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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Success, Carlo Col, NH
Trails
Trails: Success Trail, Overlook Loop, Mahoosuc Trail, Dryad Fall Trail, Austin Brook Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, October 5, 2014
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The Austin Brook area road was drivable for trucks up to around 2 miles in where it is then blocked by rocks and an open crossing. Austin Brook trail signs are visible from there. Cars would have it tough in a few spots, however. I parked in a small lot across from the trailhead on North Road. Success Pond Rd was its usual rough self, especially in the beginning stretch. There is a street sign for Success Trail on it. Trucks can drive in to the TH field area parking; cars that were taken up the main road probably could be driven that far too. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Rock steps 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: No blowdowns. Success was well brushed and waterbars cleaned. Mahoosucs from Carol Col to well past Success had some water pooling and mud, not surprising being the Mahoosucs after a good rain. Mahoosucs west of Austin Brook and Dryad Fall very nice trails. Austin Brook could use another paint blaze or two where it turns to climb up to the shelter. Dryad Fall has one spot where it crosses a couple of old log roads; going down just stay with your direction. All signs in place. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Pepper has been doing lots of long hikes this summer, and in the cool weather this one was easy. But he did have some challenging scrambling from Success over to Carlo Col and back. Going east he found his own way; coming back I was worried about some of the blind leaps on to wet sloping boulders, and so I forced him to take a couple of my choices and help. He decided then to go ahead to get away from big brother, and was fine. There were no sip n dips from the Carlo Col to reaching Gentian Pond but in the cool, foggy and breezy weather none were really needed. But he enjoyed a few later in the afternoon when the sun came out and some brooks were available. 
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: It was another fine forecast, with drizzle to start, then lots of fog and a chilly breeze up high in the morning. Combining that with the often ledgey, some short but steep and rough sections, and some water & mud sections, made for a slower than expected hike over to Carlo Col and then back and over Success. The delay did enable two of us to have views from Success which weren't available earlier, although we did get some views through the clouds from the Overlook. On reaching the Shelter, the sky began to really clear and the wind dropped, leaving us with a delightful and very comfortable for hiking afternoon. The trails west and below the shelter were fast and easy, so nice after what we had earlier in the day. Dryad Falls had a rather low flow, but the view from its ledges were nice. We saw only one other hiker, a NOBO who thought he could still make it to Katahdin without flipping, saying the Park will be open to the 25th this year.

I think of today as being two hikes, a morning hike in fog & wind on slippery and tricky ledges with mud spots, and an afternoon walk on easy trails in a splendid Autumn sun with lovely ponds/lakes/falls. Thanks to two great co-workers, Don and Marty, who joined Pepper and me for much of the hike, and did the truck spotting. Thanks as always to Pepper, for another slightly oddball but wonderful hike. Our Spring/Summer/Autumn hiking has been such great fun.  
Name
Name: Pepper and Me 
E-Mail
E-Mail: windriversjohn at gmail dot com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2014-10-05 
Link
Link: https:// 
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