csprague
Member
Date of Hike: 7/11/09 - 7/12/09
Trail Conditions: Stratton Brook Pond road in good shape, low spots have had canals dug in places to let the water out. Brook crossing at Stratton Brook was a bit high but passable, though I hear it was worse just a couple days before we got there.
From there, trail was wet in spots up to the rock steps, and then it was dry all the way to the Avery campsite. Surprisingly little water going up Avery, even the water box was a bit dry, but we were able to use it. Otherwise trails in great shape.
Trail up West Peak was also in good shape, nothing to note, and this was true all the way over to South Horn and down to Horns Pond, where we spent the night. What a great campsite with great, friendly caretakers!
We got some hard rain overnight, so the AT back down to Rt 27 was mud, mud, mud! The trail was well maintained, bog bridges were in good shape, but wow, what a lot of mud. A few rooty areas were hard to get across without getting your feet wet, so bring your high-tops if you've got them.
Special Equipment Required: Waterproof boots. We encountered very few bugs, thankfully.
Comments: Nice hike, but the views were merely OK due to poor atmospheric visibility (rain clouds moving in, etc). Windy on West Peak and South Horn. Gorgeous weather coming down on Sunday, and all in all an excellent, fun trip!
For campers monitoring traffic at Horns Pond, there were 19 people there that night, but only a total of 5 people in the two large shelters, so it was definitely not overcrowded.
Chris
Trail Conditions: Stratton Brook Pond road in good shape, low spots have had canals dug in places to let the water out. Brook crossing at Stratton Brook was a bit high but passable, though I hear it was worse just a couple days before we got there.
From there, trail was wet in spots up to the rock steps, and then it was dry all the way to the Avery campsite. Surprisingly little water going up Avery, even the water box was a bit dry, but we were able to use it. Otherwise trails in great shape.
Trail up West Peak was also in good shape, nothing to note, and this was true all the way over to South Horn and down to Horns Pond, where we spent the night. What a great campsite with great, friendly caretakers!
We got some hard rain overnight, so the AT back down to Rt 27 was mud, mud, mud! The trail was well maintained, bog bridges were in good shape, but wow, what a lot of mud. A few rooty areas were hard to get across without getting your feet wet, so bring your high-tops if you've got them.
Special Equipment Required: Waterproof boots. We encountered very few bugs, thankfully.
Comments: Nice hike, but the views were merely OK due to poor atmospheric visibility (rain clouds moving in, etc). Windy on West Peak and South Horn. Gorgeous weather coming down on Sunday, and all in all an excellent, fun trip!
For campers monitoring traffic at Horns Pond, there were 19 people there that night, but only a total of 5 people in the two large shelters, so it was definitely not overcrowded.
Chris
