| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt Cardigan, Mount Gilman, Crane Mountain, Grafton Knob, Church Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Manning Trail, Holt Trail, West Ridge Trail, Skyland Trail, Woodland Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, October 3, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Regular lot more than half-full mid-morning; was overflowing when I got down, early afternoon |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
mostly easily rock-hoppable |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Holt Trail had a scattering of deadfall, some large; Skyland Trail had scattering of deadfall; Woodland Trail had tons and tons of deadfall and blowdowns, corridor is very narrow |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
no problem |
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 | Bugs: |
none |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Well, I had to wait to start to get through northbound traffic and it was just as well because I wanted to make super-sure the rock surfaces on Holt Trail were dry. I swore last time I did Holt that I would never do it again, but, I was like, no, I wanna go again. Well, on Holt, many of the super-scary rock scrambles have bypasses... except the last one very close to summit - it seems like there is no other way than to just jam your left knee into the crack hoping not to break too much skin and pull up on the handle that runs up the left side of the crack and don't look down. Always scares the crap outta me; today no different and I have the cuts in my knee to prove it. After that, quick tap of the summit, trying to avoid the crowds but they were as big as expected. From there, figured I'd continue down the Skyland Trail to Woodland Trail since I had the time. Skyland was delightful as always with plentiful outlooks and decent footing - seems a little easier than the Mowglis & Elwell Trails along the ridge to the northeast of Cardigan. I kinda forgot exactly where the Woodland Trail connects to Skyland and didn't have any recent tracks so I was kind of guessing it was coming up. That was the perfect junction for lunch at the nice rock near the signpost. From there, the descent on the Woodland Trail was quite a challenge - just so much deadfall though the path was usually clear. I wouldn't recommend Woodland to anyone who needs to know exactly where they are at all times or someone without some kind of GPS - it was rough. Around the beaver pond, the brook crossing was a bit confusing to find the trail on the other side but you just gotta look close. From there, once around the giant beaver pond, there were deep muddy ruts from a fat-tired dirt bike much of the way down to the trailer. Man, that trailer looks worse every time. Of course, the last .6 mi to the lodge was rough with so much uphill I always dread. A fine day with what looks like almost peak colors in the valleys. Took my just under 5 hours for a bit over 9 miles. Super fun!!!! |
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 | Name: |
Becca Munroe |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-10-03 |
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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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