| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Moosilauke, NH |
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 | Trails: |
FR 171, FR 170, Benton Trail, Beaver Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, June 30, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked at the gated start of FR 171 off Tunnel Brook Rd. There's room here for a few cars without blocking the gate. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
I used the forest roads to bypass the crossing of Tunnel Brook. Another hiker said they crossed it with no issues but it also sounded like they needed water shoes to do so. I went down to check it out and it would have required minor wading. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The forest roads were fine. Lots of erosion up and down Benton. A couple stretches of trail in the upper section were running streams. The lower and upper sections could use some brushing. Just above the FR 170 junction is a large birch that will take some work. Higher up past the outlook are a few smaller blowdowns. Beaver Brook was fine but the scree walls could use some more defining. Despite the presence of summit stewards today, I had to ask one person to get off the vegetation. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Hardly any in the woods but black flies were bitey on the summit. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was another hike where I was "rediscovering" a trail I hadn't done in several years.
Needless to say there was plenty of water, mud, and slippery rocks to be found. Benton doesn't see the high volume of foot traffic that the other Moosilauke trails see, so the rocks are mossy and can be extra slick. Conditions were typical after weeks of rain.
The summit was magical as clouds drifted by and peeks of sun appeared and disappeared. The stewards were chatting up folks which was good to see; hope this continues.
What made this hike tough, for me anyway, was the brutal humidity. Fortunately that was canceled out by the beauty of Benton Trail. 15/10, would hike again. |
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 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-06-30 |
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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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