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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Eisenhower, Mt. Pierce, NH
Trails
Trails: Dry River Trail, Mt. Eisenhower Trail, Crawford Path, Edmands Trail, Eisenhower Loop, Mt. Clinton Trail, Dry River Cutoff Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, September 12, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: No fee to park at the Dry River Trailhead gate along Route 302. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Most of the brooks along the DRT were pretty low and did not require much thought. The DRT river crossing after the falls was wide, but pretty easy overall. Crossing the river along the Mt. Eisenhower trail required much more thought and care. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: All trails are in good condition. Dry River Trail has lots of erosion and frequent mud, but there were very few down trees that posed real obstacles. The mud was minor for most of the trail, but became significant right before the Dry River Shelter #3. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: No water available on the Mt. Eisenhower Trail so bring extra for your dog. 
Bugs
Bugs: Lots of mosquito. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Wednesday 9/12: Hiked up the DRT to the tent site at the base of Isolation Trail (West). Trail was in much better condition than when I was there in July 2017. Very few blowdowns, mostly minor mud, the water levels were low, and the trail was more obvious. Saw 3 happy hikers on their way out from a day trip up Mt Isolation.

Thursday 9/13: Spent the day exploring the surrounding trails a little bit. Encountered 3 friendly hikers early that morning who were heading to the shelter and preparing to do trail maintenance. Thank you all so much for your work! I had previously read that the spur path down to the Falls was gone after Irene, but it is plainly there to see if you're looking for it. Continued beyond the Falls on to the Dry River Shelter #3 which looks to be in good condition. The DRT really deteriorated into a muddy bog the last quarter mile before the shelter. Rock hopped back along the river to avoid that muddy section and rejoined the trail before returning back to camp.

Friday 9/14: Followed the Mt. Eisenhower trail to the ridge and then Crawford Path and Eisenhower Loop up to the top of Mt. Eisenhower. I'd read good things about the Mt. Eisenhower trail and it did not disappoint. Beautiful open forest with moderate grades and soft terrain. Not a drop of water to be seen. Skies were almost entirely clear and it was hot up on the ridge. Beautiful vistas every which way. There were some other hikers up there, but the ridge was far from crowded. We continued on to Mt. Pierce and then the Mizpah hut for some snacks and more water. Crawford Path is in good shape with some new looking bog bridges. Minor mud. We rested for a bit, wished Old Goat a congratulations on finishing her 48 the next day, and then set off down the Mt. Clinton Trail. Upper Mt. Clinton Trail has a ton of blowdowns. Most have been effectively sawed through, but it's still a real mess to navigate this portion. Trail was mostly okay after that. We hit the junction and followed the Dry River Cutoff trail back to the Dry River Trail. The Cutoff trail has sections that are pretty nice, but the lower you go the messier it gets. Lots of mud here, both significant and minor. Some blowdowns now and again, but overall not an issue. Some serious plant encroachment as you get lower. Several minor stream crossings before 2 serious brook crossings (these 2 were both on my map). Neither was difficult to cross, but at the first one I had some trouble picking up the trail on the other side. The trail basically cuts across diagonally and the entrance is obscured from that angle. At the second one the trail cuts directly across the brook and it's obvious. Not long from there until the Dry River crossing again and then back up to the Dry River Trail.

Saturday 9/15: Back out the Dry River Trail to the car. Same conditions as before, except there were a couple of sections of trail that were noticeably more eroded than when we went in. One place in particular is right above the upper river bank where there is now a hole in the trail that leads to a long fall down to the rocky basin.

We had a wonderful time out there. I don't see many reports from this area so I figured I would do my part and share my experience. Happy trails!  
Name
Name: Matthew 
E-Mail
E-Mail: mattbosley@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-09-16 
Link
Link: https:// 
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