| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sugarloaf, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Alexandria-Hebron Turnpike, Blue Trail, White Trail, Orange Trail, Elwell Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 27, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We parked on Bear Mountain Road, in a small pull-out adjacent to the entry point for the two large land parcels that were logged a couple years back, about 0.5 miles north of the Bear Mountain Trail trailhead. During that logging operation, Bear Mountain Road and the Alexandria-Hebron Turnpike were in decent shape, regraded for the logging trucks. Since then, though, the road has degraded, becoming rutted and eroded to the point where a high-clearance vehicle is necessary to go much further up the road, including to the Bear Mountain Trail. (We used to drive a Mini Cooper to that trailhead -- not so much, any more.) |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nothing of real note. White trail still has a bit of post-winter deadfall on it. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Eye flies galore, and an occasional deer fly. In other words, typical summer bug scene. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
We had originally planned to walk some of the trails from the Elwell Trail trailhead, across from Wellington State Park. Not a good idea, apparently, on a busy weekend at Wellington -- the park uses the Elwell Trail trailhead parking lot for overflow parking, and it was completely full (with some somewhat creative parking along the access road to the trailhead lot).
So, we drove past that and decided to approach from further north, turning onto Bear Mountain Road and then parking a bit further up, on the old Class VI Alexandria-Hebron Turnpike.
This was the opposite of the mayhem near Wellington -- completely quiet except for a few moments near the summit of Sugarloaf, when we could hear the beachgoers far below. Once past the summit, dead quiet but for critter calls.
Plenty of decent-size blueberries near the summit of Sugarloaf. |
|
 | Name: |
Pancks and Tesco Heaney |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-07-28 |
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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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