| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, Black Angel Trail, Moriah Brook Trail, Highwater Trail, Carter Dome Trail, Carter Moriah Trail, Stony Brook Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 15, 2023 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lots of space at 19MB and Stony Brook. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
On the route that I took I encountered these water crossings (in order):
19MB: None
Carter Dome: The main crossing was a rock hop and the second crossing (above it) was a rock hop with slightly submered rocks.
Black Angel: The little brook crossings were easy rock hops.
Highwater (from Black Angel to Moriah Brook): both crossings were slow-moving water that was knee deep. Easy to wade across.
Moriah Brook: I crossed Moriah Gorge about 100’ upstream from the sketchy spot. Knee deep wade. The second crossing was actually waist deep but slow moving water. The tributary crossing was super sketchy but possible by following a herd path upstream about 30’. The endless little brook crossings after that were rock hops.
Stony Brook: I avoided it via the bypass to the road.
|
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
19MB: one new blowdown between the dam and the CD junction. If it got delimbed it would be no problem at all.
Black Angel: minimal blowdowns and minimally grown in.
Highwater (between Black Angel and Moriah Brook): there are a few stepovers; there is one troublemaker that has a very well defined herd path around it.
Moriah Brook: between the Wild River and Moriah Gorge there are some blowdowns but nothing obstructing. Above that point there are a whole lot more blowdowns and large sections of trail that are very grown in. The very worst part is the stretch of degrading (and degraded) bog bridges just below Carter Moriah as this section is so grown in that it’s hard to see the trail.
Stony Brook: no major issue. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
|
|
 | Bugs: |
Absolutely terrible. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
This is why I am posting this. On 7/14 the USGS discharge rate for the Wild River was 300 cf/s. We took a car ride out to the Wild River Campground and walked out the Wild River Trail to see if we could find a safe-appearing crossing location for 7/15. Nope.
CD: wowza thank you to whoever went at the two massive blowdown sections (above the water crossings)!!! Hugs for you!!
Recent saw work is very evident. Thank you!
As opposed to other parts of the Highwater Trail, this section is easy to follow.
I needed to hike Black Angel (from Carter Moriah to the Wild River), Moriah Brook, Highwater between the two and the Spruce Brook tentsite spur, all for the Hiking the WMG project for which I am now at 98.8%!! The difficult but best plan would be a loop out of the Wild River Campground. However, we took a recon mission on the afternoon of 7/14 and determined that the Wild River crossing would not be safe for me personally.
So I went the hard way. Up 19MB, Carter Dome, Carter Moriah then down Black Angel. Then out to the Spruce Brook tentsite, then back and up to Moriah Brook. Then up Moriah Brook and down Stony Brook. In case you are wondering, according to Gaia it was 22.4 miles, 6565’ of gain. Would not recommend. :)
This section of Black Angel was nice and it was a good trail for a descent. Even with the endless rain, it was not excessively slippery and the small down-scrambles were easily manageable. I saw a trail runner coming up Black Angel when I was near the bottom. He told me that he had crossed the Wild River at the campground and that he had been up to his neck in water (he was about 6’ tall). Though I was already having an exhausting day, I felt good about my decision to go the lomg way and avoid the crossing.
This section of the Highwater Trail was easier to navigate than other sections and the relocations were well marked.
I saw a backpacker who had also crossed the Wild River at the campground and talked about swimming across.
Moriah Brook was not the most fun trail to hike. There are large sections of incredibly deep and unavoidable mud, both before and after the Gorge. The trail has been regularly brushed before the Gorge but not after. The trail washouts after the Gorge are quite confounding as to trail finding and I ended up bushwhacking a lot. Not my favorite thing to do. I was really happy to see the sign for the Carter Moriah Trail! The hike down Stony Brook was excellent as always - I really enjoy this trail.
|
|
 | Name: |
Bikecamphikegirl |
|
 | E-Mail: |
|
|
| Date Submitted: |
2023-07-16 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
