| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Paugus, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Bolles Trail, Old Paugus Trail, Lawrence Trail, Cabin Trail, Whiten Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, April 24, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot was almost full when we got there at 9:30. Cars were lined up down the road when we got back around 5. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
There are five notable crossings on this loop. If you don’t have waterproof footwear, your feet will get wet. The two crossings on the Whitten Brook trail (of Whitten Brook) weren’t too bad, though they required a bit of reconnoitering. The last crossing of Whitten Brook on the Old Paugus trail before it starts to climb is the trickiest. The old metal thing that people usually use as a “bridge†was underwater. We (who are both relatively short) had to go upstream a ways to find a place we could cross without getting too wet. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There is one significant blowdown right down the middle of the Old Paugus Trail before it hits the Whitten Brook and Big Rock Cave trails (so along the east part). From the ravine up to the Lawrence Trail, Old Paugus is in rough shape. In addition to a lot of blowdowns, fir saplings are encroaching on the trail enough to make it difficult to follow. In addition, there are a few spots before the Beeline where erosion is actually causing small sections of the trail to start to slide down the slope. Old Paugus definitely needs some attention.
On the Whitten Brook trail, just after it begins descending from the Cabin Trail, there are two major blowdowns that look fresh (like this week possibly). One is right down the middle of the trail. Both are quite large. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw two happy pups. |
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 | Bugs: |
Might have seen one or two. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Red hat thingy hanging from a tree on the Lawrence Trail but it was beyond my reach so it is still there... |
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 | Comments: |
Fantastic day to be out! Paugus is an under-appreciated gem. Trail was mostly dry with patches of mud until past the Beeline when we started to encounter a mix of conditions (this is around 2400 feet). There was no ice, but there were short stretches of spring snow, lengthy sections of standing and running water, and some slippery (though not icy) ledges. Along the Lawrence Trail until just before the switchbacks, there was actually a monorail for awhile, but it was unstable. Mostly dry from the switchbacks to the Cabin Trail where we encountered traces of the monorail again. We barebooted the entire thing and encountered very few other people (everyone did Chocorua, Whiteface, or Passaconaway). |
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 | Name: |
Ian D |
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 | E-Mail: |
iantdurham at gmail dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-04-24 |
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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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