| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Belknap Mountain, Gunstock Mountain , NH |
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 | Trails: |
Warden’s Trail, Blue Trail, Saddle Trail, unnamed trail, Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, October 25, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked in the large parking area at the top of Carriage Rd. This road is paved to start, then becomes dirt. It is covered with leaves and has some sharp turns with surprisingly large bumps in them. 2WD can do it but may struggle a little. Low clearance cars made it to the top but I imagine they did so very cautiously. Only a few cars when I arrived at 3pm. Room for a couple dozen probably. Note that they close the gate at the bottom at 6pm every day and it will take you a few to carefully get back down to the gate. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easily rock hopable |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Warden’s Trail, also called Green Trail, is blazed in lime green. No blowdowns but you’ll actually need to pay attention to the blazes as the trail crosses back and forth between ledge and the powerlines several times. I found it a bit awkward. No blazes on Blue, Saddle, or Brook Trail that I recall either. Blue Trail is blazed in Blue, Sadlle Trail is blazed in white, and Brook Trail is blazed in yellow. While I thought it was named with a sign, I can’t find a name in the guidebook or Gaia for the short trail that begins at the jct of Brook Trail and Saddle Trail and ends a few hundred feet to the west along Brook Trail. It’s shown but unnamed on Gaia. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
Day 359, Peaks 358 & 359. 2nd hike of the day after White Ledge Loop in Albany. No rain but the trails were very wet, though not terribly muddy, and the summits were in cloud. I’d been to Belknap once many years ago as a kid so I figured this would be a good one to redo for the 365. Might as well get Gunstock and Piper again too though I did those just a couple years ago.
Though Warden’s Trail does still go over some slick rock, or avoids the ledge/powerline cut in large part and zigs-zags from one side to the other. Pay close attention to the blazes. It would be easy to lose the trail and go straight up the powerlines. I climbed the tower which was very steep. The top is locked. The highpoint is right next to the tower. I then descended the Blue Trail to the col to Gunstock which was pleasant. I followed Saddle Ttail to where it meets Brook Trail. I believe this is where there’s a picnic table which I got a kick out of. From here I followed the unnamed trail on Gaia until it rejoins Brook Trail not far from the summit of Gunstock. The highpoint is right next to the ski lift. I headed back down to the col, then took the Blue Trail back to the parking area.
Gaia had me at 2.75mi with 900ft of gain. Took me 1.25hrs to complete. 6 more days and 6 more peaks to go… |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-10-27 |
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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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