| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Chocorua, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Brook Trail, Liberty Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 17, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking. Easy, open trailhead. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Wet/Sticky, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Water crossings were easy. Water was high, yet no issues with stable footing. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Multiple blow downs, maybe 5 are larger trees that had to be scooted under or over, all around 2000' in elevation. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a dog on the summit that was very happy, yet knackered. |
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 | Bugs: |
Bugs were moderate-to-bad at the trailhead. The biting black flies are coming out in the valley. No bugs much above 2000'. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
There is a lone black microspike hanging from a tree at 2500' on the Brook Trail. |
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 | Comments: |
Up Brook Trail, Down Liberty Trail
Overall, this was a really enjoyable hike. The brook trail meanders along a fast flowing brook. The lower half involved plenty of up-and-down over pine needs and soft dirt. Lots of little waterfalls and other scenery. At around 2200', the trail crosses a birch glade and multiple small streams before beginning a rapid 600' ascent on eroding stone staircase. There was one 100' section of easily avoidable blue ice. We liked how it climbed steeply, and then leveled off for a bit before going up again. The final section of this ascent is along a somewhat exposed, diamond-shaped slab. Route finding was difficult here. It took us 15 minutes of scouting to find the faded yellow blazes. My advice is to go right up the middle of the slab. We finally saw a lone hiker way up on the slab and realized we were on the trail! And that was with using the AllTrails app, map and compass, and a Garmin Oregon 650 GPS. Clearly, this doesn't get hiked all that often. Lots of cobwebs and few footprints. Very pleased with folks respectfully maintaining social distance on the summit. What a view. Wow. At around 2800' on the Liberty Trail there is muddy, hard monorail. I think that it's going to be there for some time. It's gritty and has good walking on it, but it may be June before it is gone. There is a genuine mud bog at around 1800' on the Liberty Trail. The lower parts are easy walking on a dry, grated, old logging road. Highly recommend this hike. We clocked this hike at 2775' of vertical over 7.7 miles completed in 5 hours and 12 minutes. |
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 | Name: |
Daniel Picante |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-05-18 |
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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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