| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Firescrew, Mt. Cardigan, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Manning Trail, Mowglis Trail, West Ridge Trail, Ranger Cabin Trail, South Ridge Trail, Hurricane Gap Trail, Clark Trail, Holt-Clark Cutoff, Holt Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, February 27, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty at Cardigan Lodge today. Note that the expanded parking area is now signed for different uses: day use on the left and lodge guests on the right. Shem Valley Rd. was fine on the way in but muddy on the way out. Cardigan Mtn. Rd. through Alexandria is currently a frost heave roller coaster, so hold on to your dentures and hot beverages. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Blazes could be touched up on all these trails. Holt-Clark Cutoff is a bit over blazed; some blazes are on opposite or consecutive trees. Manning has a few blowdowns between the turn off the logging road and the first viewpoint. Manning and Mowglis across the Firescrew ridge could benefit from larger cairns like those on West Ridge Trail. Most of the current small cairns were buried under snow. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Another bluebird day on Cardigan. I realized recently that I hadn't been out this way since the last trail maintenance trip in the fall, so a visit was due.
I would recommend snowshoes on this entire loop for ease of travel be safety with the current conditions. Snow is softening with the warm temps. The upper parts of Manning and Mowglis were the most challenging, from the Duke's Ski Trail junction to the Cardigan summit. There are currently many false snowshoe tracks (some of them dead end) that lead way off the actual route into spruce trap territory, mixed in with a bevy of ski tracks. Also areas of drifting. Snowshoes and a sense of adventure are 100% needed in this stretch.
The Cardigan summit cone is currently a mix of exposed ice, crunchy snow, and bare ledge. Looks like previous snowshoers had found their own routes up around the icy bits.
I came down West Ridge to Ranger Cabin and this section was mashed potatoes in the sun. The rest of the route down had been traveled by snowshoes and skis but was still soft.
Despite the gorgeous weather, I only saw two other hikers. Skiers, however, were all over the mountain and five of them skinned up past me as I was coming down Clark and Holt-Clark Cutoff. |
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 | Name: |
KenM |
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 | E-Mail: |
kmacgray@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-02-27 |
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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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