| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Chocorua, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Paugus Road, Liberty Trail, Piper Trail, Champney Falls Trail, Bolles Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, March 27, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at Paugus Road a mile down from trailhead. 3 cars at 8am, 3 different cars at 515pm. Paugus road is not closed, but plowed snowbank prevents sedans. Truck and Jeep parked right at trailhead upon return. Chocorua Lake Road is not open through to trailhead. Use Fowlers Mill Rd. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Ice - Breakable Crust, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Slush, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Most crossings rock hopable. Couple crossings on Champney falls needed some upstream whacking to find narrower shallow crossing. Last water crossing on Bolles was running high, there is a tree down across the river upstream, I tried to walk across, but slipped off; since I was wet already walked across in boots the overrun rocks at the true trail crossing. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Liberty, Piper, and Champney all in good shape. Bolles didn't have a blaze I noticed for almost two miles from Kanc side south. Trail hard to follow at times as it crosses the river several times. Then after 2+ miles, snowmobile blazes, hiking blazes, actual bridges. Didn't think that first stretch is a wilderness area, but felt like it |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
As most others have noted, conditions are a mess. Little of everything, and great day to mash up your spikes and snowshoes, but both ended up being needed.
Hiked up, over, down, then around Chocorua for a fun 15 mile day in the warm temps. Mostly wanted to report on Bolles trail, as Liberty, Piper, and Champney are all packed out with various degrees of monorail structure. Liberty on the southern slope has very little snow, barely a monorail, top of Champney had solid monorail, until lower down you slipped off every Nth step and it crumbled underfoot.
Bolles trail had not been hiked in awhile. I followed one pair of barebook tracks for a mile before they made a wrong turn and turned around. There is the apparition of a monorail, but it does nothing but keep you on the trail. It collapsed with everystep even with snowshoes. Walking off the monorail was easier in spots but for the first two miles from Kanc trailhead in it is a slog.
After cresting what I am calling Bolles pass, you reach the highpoint of the trail and start heading down the southerly facing slope. This might as well be a completely different trail. Snow is almost totally gone, lots of bare ground, mud, some running water. Barebooted from here back to car no problem. Last water crossing on Bolles had to be forded as noted above. Less than half mile to trailhead and this is where I had to walk in the water. Downed tree upstream might work for some folks, but it is rotten and slippery and I took a spill, so at that point just walked across.
Can't wait for snow to melt and getting a few hikes in before the flies come out! |
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 | Name: |
jd |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-03-28 |
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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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