| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Moosilauke, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Beaver Brook Trail, Benton Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 31, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty at 10 am late start |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
the few rock hops at the start of the trail were non-issues |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
great shape with boughs showing recent trimming back of the brush in sections of Beaver Brook Tr after the Asquam Ridge Trail junction - thank you. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
did not see any on Beaver Brook. Echoing the Wed 7/27 poster, the wood steps hammered into the steep inclines don't lend themselves to dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
surprisingly minimal and not biting |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Wow was this a hard trail - but a must-do to truly experience Moosilauke. The two parents in this foursome recognize we are not in our 20's, and even though our twin sons are, autism challenges one guy's motor planning, which made us insanely slow on the initial steeps to the 1.5 mi to the Beaver Brook shelter. On descent the kiddos thought the steeps were fun and raced down. Me, I knew it was Sunday, the day for prayers. As in:
"Dear Lord, make me an instrument of deep knee flexion. Where there is bone-on-bone creaking, let me bring flexibility. Where there is greasy rock across which my treaded boot slides, let me landeth not on my arse. Where there is injury, let me tough it out and not require an airlift. Let me not covet those young'uns who keep passing me like this is nothing. If it be Thy will, just deliverith me to the car."
But, we made it. In our previous 3 attempts I'd marvel at hikers trekking south to the summit from the Benton trail, seemingly emerging from the horizon across an endless expanse of sky. This day, we were one of them. We, with all our challenges. So what that haze grew a bit at the summit from when we began? Each successive ridgeline behind the other was a story to be told, a journey still ongoing, and a promise of endless joy, no matter the sweat it took to summit.
Other random notes: 1) missed the side herd path to Mt. Blue mentioned on the previous Wed 7/27 post; 2) the 0.5 or so after the Asquam Ridge Tr. junction had some ankle-twisters I could have done without but thankfully the drought made them super-dry and manageable; 3) props to the lady with the two dogs who ascended Tunnel Brook - made me note Steve Smith's blog post about Benton via Tunnel Brook being his favorite, something to save for next time.
Special shout-out to NOBOs Last Call and Sparkle, eagerly chasing the Hundred Mile Wilderness after resting up at the Beaver Brook shelter. They said AT thru-hikers view the first 12 states as just a warmup for NH and Maine, where it gets real, real fast. May your journey bring you the vast skies of happiness that you earned. |
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 | Name: |
TwinMom+1 |
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 | E-Mail: |
mk@mkmarinac.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-08-02 |
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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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