| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Cape Horn, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Logging roads, bushwhack, herd path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, April 9, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked at the 1400ft contour line on Gaia at the north end of the HOL on Lost Nation Road in Groveton. There is an orange gate here and room for a couple of cars. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
N/A |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
They might struggle with the scramble around the cliffs. Also, I imagine there could be a lot of ticks here on the overgrown roads and powerline cut. |
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 | Bugs: |
Non |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
Day 160, Peak 146. Early start before 7am to avoid the rain.
I walked up the main road for not much more than 1/4mi, if that, then, rather than descending along the road to the powerlines, I saw an overgrown road I’m calling a Skidder road, continuing on my bearing to the NW. I decided to take that and it worked out well. It saves time, distance, and elevation being both more direct and not losing as much elevation as the main road does. Only one spot, near its start, where it’s totally overgrown. Most people seem to use the main road but I’d recommend keeping an eye out for this. It ascended gently, then descended gently to the powerline cut. Fiddled out at is it neared the powerlines and I whacked over to them. Lots of prickers in and around the powerline. From the powerlines, I bushwhacked a bit, then followed overgrown roads roughly along the SW ridge, with more prickers, up to 1950ft at the base of the cliffs. I spent a LOT of time looking for an opening in these cliffs. I felt really silly. I should have reviewed trip reports me just before attempting this. First, I whacked right (northeast) along them, finding nothing. One spot, where, I might’ve tried if I had someone with me but it was definitely too sketchy on a day like Friday with the wet rock. This was a few hundred feet from the clearing you’ll naturally come to along the road. I then whacked to my left (southwest) for at least a tenth of a mile. I found a spot I could get up, then a few options from there, but not safe enough without a partner and given current wet conditions. There was some old rope here as well. Back to the NE I go… I whacked further this time and, sure enough, just after I turned around last time, I found the spot that clearly most people go up. Unlike the other two spots I found which were places to scramble up the cliff, this was closer to an actual break in the cliff. Still very tricky to get up/down and becoming very eroded as this is clearly the way most people go but there’s a few options here. Once I scrambled up, I walked the ridge SW through some enchanting woods and something of a herd path to the highpoint. I signed in, checked out the view right next to it accessed via a herd path, and returned in my tracks.
It began to rain just as I returned to my car. The only snow was in some spots around the base of the cliffs. The hike was about 5mi with 1000ft of gain, taking me almost 4hrs. Could’ve easily shaved off at least a half hour if I’d have known where to look to scramble up. 205 more days and 219 more peaks to go… |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-04-11 |
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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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