Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Mt. Osceola, East Osceola, Middle Osceola, NH |
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| Trails: |
Mt. Osceola Trail, herd path, bushwhack |
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| Date of Hike: |
Sunday, May 31, 2020 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The Tripoli Rd. trailhead lot was full by 8:30 AM with cars already parked roadside. Even more parked along the road when I got back around 1:30-ish. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
All easily rock hopped. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One big blowdown on the Mt. Osceola Trail not far from Tripoli Rd. Was able to squeeze right under it despite carrying a big backpack |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
Lots of well behaved dogs out and about, with no shortage of water sources for them. The chimney would probably be hazardous for at least some dogs, whether dry or wet. Also wouldn't recommend taking dogs along the herd path/bushwhack to Middle Osceola, as large portions of it are very thickly wooded and full of blowdowns/debris. |
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| Bugs: |
Hah! Not with the chilly temps today! |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
The Osceola Trail from Tripoli Rd. to the summit of Osceola was 99% free of snow and ice, with a chunk of monorail remaining a short distance before the top. Besides that, the trail was a mix of dry and wet ground down low, with the trail being mostly wet with some areas of mud and standing water. From Osceola to East Osceola, the trail was roughly a three-way mix of dry ground, wet ground, and monorail. The chimney was snow-free albeit a bit wet. No traction necessary- I was able to bareboot the entire hike without issue, as was everyone else I saw.
The herd path to Middle Osceola started out relatively easy to follow, with some scattered patches of old snow, but progressively got fainter with the surrounding forest getting thicker and denser. Some parts of the path were obscured by debris and blowdowns, which combined with the dense forest, felt more like straight bushwhacking then following a herd path. Near the summit of Middle Osceola, the path became easier to follow, and it went by a blowdown area with a view of what I believe to be Dogleg Slide (correct me if I'm wrong). The summit of Middle Osceola was (unsurprisingly) wooded and viewless, but was marked with a sign and a canister (last entry was from 1/22/2020). Thought about going to West Osceola too, but decided to save it for another day and take the herd path back to the Osceola Trail. |
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| Name: |
Spencer |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-05-31 |
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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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