| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
West Tecumseh, Mt. Tecumseh, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mt. Tecumseh Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 4, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Tripoli Road from I-93 was in good condition, however there were literally dozens of vehicles parked along it at the camping areas, which made it effectively a one-lane road for some sections. I took the 2nd-to-last spot when I arrived at the trailhead parking area at 8:40. When we got back just after 2:30, there was only one other vehicle left in the parking lot. However, there were several vehicles parked along the access road to the parking lot as well as along Tripoli Rd. I decided to drive home using the other side of Tripoli Road, toward Waterville Valley. Two things of note on that stretch: 1) The line of cars parked along the road for the Osceola trailhead was absolutely enormous - Tripoli Road was a one-lane road for at least a half-mile. 2) Past the Osceola trailhead, the road was paved in spots, but there are some very large and deep potholes in that stretch that require very slow driving to avoid. It reminded me of Zealand Road last year. The stretches of that section that were gravel were in better condition. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Just the two at the beginning, which were easy rock hops. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail is in very good condition, with no blowdowns, and the lower half of the trail has surprisingly good footing for a trail that leads to a 4000-footer. A few very small areas with some mud, but mud was not an issue at all. The trail sign at the summit is somewhat misleading - if you didn't know where the trail from the ski area reaches the summit, you could easily go down the trail to Tripoli Road thinking it led to the ski area. A second sign would be helpful. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a few. In drier weather, there would probably be very little water on this trail after it leaves the brook at the bottom. |
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 | Bugs: |
They were out, but not really bothersome. We both wore bug spray with DEET. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nada. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Dacomp5 summed it up well in their report (we probably saw them without realizing they were also an NETC contributor). The lower half of the trail was straight, had good footing and was very hot and humid in the morning. Once we made the left turn in the saddle at about 3,000 ft., it got a little cooler. Many of the rocks were quite slippery on the way up, requiring caution on some of the steeper sections. The viewpoint at the end of the spur path off one of the false summit knobs is practically gone - trees are growing up and blocking it. There were at least 20 people at the summit when we got there. Many of them had come up from the ski area. Most of the groups at the summit were trying to social distance (1 or 2 weren't), but the summit area isn't that large, so it was difficult. A few people donned masks. We might have stayed longer at the summit if it hadn't been so crowded. The rocks on the trail below the false summit were drier on the way down.
Thanks Diane for having this idea - it was an excellent one! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-07-04 |
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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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