| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Rimrock, Orange Mountain, Mt. Cardigan (South Peak), Mt. Cardigan, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Jeep Road, West Ridge Trail, South Ridge Trail, Skyland Trail, Ranger Cabin Trail, Clark Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
At Mt. Cardigan State Park in Orange. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No issues. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
All trails in generally great shape. I removed one minor blowdown on SRT. Skyland has a few mud pits, the largest of which could use either bog bridges or stepping stones as it's fairly wide from people scooting around the sides. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure. |
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 | Bugs: |
A few mosquitoes down low, but they disappeared quickly as I ascended. Generally, this was a bug-free hike. No spray or net needed. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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 | Comments: |
A bit of a meandering route around the Cardigan area today. From the parking lot, I took the old Jeep road up to WRT, where it dumps you out at a sharp turn just below SRT. This is an easier ascent than staying on WRT proper. This section of the Jeep road is in good shape and it's clear people still use it. Just one wet and muddy spot by the old garage.
SRT was dry and fun its upper half as it climbs steeply vis switchbacks up to Rimrock. From there I headed over to Orange via Skyland, forgetting somewhat how much elevation is lost along the way. :) Orange was gorgeous as always, having one of the finest views OF Cardigan.
I backtracked to Rimrock, headed to South Peak, then cut over towards Clark and up to the summit of Cardigan. While the sun was beating down on the ledges, temps were comfortable thanks to a breeze. I descended via WRT to its junction with RCT. Just below this point, I took the old Jeep road down, where there is an interesting ancient sign for snowmobiles hiding in the woods. This route cuts off some of the rougher sections of WRT and rejoins it further down the trail. From here I took WRT down to the sharp turn, then hopped on the Jeep road again back to the parking.
An awesome day out, though on the warmer side. Humidity was down though so that helped. I only saw a handful of people including two along Skyland who were looping over Orange via Vistamont Trail. |
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 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-07-10 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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. |
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