| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Rogers Ledge, The Horn, Mt. Cabot, Terrace Mountain, Mount Weeks, South Weeks Mountain, Mount Waumbek, Mount Starr King, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Devils Hopyard, Unknown Pond Campsite, Bunnell Notch Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail, Terrace Mountain Spur, Kilkenney Ridge Trail, Starr King Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, July 14, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
South Pond gate does not open until 10am. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Kilkenny Ridge Traverse - the only issues we faced were some dicey remnants of bog bridges that you need to traverse in the pond section between Rogers Ledge Campsite and Unknown Pond. A few unsteady logs and a couple of spots requiring jumps to get across. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Section that need brushing/clearing - Between Rogers ledge campsite and the high point of Unknown Pond summit - lots of grown in greenery, ferns. From entering the Terrace Mountain section all through the Weeks the entire section of trail has many points where the entire trail is grown in with ferns and greenery, could use brushing. Many blow downs through all three summits of the Weeks. Could definitely use a crew to clear blowdowns. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
|
|
 | Bugs: |
Mosquitos were plentiful on the entire traverse. bring bug spray. Not a lot of deer flies thankfully. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Kilkenny Ridge Traverse - we did as a 3 day, 2 night trip for our friend Peter to finish his WM redline. Started from South Pond and went south. Devils Hopyard was as expected, mossy, slick, rock hopping and bouldering.
The hike up to Rogers ledge was muddy to about 2500 feet of elevation. A couple of crossing spots you had to sort out where to jump to avoid wet feet but nothing too bad. Spent an hour on Rogers enjoying the warmth and the views. Climb down from Rogers ledge was not a problem. Headed across the small pond area with bog bridges. Some beaver work has broken the bog bridges in the last open section so you have to cross single logs that are not steady, bring your hiking poles to stay steady. Got buggy between here and Unknown Pond. Climb up to Unknown Pond is a grind, skipped the bushwhack to the summit and stayed on trail to get to the campsite early. total of 9.5 days on day one, about 3100 feet of climbing. Unknown Pond water source is the pond, not ice cold so keep that in mind.
Day 2 out of Unknown Pond, checked out some views of the pond with the Horn in the background, good photo ops. Ascended up to the Horn, spent about 30 minutes enjoying the views. Go left, to the summit to avoid the rock scramble. Climb up to the bulge and to Cabot summit - extremly hot and humid. Too the hike down to the water source below Cabot summit - says .1 of a mile - dont believe it - felt a little longer, Strava has it as a 250 foot drop. Water is running well and is ice cold - climb down is full of blow downs and tree climbs. needs a lot of clean up. Over to Cabot Cabin and down to Bunnell Notch. Extremely humid so used a lot of water at Cabot Cabin. Refilled at a smaller stream around 3200 feet, just below Bunnell Notch. a couple of other streams were running lower down as well. Not sure how reliable they are to stay flowing but worked for us. Headed back on Kilkenny for last climbs of the day the big 600 foot climb and then a couple of smaller 200 foot climbs to get up to Terrace Mountain. Down to Willard Notch where we found a camping site for the night. Water was still running in the stream at Willard Notch but was down to a trickle. 9.5 and about 3000 feet of climbing. Willard Notch is insanely packed with mosquitos right now. Bring a mosquito head net, mosquito spray, and keep your rain fly on your tent closed.
Day 3 - The Weeks are tough, not the highest climb but just endless ferns, cant see the trail well, consistent blowdowns that you have to work around and then find the trail again. The blowdowns are on the higher sections and the summit shoulders are generally heavily covered in ferns. Its a good 4 miles of up, over and around or just running through a green car wash. The only reliable water source on the Weeks is just below the summit of Mount Weeks at about 3500 feet there is a stream crossing on the southern side as you come down from Weeks and make your way over to Middle Weeks. Once we cleared the Weeks and got to Waumbek it was a breeze getting down. |
|
 | Name: |
SLASR Podcast |
|
 | E-Mail: |
mikmcl@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2025-07-14 |
|
 | 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. |
|
