| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Flat Mountain (South), NH |
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 | Trails: |
Bennett Street Trail, Flat Mountain Pond Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, June 20, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossing Pond brook was straightforward, but could be nasty if water levels were higher. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A small USFS team was out today doing maintenance. The maintained trails were generally in lovely shape. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Champ and Tucker had a blast |
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 | Bugs: |
not too bad, but I'm sure the winds helped keep them at bay |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Started from the Bennett St trailhead, heading to the shelter clockwise on the loop (which gave me a good chance to scout out Pond Brook). Recalling a gnarly bog to cross at the tip of the hairpin turn, I elected to take a direct route and bushwhack from about 2050 to 2230 of Flat Mountain Pond Trail, which was steep, but good woods and footing and definitely saved time. Went to the shelter from there and then crossed the pond outlet on the old bridge remnants before starting my whack towards the peak.
The whack from the shelter to the summit was unremarkable. Pretty good woods and never too steep. I got pretty soaked from wet ferns though from on and off rain. Took about 35 mins to reach the summit(s). The northeast bump (wooded) had a quartz rock on top of a boulder, seemingly marking the summit, but no trace of a register. From there I ventured to the southeast bump, which was a vaguely open summit, in a fern/pricker field, stood on the obvious boulder highpoint (again no register).
From here, I planned to try to follow the SW ridge back down to the Pond Brook falls area. After some initial dense stuff getting off the summit, I found myself in a lovely, open & steep fern glade (I suspect this area would be lovely in winter). I followed it down and into good woods, but eventually hit some hobblebush patches that pushed me further north than I planned. Once passed the worst of the hobblebush, I contoured to get back on the ridge and pointed to the upper falls, but over-corrected and ended up on the eastern side of the col around 1650. No problem, traversed the col to the west, then a short but wicked steep descent to the Lower Falls. Easy enough to cross the brook here, then a short jaunt back to the car.
Would certainly take this route again, minus the over-correcting - took 3hrs even. |
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 | Name: |
Big Al Dente |
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 | E-Mail: |
bigaldentenh@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-06-21 |
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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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