| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Round Pond, Heator Mountain, Suncook Mountain, Belknap Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Carriage Road, White Trail, Round Pond-Piper Link, bushwhacks, Boulder Trail, East Gilford Trail, Green Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, June 19, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
A quiet day at the upper Carriage Road lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Several blowdowns scattered along the length of Round Pond-Piper Link. The section of this trail between Suncook Mtn. and Round Pond Trail is also getting a bit brushy in places. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
The flying ones were not too bad today. I did pick up several ticks though. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Overall, all of these trails were wet with some mud, but nothing unexpected given the recent weather.
I first went out to the pond where I only saw a few people; the only folks I would see all day. Nice to meet Steve and Stormy out there. They reported seeing a bear on Round Pond Trail on the way in.
From the Round Pond-Piper/Round Pond split I did the short easy bushwhack up to Heator. There's a newer register that indicates this peak is now on the unofficial (?) NH 1,000 Highest list.
Returning to Round Pond-Piper Link, I bushwhacked from the height-of-land to the summit of Suncook. No register, but the old sign is still there. I descended by following the flagged herd path, losing it twice briefly. If you're following the flagging up, don't expect a clear route.
Instead of backtracking all the way on Round Pond-Piper Link, I took the sporty approach up to the summit of Belknap via Boulder Trail. There were some wet areas but fortunately the talus field was dry. With the closure of Valley View Trail several years ago, Boulder Trail is probably the most rugged route in the range. The ledges above the talus field had both dry and wet areas, so footing took a little care.
From the summit of Belknap, it was an easy walk down Green Trail back to the parking. I skipped the fire tower today.
Skies remained overcast and it never rained, but the humidity was tough on the breathing. |
|
 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-06-19 |
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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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