| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Moosilauke, Mt. Moosilauke- South Peak, Mt. Blue, Mt. Jim, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Moosilauke Carriage Road, Beaver Brook Trail, herd path, Asquam Ridge Trail, Gorge Brook Trail, Snapper Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, September 25, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Recommended parking is at a pull-off on Breezy Point Rd., about 1.2 miles from Route 118 and 0.4 miles from the actual trailhead. Above this point, the road narrows significantly, and if you persevere (which I briefly did), conditions deteriorate to high-clearance 4WD only- think rutted road, large chunks of missing pavement, and an increasing number of decently-sized rocks. There is no place to turn around once you've committed, so I ended up reversing about a tenth of a mile to get back to the parking area I should have chosen the first time for my AWD, low-clearance hatchback. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All significant crossings were bridged. Otherwise, I can't recall anything more than a minor stepover. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The lower section of the Carriage Road had 3 significant blowdowns, one of which (at roughly 1.1 miles) completely blocked the trail. There is no easy way around this; it required tediously going straight over, under, and through a number of branches. The other blowdowns (one near 0.8 miles from Breezy Point, and one between the upper junction of the Hurricane Trail and the Snapper Trail) had faint herd paths forming to bypass them. All other trails listed were in excellent shape. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw several, and these trails would all be a good choice. Water sources are concentrated near the lower reaches of the mountain (where the trail crosses or parallels the Baker River). |
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 | Bugs: |
Almost none- no repellent needed! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was a 17.2-mile loop (4,650' gain) starting from just below the trailhead to the Moosilauke Carriage Rd., following this to the summit (with a brief side trip to visit scenic South Peak), and then taking the Beaver Brook Trail and Asquam Ridge Trail down to the Ravine Lodge. I also visited Mt. Blue, which has a well-defined herd path leaving from the Beaver Brook Trail about halfway between the Benton Trail and Asquam Ridge Trail junctions. This offers no views at all (think Zealand Mtn. without the unique summit placard), but it's a short walk with pleasantly soft footing, and I had never been up there before. To get back to the car, I took the Gorge Brook Trail and Snapper Trail to return to the Carriage Road before descending. Early signs of fall foliage were visible, with a few yellows showing, but nowhere near peak, and almost all of the leaves were still up. Views from Moosilauke and South Peak were spectacular (as always), especially with no haze on this cool, brisk morning. Trails were pleasantly dry for the most part, with a few muddy sections on the upper Carriage Road below treeline, and particularly on the west side of Mt. Blue when approaching on the Beaver Brook Trail. Full route details on Unnecessary Climb! |
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 | Name: |
Jason |
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 | E-Mail: |
kurlando7@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-09-30 |
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 | Link: |
 https://unnecessaryclimb.wordpress.com/mt-moosilauke-via-carriage-road-and-asquam-ridge-trail/ |
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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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