| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Cabot, NH |
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 | Trails: |
York Pond Trail, Bunnell Notch Trail, Kilkenny Ridge Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, April 18, 2022 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Road in good condition. No snow or ice. The York Pond trailhead parking is nicer than in the past. The lot was improved after the logging activity was completed. The signs indicate that the gate at the Berlin Fish Hatchery is closed at 4:00PM. I left before that time so I don't know if the gate was closed at this time. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Spring Snow |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
There are many small brooks transecting the Bunnell Notch Trail that are easy to step across. The one larger brook that flows down from Bunnell Notch required stepping on 2 or 3 submerged rocks about an inch or two below the water surface. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail in generally good condition. Perhaps some additional water diversion ditches could drain off the standing/running water on the Bunnell Notch Trail. There is one tree fall on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail just uphill of the junction with the closed Mt Cabot trail. Easy to get around. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw one dog. Trail fine for dogs. Lots of water today. |
|
 | Bugs: |
Saw a couple of butterflies but no annoying insects. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
There is a lot of water running down the trails and some standing water. The short distance on the York Pond trail is a water path that needs to be sidestepped. There are some fairly large pools of standing water on the old logging road section of the Bunnell Notch trail. Lots of mud below the snow line. Best to wear waterproof boots and gaiters. The snow cover is almost continuous on the Kilkenny Ridge Trail above the spot where the old Mt Cabot Trail entered. Bunnell Rock has bare ledge and good views. The cabin shingle siding has new green paint or stain. There is a snowpack of two to three feet in places between the cabin and the summit. The summit is on a short side path from the large wood sign for Mt Cabot. There was a firm snowshoe track today. The track was usually discernable but was immersed in the newly fallen snow in places. I carried snowshoes but not need to wear them as the surface was solid. Only once did I posthole 2 feet as I stepped off the track (felt like a trap door giving way). Nice views from the clearing just above the cabin (not the summit). It appeared the snowshoe track continued toward the Bulge and the Horn, but I can't confirm how far it led. There was no recent traffic on the Kilkenny Ridge trail toward Terrace Mtn. The trees were decked in the newly fallen snow and the snow and melt pelted me at times. Met a few hikers ascending while I was descending. |
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 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
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 | E-Mail: |
waumbek@roadrunner.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-04-18 |
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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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