| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Monroe, Mt. Washington, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ammonoosuc Link, Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop, Trinity Heights Connector, Gulfside, Jewell Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 18, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at Cog hiker parking. $10 per person. There's a blue post with envelopes at the lot. Ammonoosuc Link trailhead is at the top of the Cog lot to the right behind the main building. |
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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: |
1. Near top of Ammonoosuc Ravine, one of the water crossing was a touch deep to rock hop. I stepped through and got half a wet foot. Not a big deal.
2. Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail very wet almost all the way Saturday morning. Some water crossings felt a bit awkward, many rocks were wet and a bit slick, but traction felt a bit better to me than I expected.
3. With the bridge out at the base of Jewell, next to the Cog, the river is was a bit awkward. Ending a 10 mile day, I chose to roll up my pants and wade through. The water was about 18-20" deep at the most. A slick-looking little log is set just above the trail. I saw two people successfully cross it. The log looked too slick for my tastes. Prepare according to your taste. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I lost the trail at the top of Jewell coming down the scree field. Not a big deal. Jewell has some fresh looking blowdowns on the lower section. A step over and a duck under. Also not a big deal. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw a few happy pups through the day. IMO this is a challenging loop for dogs. Rocks are plentiful and somewhat sharp. |
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 | Bugs: |
None of note. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Quite a day for my third Seek The Peak, my fourth hike to Mt. Washington. Ammonoosuc Ravine trail was very wet early Saturday. I see what is meant by preferring this trail when it hasn't rained for at least 24 hours. Saturday was my day, we went for it, as did many others. Trail was wet all the way to the open ledges near the top. It was a slog, but grip on the wet rocks felt a bit better than it looked. I felt this was slightly less steep than Lion Head summer route. Care needed in some spots, but I didn't feel overly exposed at any point. The Hut is a welcome sight at the top of this trail. Water is available outside the hut, and bathrooms are open inside. Face coverings needed to go inside the hut.
Mt. Monroe a very worthwhile and short side trip. #23/48 for me.
Crawford Path relatively easy to Mt. Washington from here. It's another slog, the rocks are endless, but it feels less intense than the scree field on the top of Tuckerman Ravine trail.
Summit very busy, even with buildings closed. Very long line for the summit sign. Not my favorite sight after hiking up there. Winds up to 50mph. That was fun.
Trinity Heights to Gulfside a nice way to leave the summit. Views into Great Gulf on the verge of epic. It felt longer to Jewell than expected.
The scree field at the top of Jewell not my favorite, but it's fine. A lot of time above treeline here. Care for sun & heat exposure. I was pleased to see more soil and less rocks on Jewell down in the trees. Very different than the east side of Mt. Washington. See water crossing notes for my wet feet at the end of Jewell.
These comments are too long. Thanks for reading this far. "Up Ammo & down Jewell" is common and well-liked, but understand this is not easy. It's not scary, but it's a great test of endurance. If you've got enough water, snacks, and sunscreen, you'll have a great day. |
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 | Name: |
Lord Bass |
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 | E-Mail: |
lordbass@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-07-19 |
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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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