| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Gunstock Mtn., Belknap Mtn., Piper Mtn., Whiteface Mtn., Swett Mtn., Mt. Klem, Mt. Mack, Mt. Shannon, Goat Pasture Hill, Mt. Anna, Straightback Mtn. (south and north summits), Mt. Major, Quarry Mtn. (east and west summits), Rand Mtn., Mt. Rowe, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mt. Rowe Trail, Ridge Trail, Brook Trail, Saddle Trail, Blue Trail (Belknap Mtn.), White Trail (Belknap Mtn.), Old Piper Trail, Piper-Whiteface Link, Whiteface Mountain Trail, Vista Trail, Piper-Round Pond Link, Klem-Mack Loop, Mack Ridge Trail, Yellow Trail (Mt. Shannon Loop), Red Trail (to Goat Pasture Hill and Mt. Anna), Belknap Range Trail (to Mt. Major), Boulder Loop Trail, Mt. Major Trail, North Straightback Link, Dave Roberts' Quarry Trail, Boulder Trail, East Gilford Trail, Round Pond Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 17, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Ample parking at Gilford Elementary School. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Numerous brook crossings at lower elevations (and when inadvertently taking the Benjamin Weeks Trail on the way down), but all were straightforward rock hops. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
This trail network has always been kept in remarkably good condition. There were perhaps 1 or 2 stepovers over the entire distance. Despite heavy rains 2 days prior, mud was generally quite minor. The steeper climb on the Brook Trail (in close proximity to Minge Brook) is significantly eroded, and probably needs a longer-term solution to mitigate this. Whiteface Mountain Trail (from the Piper-Whiteface Link to Whiteface Mtn.) could use a few more blue blazes, as could the eastern end of the Vista Trail, very close to the summit of Swett Mtn. Blaze colors, while generally vivid and abundant, are challenging with my red-green colorblindness in a couple of spots. The lime-green blazes (as on the Piper-Round Pond Link), along with the shade of red used (as for the Round Pond Trail), are easy for me to see. The darker green on the North Straightback Link does not stand out as much. Also, I accidentally turned onto the Benjamin Weeks Trail from the Mt. Rowe Trail while finishing the descent at night, as the blue and purple blazes did not look different enough to me by headlamp. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw quite a few; these trails are very dog-friendly, except for a couple of boulder fields. |
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 | Bugs: |
Biting flies were out in force once the temperature warmed up (mid-morning)- not a problem when moving, but all over you if you made the mistake of stopping. Also found a hitchhiking dog tick at the end of the day. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was a 38.8 mile (theoretically; this mileage estimate felt conservative) tour of the Belknap 12, plus a few peaks off the beaten path, with 10,750' elevation gain. The beautiful views from Mt. Major and Gunstock Mtn. are well-known, but the Vista Trail (particularly the open ledges south of Piper Mtn's summit) and Mt. Shannon were scenic highlights- definitely worth visiting. Trail conditions were generally excellent, with less mud than anticipated after heavy rain 2 days prior. Almost all of the rock ledges and slabs were dry, which was a good thing, because a few sections (the Quarry Trail, Boulder Trail and Boulder Loop Trail, the steep descent from the Mack Ridge Trail) might have been hazardous with wet rocks. Aside from the expected crowds near Mt. Major, and a few other hikers on the Belknap Range Trail, there were miles of solitude on my chosen route. Full details on Unnecessary Climb! |
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 | Name: |
Jason |
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 | E-Mail: |
kurlando7@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-05-21 |
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 | Link: |
 https://unnecessaryclimb.wordpress.com/belknap-dozen-version-2-0/ |
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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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