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  1. #1

    Default trail conditions in Crawford notch 5/22/19

    I decided today would be a good day to hike up to Arethusa falls, a little south of Crawford Notch. So did a few hundred other people and their dogs. Standing room only at the falls. Trail mostly dry, but some short mucky sections. This is a well trampled trail.

    By the time I got back down from Arethusa, it was only 2 PM. I was able to find a parking spot (of sorts) up by the Highland Center for the Avalon trail, so I headed up towards Avalon. This trail was much wetter with some sketchy stream crossings. The steep, rocky sections had water running down it, breeding black flies. They are definitely starting to become a nuisance. Some good mud holes here and there.

    I hiked up until I hit snow, at about 2700 feet, just past the Tom/Avalon junction. Just a little ribbon in the trail, but those I talked too on the way down said they were post holing knee to waist down in snow near the summits of Tom and Field. Since it was now after 3 pm and I had no desire to post hole, I turned around and went home.

    Rain overnight into Sunday, but Monday looks like another fine day for a stumble through the woods.

    Arethusa falls. Definitely a good day to visit water falls.

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  2. #2

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    Sort if lines up with my hike yesterday. Some snow at 2500 feet on the south slope of the Mahoosucs in the softwoods.

  3. #3
    Registered User
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    11-01-2014
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    Anchorage, AK
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    My son & partner hiked Avalon, past Field and Wiley and down to Ethan pond on Thursday. Apparently it was fairly continuous monorail starting a little before the ridge and postholing happened but wasn't too bad and was rarely even up to their knees. The used only microspikes.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  4. #4
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    10-18-2014
    Location
    Lewiston and Biddeford, Maine
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    61
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    I stayed down low this weekend, mostly. Went up Baldface Circle trail to try out the ledges. Scary for someone afraid of heights, for sure. Then took Slippery Brook trail down to Mountain Pond clearing blowdowns as we went, thinking we could stay in the shelter there, but wouldn't you know it? Someone had set up a 4 person cabin tent in the shelter. Nice young couple, offered me a beer and said it would be ok to set up next to them. We declined the beer and moved on down the trail and found a flattish sight by the pond.

    Saw a couple patches of snow on South Baldface, melting enough to make the ledges wet in spots. Black flies were horrendous. They really like me.

  5. #5
    Registered User
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    08-10-2019
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    Bethlehem, NH
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    32
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    Dang. I've never been to the falls when they looked like this. Now i know why I'm always stuck taking people up Willard because the falls are "just a trickle this time of year". I just like Arethusa better as a hike but never knew the payoff was that good. I'll have to do it this spring for sure.

  6. #6

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    Just got back from a few days at Crawford Notch with my granddaughters, aged 10 and almost 7. They were tired after climbing Mt. Willard the day before, so I opted for the Bemis Trail instead of the full Arethusa Falls loop. And they had a great time playing in the pools below Bemis Falls. I'd recommend this walk for short outings with young kids, and it can easily be combined with the AF loop.

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