| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Cabot, The Bulge, The Horn, NH |
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 | Trails: |
York Pond Trail, Bunnell Notch Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Horn Spur, Unknown Pond Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, June 24, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Gate was open at 6:40am. I was the second car in the small York Pond Trail lot, and there were three cars at 1:30pm. Zero cars in the Unknown Pond lot when I walked through. |
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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: |
No issues with the crossings on Bunnell Notch and Unknown Pond |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Bunnell Notch: no blowdowns, but there are stretches down low that are getting overgrown, and some waterbars and drainages that are clogged.
Kilkenny Ridge: good from Bunnell Notch to the Mt Cabot summit. It's a huge mess from Mt. Cabot to Unknown Pond, especially on the northern exposures (the descent from Cabot toward the Bulge, and the descent from the Bulge toward the Horn). There are probably three dozen problematic blowdowns that are causing trail widening due to bootleg detours and, in one case near the summit of Cabot, creating navigational confusion. I took out four blowdowns, but there are many more.
Unknown Pond south: very brushy in spots, and it also has a number of spots that seem to be perma-muddy and could use more stepping stones so that people stop creating bootleg detours. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Somewhat annoying down low, but I put on bug spray and kept it moving. The breeze up high helped. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Got an early start to beat the heat on the ascent and one pair of hikers had the same idea. After parting ways with them at the parking lot, I had the trails entirely to myself. |
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 | Name: |
JDH |
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 | E-Mail: |
jdhill08@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-06-24 |
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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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