NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Shaw - West Peak, Mt. Shaw, Middle Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Cold Spring Road, Cold Spring Trail, Faraway Mountain Connector, Faraway Mountain Trail, Oak Ridge Cutoff, bushwhack, High Ridge Trail, Black Snout Trail, Turtleback Mountain Trail, bushwhack, Lower Bridle Path, Pond Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, September 28, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Atop Ossipee Park Road in Moultonborough. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No issues. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No issues. Except ... the distances on some of the LRCT signs aren’t quite accurate or consistent with each other. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Sure. 
Bugs
Bugs: A few while on the bushwhacks. Otherwise, no. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: A full day in the Ossipees doing a long loop over Shaw with bushwhack side trips to the west peak of Shaw and Middle Mountain.

Smooth sailing up to High Ridge Trail. At its junction with Oak Ridge Cutoff, I whacked straight up to the west peak in good woods. The high point is marked by a small cairn. Funnily enough, after I got down I met two people who had also visited the summit as there’s a geocache up there.

Easy walking up the ridge to Shaw, where views were great but hazy. A ham radio operator was setting up to do a summit to summit chat with someone in Arizona.

Descending from Shaw I followed High Ridge Trail down for a bit and did a short bushwhack over to where Black Snout Trail is very nearby to cut off its long swing out toward Black Snout. I then hopped on Turtleback Mountain Trail and at the hairpin turn at the brook, I whacked straight up to Middle Mountain. Easy at first, but it steepens before the summit. The spot elevation isn’t recognized but a bump just to the south apparently is. Unfortunately, I missed the southern bump. :| Gorgeous woods surrounding the summit, very glade-like.

To avoid the miles of switchbacks on Turtleback Mountain Trail, I set off from Middle heading southwest. Travel was more difficult in this direction. Woods were still friendly, but the terrain was rougher and steeper, with lots of rocks hiding under leaves. I also had to work around one small cliff band. I emerged from the woods at the second to last switchback and then followed carriage roads / a bridle path the rest of the way. Shortly before reaching Shannon Pond a shower rolled through.

Not a whole lot of people out there today, not even with the gorgeous weather on Shaw.  
Name
Name: KenM 
E-Mail
E-Mail: kmacgray@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-09-28 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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