| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Willey, Mt. Field, Mt. Tom, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Ethan Pond Trail, Willey Range Trail, A-Z Trail, Mt. Tom Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, October 12, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Willey House Station parking is a fee lot ($5) in Crawford Notch State Park. The access road is nicely paved. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No major crossings. All minor crossings were easy. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The stairs on the Willey Range Trail on the south face of Mt Willey are progressively deteriorating. Many steps are missing. On one section, three consecutive steps are missing that necessitates using the adjacent ledge rather than the steps. Much of the intact steps are worn from weathering but are still solid.
There are eroded areas on other steep sections of the Willey Range Trail on the south side of Mt Willey as well as a small section on the south side of Mt Field. In some spots workaround side paths have been used to avoid the worst of the eroded trail.
There are the tips of three small evergreens extending in to the Willey Range Trail between Mt Willey and Mt Field. This obstruction is easy to get by.
A couple of birches are down on the Ethan Pond Trail by the junction with the Arethusa-Ripley Falls Trail, Easy to get around.
There are two leaners on the Mt Tom Spur that causes no problems at this time but may be a problem with a snowpack.
The Ethan Pond Trail near the railroad crossing has been improved with a small relocation. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
The steep south slope of Mt Willey may be difficult for some dogs that are not comfortable walking up stairways or on loose rock surfaces. However, I have seen many dogs successfully using this trail. None today. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Hiked from Willey House Station to Mt Tom and back. Lots of elevation gain.
As noted above, the hike up the Willey Range Trail to Mt Willey from Ethan Pond Trail is steep with rough footing. There may be loose rocks and roots beneath the leaf cover in the deciduous forest on Ethan Pond Trail and the lower section of the Willey Range Trail. These conditions pose a fall hazard. The ledges on the Willey Range Trail were mostly dry today. The Willey Range Trail from Mt Field to the A-Z Trail has a steady moderate grade with good footing.
The best views are from the Mt Willey outlook (sign facing southward). The outlook is just south of the summit (cairn). All three summits are marked by cairns.
Many hikers on the trail today. |
|
 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
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 | E-Mail: |
waumbek@roadrunner.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-10-12 |
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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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