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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Meader, Eagle Crag, NH
Trails
Trails: Road walk, Mt. Meader Trail, Brickett Falls Spur, Meader Ridge Trail, Baldface Circle Trail, Bicknell Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, July 25, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The Baldface Circle Trail parking area was already overflowing at 8:15 AM, so we parked along Route 113 (plenty of roadside parking available). No one parked at Mt. Meader trailhead in the morning. When we got back at 4:40, there were several dozen cars parked along Route 113 (many of them were probably going just to Emerald Pool), and one car parked roadside at Mt. Meader trailhead. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Only significant ones were the ones right at the bottom of Bicknell Ridge Trail and on Baldface Circle Trail just above Circle Junction. Both were fairly straightforward rock hops. A few very easy minor crossings elsewhere. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: The beginning of Mt. Meader Trail is signed from the road. However, the WMG is very misleading about it: it says that the trail bears left at a fork 70 yards from Route 113, however in reality there is no fork, and the trail does not turn - the trail simply continues on the logging road. Just follow the logging road and stay straight at the intersections, and that's the trail. No issues following any other trails, though keep a careful eye on the cairns on the upper Bicknell Ridge Trail. Blowdowns weren't an issue, and all signs were in place. The section of Baldface Circle Trail between the lower junction with Bicknell Ridge and Circle Junction was very wet and muddy. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: If they're comfortable on steep rock slabs, they'd probably be OK. 
Bugs
Bugs: They were out, but not too bothersome. I wore 30% DEET bug spray. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nada. 
 
Comments
Comments: This was a beautiful and strenuous hike. We parked at the Baldface Circle trailhead and walked 0.6 miles up the road to the Mt. Meader trailhead - some nice views from the road. We spent a little bit of time at the beginning trying to find where Mt. Meader Trail diverged left at a fork, only to ultimately realize that the WMG was wrong and that the trail stays on the logging road. Brickett Falls was nice - it was unclear where the spur ended, but we went far enough to redline it. Mt. Meader Trail was gentle for a while, until the switchbacks began. At first they were gradual, but then they became much steeper - almost as if the trailmaker said "I'm tired of all the turns, let's just get to the to of the ridge already". Some nice views and some ledge scrambles before the junction at the top of the ridge.

Meader Ridge Trail was mostly gentle, but it had a VERY large number of PUDs (pointless ups and downs). It was also difficult to see or determine how far we had gone or had to go, making it somewhat frustrating at times. In addition, it was a hot day and we realized that we hadn't brought enough water (we brought 3 liters each - I'd recommend 4 per person for this loop). We were very glad when we popped out of the trees onto Eagle Crag, which had amazing views in most directions. We had lunch there, and then followed Baldface Circle Trail to the junction with Bicknell Ridge Trail.

The descent on Bicknell Ridge Trail was really a tale of two trails. The upper half of the trail is very rough, and consistently so, and also quite steep in parts. We buttslid down some of the steeper rock ledges (my hiking partner tore her pants on one of them). It took us at least an hour to reach the junction with Eagle Cascade Link (though a mollifying factor was that the views were amazing, particularly of the South Baldface ledges across the ravine). Then, a couple tenths below that junction, the trail moved somewhat abruptly into a mostly deciduous forest, and almost immediately the footing improved dramatically. The remainder of Bicknell Ridge Trail was a nice easy, smooth walk through the woods. We decided to skip Emerald Pool since we were both tired and it looked like there would be a lot of people there. Indeed, on the final walk out on Baldface Circle Trail, we passed several groups of people who looked like they were going to Emerald Pool.

Until we got back to Baldface Circle Trail near the end, we saw only a few groups the whole day. Weather was partly cloudy, warm, and humid, and the views were amazing.  
Name
Name: GN 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-07-27 
Link
Link: https:// 
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