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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Shelburne Moriah Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Shelburne Trail, Kenduskeag Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The technical access point is off Connor Rd which is a dirt road off US 2 just past the Maine/New Hampshire border. There is a large tree that has fallen into this road just past the entrance off Route 2. I elected to park in the nice wide area at the turn off and walk the 0.9 miles to the trailhead. However, you can access the road from another point. If coming from Maine, turn left onto the small road just before Connor Rd. Immediately turn right and follow this snowmobile trail (wide, bridge intact) to the junction with Connor Rd. At the intersection, turn left onto Connor Rd. After the tree the road is an excellent gravel road passable by any vehicle. The parking lot can hold 7-10 cars. There is a gate here and a kiosk. Past the gate the road is open to foot and bicycle traffic in the warmer months. In winter it serves as a snowmobile trail and the gate is opened for that purpose. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Wet/Sticky 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All small brooks. The crossing of East Brook on the Shelburne is easily accomplished with rocks. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Several blowdowns on Shelburne. Only one had to be hiked around. The rest were step overs. See note about road below. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Great trails for dogs. In warmer months the grassy road may harbor loads of ticks. 
Bugs
Bugs: Ha! Nope! 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: There was a pair of glasses on a tree somewhere in the first two miles of the Shelburne trail. Either I blew past them or they fell off the tree because I could not locate them on the way back to take them to the kiosk. 
 
Comments
Comments: Route:
Shelburne trail (northern portion) > Kenduskeag Trail > back the way I came.

Shelburne trail: the yellow blazing is so infrequent and so faded that I classify this as an unblazed trail. There are intact, legible signs for the trail as well as arrows indicating where to turn off the old woods road into the woods. Footbed simple to follow. Lovely cascades. Very nice walk in the woods.

Kenduskeag: 4 very faded, very sparsely placed blue blazes. I would also classify this as unblazed. Footbed considerably more narrow but discernible. One small ladder just before cresting the knob on the shoulder of a Shelburne Moriah.

Heavy snowfall on the summit this morning. What started as a dusting down low developed into a solid 2 inches higher up, with large flakes falling quickly. Upon the return an inch of lovely “scrinchy” snow had been added to the trail and covered the trail down low about an inch deep. Microspikes were a game changer. Due to the cold temps in the morning, I had to contend with a great deal of ice. On the way back the heavy, wet snow created significant traction but would send you sliding over hidden ice patches. I put on my spikes soon after the junction with the Shelburne and Kenduskeag and didn’t take them off until I got back to this same spot. Not enough snow for snowshoes, unfortunately. The old woods road and gravel access roads were snow free.

Alas, still no view to be obtained for this peak. I hadn’t been here in about two years. Forgot how pretty these trails are and how unlikely to one would run into other people. I was alone all day, scrunching and scrintching along in the fresh snow. Love it!  
Name
Name: Remington34 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-11-17 
Link
Link: https:// 
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