| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Signal Ridge Trail, Carrigain Notch Trail, Wilderness Trail, Cedar Brook Trail, Hancock Notch Trail, Sawyer River Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Sawyer River is a gravel road that is passable by any vehicle. The parking area at the Signal Ridge trailhead is large. Probably holds 30 cars. There is another sizeable lot 2 miles further up for the Sawyer River Trail and Sawyer Pond trailheads. Looks to be able to hold 15 well parked cars. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All water levels low. Able to cross all larger brooks/streams/rivers using exposed rocks. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Much work had been done on removing the plethora of blowdowns on all trails. Thanks! The first half of Hancock Notch (after leaving junction with Cedar Brook) could use updated blazes and general trail cleaning along with water bars to deal with the lakes of mud. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Great trails for dogs. Lots of water points. |
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 | Bugs: |
A few. They wait until I’m crossing some fast water to bite my neck and get in my eyes. Punks. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Green poncho hanging on trail sign for Hancock Notch Trail at the junction of Hancock Notch and Sawyer River trails. |
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 | Comments: |
This was a 25 mile redlining spree through some awesome terrain. Route:
Signal Ridge Trail > Carrigain Notch Trail > Wilderness Trail > Cedar Brook Trail > Hancock Notch Trail > Sawyer River Trail > roadwalk on Sawyer River Rd.
Signal Ridge: well worn. Simple to follow. Initially blazed in yellow blazes that stop about 0.25 miles in. The re-route is blazed in yellow. Clear sign at junction.
Carrigain Notch: no blazes. Footpath easily discerned. Lovely footbed. Some rough sections but these don’t hardly slow one down. I had to climb a bit to get over the saddle between Vose Spur and Mount Lowell but then the trail turned super mellow and I tore up some miles. Junction signs are up and in great condition.
Wilderness Trail: no blazes. Footpath simple to follow. Mostly flat and fast to traverse (it’s an old railroad bed). This is a very nice trail. I could definitely see this trail as a great candidate for cross country skiing. It’s that gentle.
Cedar Brook: did I see blazes? I can’t remember but I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure there were no blazes... though the blowdowns had been aggressively attacked, there were more waiting. This trail is rougher than the two above with lots of rocks and water. Kinda reminds me of Rocky Branch but with less pointy rocks. I mostly descended this trail. Some sections were surprisingly steep given the terrain I was on.
Hancock Notch: wow. Uh... this was the roughest trail of all. No wonder only redliners tackle it. Ok so, the 2 to 2.5 miles after the junction with Cedar Brook are the roughest and most confusing. It reminded me of the Mahoosuc Notch but much smaller boulders. It’s really messy (lots of branch debris) and mossy making the footbed more difficult to find. Though the blowdowns had been dispatched of, its still kind of a mess. There are some very faded yellow blazes sprinkled along this part of the trail. There are vats of mud everywhere. Twice I had to figure out how to negotiate mud lakes. I got sucked up to my shin after a misstep over a mud pit. The footing is awful.
But then BAM! The last half has fresh yellow blazing in critical areas. This being water crossings or confusing areas. Really well done blazing and carins. But the blazing is still sparse. The footing is so much improved over the last half I thought I was on a different trail altogether. End state, this is a more difficult trail to follow and I discourage novices from attempting it early in the season. Gaia did help a lot when I was tired and trying to figure out which brook I was supposed to walk down...
Sawyer River: no blazes but simple to follow. All signs are up and clear. Honestly, I was so tired by this point I didn’t pay much attention to it... Apparently I didn’t have to think and could let my feet follow the trail on their own.
Roadwalk: it is what it is. I jogged most of it.
This loop, that I dub “The Other Pemi,†is long but really not that bad. There are not large elevation gains/losses, and a substantial amount follows the gentle grade of the old railroad beds. And because these trails are less used, the footbed is softer. I’ve felt worse doing trails a fraction as long... |
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-09-01 |
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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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