| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Lafayette, Lincoln, Liberty, Flume, Whaleback, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Skookumchuck, Garfield Ridge, Franconia Ridge, Osseo, Old Osseo |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 18, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of spots at Skookumchuck trailhead all day. It is still open during construction.
The swimming hole lot ~1 mile past loon had open spots last night and today. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
A few muddy spots near the Old Osseo condos and a few small crossings, but all could be navigated easily. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Skook to Osseo is in great condition.
Old Osseo is not maintained, so be prepared for dozens of blow downs. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
One cautious dog |
|
 | Bugs: |
Only a few on lower Old Osseo |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Gambled on the weather with Scott and won. The overcast was high, the skies colorful due to wildfire smoke, and the rain that held off until about 10 mins after we were done. We also decided to count everyone we met on the trail with an estimate set at 100. We were worried at first, but the 20 people on Haystack put us well ahead of pace, and we saw 125 mostly friendly folks between the Skook intersection and Old Osseo trail intersection.
Anyway...what you probably care about.
Skook is in great shape.
Garfield Ridge and Franconia Ridge are in great shape.
Osseo is a little crumbly up top, but fine.
And Old Osseo is a delight. Sure, there are dozens and dozens of blowdowns, but almost all were easy to avoid. The reward is a nicely cushioned trail, very few people, a visit to Whaleback and surrounding viewpoints, views of slides and cliffs you have no idea existed, and zero people. There was one loud, thrashing being of some sort a bit below the summit, but I'll not speculate on ghosts.
Try Old Osseo if you haven't. It was a nice change of pace and very pleasant. |
|
 | Name: |
Chad |
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 | E-Mail: |
chadwik66@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-07-18 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.instagram.com/p/Da8cnlGEdyb/?img_index=1 |
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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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