossed an old skid road at one point and followed a drainage down to a large clear cut, and the prominent logging road beyond (depicted on the Dave Roberts map). This road sees some ORV use. The woods were wet but not too bad. I skirted the clear cut to avoid mud.
I followed the logging road up the valley to where it became more overgrown at a three way junction. I took the middle road, which quickly deteriorated and faded away. I took a bearing on the ridge and bushwhacked a short distance, crossing a stone wall, then intersected with the unnamed trail also depicted on the Dave Roberts map. I hit this trail higher than I wanted to. In retrospect, I probably should have taken the left branch back at the three way junction to stay lower on the slope. This trail took me a short distance back to the WMT. From there, I followed the hiking trail out.
Conditions are mostly damp, with some significant muddy areas along the ridge and logging road. I must be a glutton for punishment bushwhacking in this humid weather with the bugs, but I've been curious about the top of that logging road and trail for a while. :) |
|
 | Name: |
KenM |
|
 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2018-05-20 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
