| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Wild River Trail, Highwater Trail, road walk, Wheeler Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, July 12, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Room for two cars on shoulder of Route 2 at Wheeler Brook northern trailhead. Only one other Redliner’s car at Wild River lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easy rock hops on almost everything today and there were lots. There is a tributary on the north section of Highwater (north of shelburne intersection) that looked like it would require searching for iffy rock hop so I walked through it instead. Shin deep. Wheeler Brook is running pretty low and slow |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of fresh yellow blazes in the northern 5.3 mile section of Highwater (north of Shelburne intersection). Blowdowns everywhere on highwater and wheeler brook. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Would be a good dog route with the exception of a 5-minute section of Highwater between Moriah Brook and Shelburne where you traverse above some huge washouts on a sketchy side hill. You must walk inches from an ominous drop off that would have serious consequences if you or your dog slipped.
Thought I was gonna have to fight a dog today. Not the kind of dog you want to fight, either. If you have an aggressive breed that is potentially dangerous keep them under control, please. |
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 | Bugs: |
Tons today. Swarming black flies/gnats, biting deer flies, and a few mosquitoes. Head net was on 50% of the hike |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Finished redlining the Carter/Baldface and Speckled tabs today with this hike, which was selected due to sketchy forecast. Parked on route 2 and rode bike ~11 miles with 900’ gain to Wild River Campground. Wild River Trail is easy to follow and in good shape to Highwater Trail. Highwater from Wild River to Moriah Brook is easy to follow. Between Moriah Brook and Shelburne the trail is much harder to follow at times. I did this section a year ago so I flew through it today, but there are still two spots where the trail disappears. The first is right at the big blowdown at the top of a gully. There is a path 90 degrees to your right here, just to the right of the blowdown that goes steeply down towards the river. The trail disappears soon after, but if you stay close to river and bushwhack a few hundred feet through easy, flat woods you start to pickup the trail again. The second time the trail disappears it goes into head-high vegetation. Last year I gave up here and walked through the river for a hundred feet or so, but this time I thrashed straight through the green for a few short minutes and again found trail easily. After Shelburne the trail is freshly blazed and easy to follow. road walk up Larry Brook was boring except when I was aggressively harassed by a boxer/pit mix for well over a minute while his owner flailed around uselessly saying “she’s sweet”. I used to walk dogs for a living and never have I had such a sketchy encounter with an aggressive, potentially dangerous dog. I had to keep it at bay with my trekking poles as it lunged and growled. real fun stuff. Wheeler Brook is a real big, overgrown, boring PUD. a trail I can’t wait to never hike again! Only saw one other redliner all day on Highwater. Hiking route was ~ 19 miles. Never rained all day somehow. |
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 | Name: |
Spence |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-07-12 |
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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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