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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Eastman Mountain, Eastman Mountain - Southeast Peak, Baldface Knob, NH
Trails
Trails: Baldface Circle Trail, Slippery Brook Trail, Eastman Mountain Trail, bushwhack, Baldface Knob Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, May 2, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty at the BCT trailhead if early. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: There are lots of them right now after the recent rains, but none were any issue. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: One trimmed duckunder on BCT about 1/3 of the way to Circle Junction. This stretch also has the corpse of a bog bridge which can probably be removed. SBT had several blowdowns of various sizes; one just below the ridge has also pulled up the trail with it. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: Not too bad until the descent, then the black flies were really a pain. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: On the whack to the SE peak of Eastman, I found two plastic rings with flagging attached. I guessed there were for marking a route up here. 
 
Comments
Comments: Part work hike, part play hike.

SBT is definitely the long, more gradual way up to the ridge. Mix of dry, wet, mud and running water.

EMT was generally dry. From the summit of Eastman, I bushwhacked to the SE peak, hoping to find traces of the old trail. I saw some faint corridors, but who knows -- they might just be animal paths. I did find some great open ledges with good views though and the high point of this bump has a cairn.

Returning to the saddle I made the short but very steep climb up to Baldface Knob, noting one of the new backcountry ski trails up here. Two others supposedly descend right from the top of the Knob (which seems nuts to me), but I didn't see any definitive markings or signage.

Weather was kind of all over the place -- sunny, cloudy, sunny, cloudy. Wind was stiff on the ridge making it chilly.  
Name
Name: KenM 
E-Mail
E-Mail: kmacgray@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-05-02 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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