Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Jackson, Mt. Webster, NH |
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| Trails: |
Crawford Connector, Crawford Path, Mizpah Cutoff, Webster Cliff Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Saturday, August 10, 2019 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking at both Crawford Connector trailhead and the AT crossing on Route 302. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
No unbridged water crossings on this route. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
All trails were easy to follow, and no blowdowns that I remember. However, there was one disturbing thing that I noticed. At the junction of Crawford Path and Mizpah Cutoff, the sign pointing to Crawford Path said "Crawford Path (AT)". Except, of course, that the Crawford Path at that junction (below Mt. Pierce) isn't the AT - Webster Cliff Trail is. That sign could be very misleading to AT thru-hikers who took a wrong turn at the Webster Cliff junction just below Pierce - they might think that they're going in the right direction by descending Crawford Path, when they're actually not. I'm not sure who put up that sign (it didn't have any organization's name on it), but an inaccuracy as glaring as that should be fixed immediately. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a couple. Webster Cliff Trail, especially the section from Route 302 up to Webster, could be difficult for some dogs - they need to be comfortable on steep, wet, slippery rock. They shouldn't have any issues on the rest of the route. |
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| Bugs: |
Practically none. We both wore 30% DEET bug spray. |
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| Lost and Found: |
Nada. |
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| Comments: |
What a fun way to finish redlining Webster Cliff Trail! We spotted a car at the bottom of Webster Cliffs on Route 302 and then drove to Crawford Connector. Crawford Path and Mizpah Cutoff were straightforward, and Mizpah Hut had excellent apple pie. Along the ridge toward Jackson and Webster, the trail was rough in places with a few rock scrambles, but nothing too bad. We got some rain and hail in that section, which made the rocks wet and slippery. The climb down Webster Cliffs from Mt. Webster is an adventure - lots of steep rock scrambling, some of which is exposed, in the upper half of that section. That descent (or ascent) will take longer than you expect. As luck would have it, the weather was clear (albeit windy) during that section - it started to lightly rain again as soon as we got down into the deciduous trees. My knees still hurt from that descent. |
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| Name: |
GN |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-08-11 |
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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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