| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
South Hancock, North Hancock, Northwest Hancock, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Hancock Notch, Cedar Brook, Hancock Loop, Bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, June 9, 2026 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
No issues |
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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: |
No issues |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Hancock notch and Cedar Brook are in good shape, as is the lower part of the loop. The trails to North and South are terrible. Extremely eroded. Not as bad going up but treacherous going down. Extremely slippery. I doubt they can be salvaged and suspect eventual relocation will be necessary. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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|
 | Bugs: |
Where I was out in the breeze there were no issues, but the sheltered spots were well populated with bugs. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None. |
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|
 | Comments: |
I went counterclockwise. I don’t think it makes much difference which way you go since having climbed these peaks multiple times, either descent is terrible IMHO. The bushwhack is challenging. I went in at the right turn beyond the summit. Fairly open woods at first, but drifted to east and then struggled through spruce and many blowdowns to get back on ridge crest. No obvious herd path descending to the col that I could find. At col, a vague herd path became somewhat apparent. Found canister; note that papers are all loose in it. Going back to north I tried to stick to the ridge crest, but the going wasn’t much better. Interestingly, this approach brought me back to the North summit. 3 hours round trip for the bushwhack. |
|
 | Name: |
Jay Baxter |
|
 | E-Mail: |
jbaxtermdfacs@comcast.net |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-06-09 |
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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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