| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Beede Falls, Cow Cave, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Bearcamp River Trail, herd paths |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, December 15, 2019 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Only one other car in the lot when I arrived around 3pm. It was leaving around when I was at 4pm. The far end of the lot was rutted and muddy. I’d avoid it without 4WD. The road in was just a little soft/wet leading to some loss of steering control in a FWD vehicle but it should be passable by any car. Coming from my hike at the Mt Percival trailhead I tried taking Dinsmore Pond Rd and that was not doable. It was significantly wetter than other roads in the area and is also much steeper. I couldn’t get up one hill and it looked like others had struggled as well. One van at the Sandwich Notch end. Room for about half a dozen. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Thanks for the new(ish) bridge right before the upper Falls (if starting from Mead Base) there aren’t any unbridged crossings! This wouldn’t have been doable today without a deep wade otherwise. The spur path to the lower falls that the guidebook mentions would appear to bo longer be a spur exactly; although the blazing stops after what I assume is 125yds as the book described, there’s a well worn path that continues onwards. I followed it for quite a ways before turning around although it seemed to continue on indefinitely. Once I reached the trails end at Sandwich Notch Road, I noticed fhere was a blue blazed trail leading to the lower falls from here. Thinking that his must be where the other path ends I followed it until the trail had me crossing the river (blaze on the other side). Didn’t feel like getting swept away to my death so I turned around but I have to imagine that these blue blazed trails to the lower falls eventually connect even if unblazed for a bit. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail was well blazed in yellow and clear of any blowdowns as far as I can remember. The spur trail was blazed in blue. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Should be a fun hike to do with a dog. I’d be very cautious with them near the falls on a day like yesterday when they were really raging though. The river would easily sweep them (or you) away!! |
|
 | Bugs: |
None |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
None |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Beede Falls (Upper and Lower Falls), Cow Cave
Decided to do this little redline after finishing the Crawford-Ridgepole Trail yesterday. This was a very short, easy, and enjoyable hike. Hardly any snow or ice and less wet than the other trails I’d been on that day and he day before.
The spur path to the lower falls that the guidebook mentions would appear to bo longer be a spur exactly; although the blazing stops after what I assume is 125yds as the book described, there’s a well worn path that continues onwards. I followed it for quite a ways before turning around although it seemed to continue on indefinitely. Once I reached the trails end at Sandwich Notch Road, I noticed fhere was a blue blazed trail leading to the lower falls from here. Thinking that his must be where the other path ends I followed it until the trail had me crossing the river (blaze on the other side). Didn’t feel like getting swept away to my death so I turned around but I have to imagine that these blue blazed trails to the lower falls eventually connect even if unblazed for a bit.
If you follow the fencing past the upper falls you’ll cross another little bridge and be dumped into nothingness besides a steep hill/cliff in front of you. I didn’t see a trail but couldn’t imagine they’d put a bridge there for no reason so I scrambled up the ledge. Sure enough there was a herd path I followed that paralleled the river high above it with cool views down to it. A few spots where you had to exercise caution but nothing too sketchy. I followed it for a tenth or two of a mile before turning around but the herd path continued. I urned around as it neared away from the river. I went around the cliffs part to my right to get back to the bridge (after the bridge, go left around the scramble). |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2019-12-16 |
|
 | 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. |
|
