| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Skiway Trail (Dorchester Road AT Section) |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, October 31, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Dorchester Road has a few small potholes but is otherwise in pretty good condition. The Lambert Ridge trailhead parking area had some large puddles. According to the WMG, hikers planning to start their hike from the AT crossing at the junction of Dorchester Road and Grafton Turnpike should use designated parking at the Dartmouth Skiway, which is very close by. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Many usually tiny streams were flowing much more strongly today, but most of them were still fairly easy. The only difficult one was the brook crossing at the overhanging ledge - the water was deep and the current was flowing very strongly. Crossing it was not possible there, so I bushwhacked a bit upstream until I reached a big old tree trunk that had fallen across the stream. It was wet and mossy, but with major care and caution I was able to walk across on it. Grant Brook was absolutely raging - luckily the AT crosses it on Dorchester Road right at the Lambert Ridge trailhead. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail was extremely wet, with lots of standing and running water and considerable mud. I couldn't tell how much of that is always there and how much was just from the heavy rainfall last night. Both ends of the trail are signed, and there were a couple blowdowns but nothing difficult to get past. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
If they like to get wet and to play in mud, they'd have done just fine today. No issues on this section of trail. |
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 | Bugs: |
None. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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|
 | Comments: |
First of all, this section of the AT is signed at both ends as Skiway Trail, so I'm not sure why the WMG and Redlining Spreadsheet don't call it that. Sure, Skiway Trail isn't the most imaginative name, but it's a lot better than "Dorchester Road AT Section".
As one might expect, this section of the AT was very wet, with a lot of standing and running water, and had large muddy areas as well. Plenty of brook crossings that aren't usually there. One spot had a large stream of water running down the trail for about 50 yds - I tried to build a rudimentary dam out of tree branches and fallen leaves in order to reroute this water off the trail, and I think my rudimentary dam got about 2/3 of the water rerouted. Something more permanent should probably be done here so that the next heavy rainfall doesn't send water rushing down the trail again.
Speaking of more permanent things, the water crossing at the overhanging ledge looked like it might have been difficult even in normal water conditions - one of the only rocks available to be stepped on had about 6 inches of swiftly running water over it today, and I wasn't sure if it would be uncovered even in normal conditions. Maybe some work could be done here.
On the plus side, this section of the AT is nice and easy with flat to gradual grades most of the way, and was well blazed and easy to follow even with all the fallen leaves. Since I didn't want to do that difficult river crossing a second time, I walked Dorchester Road back to the start of the trail - nice and easy.
I look forward to coming back to this area to hike Lambert Ridge and Ranger trails and Holts Ledge! |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-10-31 |
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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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