| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Willey, Mt. Field, Mt. Tom, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ethan Pond Trail, Willey Range Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur, Zealand Trail, Thoreau Falls Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, September 12, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Willey Station is a fee lot. Road to parking is newly re-paved. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No significant water crossings except North Fork that is spanned by a bridge. Many of the minor brooks on A-Z were dried out. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There are some eroded spots with the most significant on the south side of Mt Willey on the Willey Range Trail. Side trails have been created to avoid the worst gouged out section of the Willey Range Trail.
One large hardwood (1.5-2' diameter) tree across the Ethan Pond Trail downhill from the junction with the Kedron Flume Trail is a straddle over. One tree across the Willey Range Trail above the stairs at the edge of a blow down area is an easy walk over. One tree blocking A-Z trail is an easy walk around and another is an easy walk over.
Small stretches of the A-Z and Ethan Pond trails are slightly narrowed by encroaching underbrush but the pathway is always visible. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw many dogs. Dogs must be comfortable on wood staircase on the Willey Range Trail on south side of Mt Willey. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The hike featured the three 4K peaks of the Willey Range, a nice woods walk on the A-Z, the Zealand Ponds, Zealand Notch, Thoreau Falls, and Ethan Pond.
The water level in the pond below Zealand Falls hut is extremely low with mud flats. Thoreau Falls was not as spectacular at the low water levels but it is still a nice spot to eat on the ledges. The crossing at Thoreau Falls is easy at this time. The talus slopes of Whitewall Mountain on the Ethan Pond Trail are quite a site. Fall leaf color just starting on some maples and hobblebush but still mostly green foliage.
There were a lot of hikers from Mt Willey to Mt Tom and on Zealand Trail and Ethan Pond Trail near Zealand Falls hut. All other trail sections had less foot traffic.
Met one southbound AT hiker (DABS) who I had met on 8/3 on North Tripyramid when he was was in a group from NY. Also saw three hikers on the Ethan Pond Trail who I had met earlier in the day on the Willey Range Trail. |
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 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
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 | E-Mail: |
waumbek@roadrunner.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-09-13 |
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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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