| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Indian Head, Indian Head North Peak's Ledges, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Fracnonia Rec Path, Mt. Pemigewasset Trail, bushwhack, Cascade Brook Trail, Whitehouse Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, September 19, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
No surprise it was a bus day in Franconia Notch. At 10 am, I got lucky and I got the last legal parking space at Whitehouse/AT parking. Certainly guessing that the Flume would be a madhouse. A big truck took the motorcycle paring space |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
everything dry |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Mt. Pemi trail is clear and new sawdust in a few places proved that the trial maintainer has been out recently. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure why not if the pup won't jump off a cliff |
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 | Bugs: |
none |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Lovely day and the trees are turning colors here! I headed up to Indian Head and lots of people were hanging out on top. The End of Trail blue turn-around arrow area still have a decent view of Flume and Liberty but sure wouldn't take much to open the view of the Franconia Range with a little tree cutting. I didn't hang out but head back down the trial and beginning my bushwhack where the trail turns hard right leaving the ridge. Lots of Hobblebush! I swam through a sea of hobblebush across the ridge and it let up when I began to climb again and the ground turned to rocks and more rocks. I had summited this wood covered bump back during the dark days of Covid but didn't make it down to the ledges because I kept getting cliffed out, I also had taken a direct route up to the summit from half way up the trail through mostly open hardwoods. This time I decided to go to the ledges from the south side staying about elevation 2500. I felt like I was back in ice gulch winding my way over boulders and broken rock and small cliffs. A handful of times I had to retreat and find a new way to go forward. I made sure I dind't go down or up anywhere where I couldnt go back the way I had come. The slab ledge is huge and steep steep. I made it to the south end, backtracked again and traveled along the top as best as I could. I did find two place where I could sit on the duff beneath the trees and take in the view. Good view of Loon and the Franconia Ridge to almost Lincoln. Nearer the north end of the open slab I saw rock climber's bolts and rapple anchors and was curious how climbers reached the bottom of this? I attempted to look up this slab on Mountain Project but it isn't listed. I continued north until it wasn't so steep anymore and headed down through mostly open mixed woods. I hit the Cascade Brook Trail just below where the Pemi Trail enters. Many cyclists whipping by was happy to jump on the Whitehouse trail back to the parking lot. Next time I am going to aim for the bottom of the cliff. |
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 | Name: |
Nordic_Gal |
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 | E-Mail: |
amybike@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-09-20 |
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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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