| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt Jefferson and Mt Monroe, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Caps Ridge, Gulfside Trail, Westside Trail, Crawford Path, Monroe Loop, Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 18, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I arrived at the WMNF Ammo lot at 6:25am and there were still spots available but it was filling up fast. $5 to park or the WMNF pass. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All rock hoppable. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nothing memorable |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
This is a rougher day for doggos. We saw one today who was well equipped with booties for the rough rocks. Not much water along the way either. |
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 | Bugs: |
Too cold and windy for them. YES!!!
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|
 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing lost and nothing found. |
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 | Comments: |
When a friend asks you to join them for a special anniversary to mark exactly one year since they hiked their first 4K in the Whites, you always say yes. We put together a plan to grab Jefferson for my G2 and then make our way over to Monroe for his anniversary hike but bypass Washington because I was dying to check out the Westside trail. It was a most excellent plan. Caps Ridge was dry for our ascent. The winds really picked up at the summit and it began to rain. We said goodbye to 2 of our crew at that point and the 3 of us continued on. Gulfside was mostly dry as the rain was light and the rocks were still grippy. By the time we hit the Sphinx Col, the rocks were wet. We were cautious ascending and going around Clay. The rain stopped again as we reached the Westside Trail junction. This was the jewel of the day. We saw no one and the views were endless and the winds were enough to push us around without knocking us sideways. Once we reached Crawford Path the rain began again and the trails were much busier. The footing was still good and there were only a few slips on the wet rocks. We quickly grabbed Monroe with a stop at the hut. The rain picked up again as we descended Monroe and by the time we were headed down Ammo, it was raining harder and everything was very wet. The rocks and slab were super slippery and required careful footing and slow going. We made it the Gem Pool in one piece. The remaining portion of Ammo to the parking lot was a mud fest. The mud was deep in places and incredibly slick. We all agreed we missed the old Ammo trail a lot today. The re-route has terrible footing and seems to take forever. Fortunately the company was great and we laughed and told stories and it was a great day despite the tough conditions and the weather. I am so grateful for good friends who can embrace the suck for these kind of days. |
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 | Name: |
Uki |
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 | E-Mail: |
ukisukinaminanu@yahoo.com |
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 | Date Submitted: |
2026-07-18 |
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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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