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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Tremont, Owls Cliff, NH
Trails
Trails: Mt. Tremont, Brunel, Owl's Cliff spur, Sawyer Pond, Shelter/tentsites loop
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 7, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: We spotted a car at the Sawyer Pond parking and parked in a wideout sort of across from the Mt. Tremont trailhead. Sawyer River Rd is in decent condition the whole length, although it is narrow in places. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Sawyer Pond outlet was a rock hop. We didn't expect to or try to cross the Swift River; it was pretty deep and flowing well. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: All signs in place but for someone coming down Brunel and hitting Rob Brook Rd., there should be something along the way to Brunel indicating one is on the trail. The old trail to Rob Brook is enticing but I have been on these trails enough to keep going. I recall a couple of blowdowns on Brunel between Tremont and Owls Cliff and another one below it. There was another significant blowdown on Sawyer Pond; I think it was up from the Rob Brook Rd. Brunel and the Owls Cliff cutoff have some stretches with lots of spruce/fir branches in the trail. In dry conditions they wouldn't be a big deal, but today they were dripping wet. We tossed some debris off the trails, mostly Brunel. Parts of Sawyer Pond around the pond have running/standing water and some mud in them. But on the whole the trails are in better condition than I remember them from long ago.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Pepper had fun. He really likes the cheese Marty brings. The cool temps and lack of sun kept him comfy, although he enjoyed a few sip n dips too. The ice stretch was no problem for him, and much of this hike was on modest or little slope. I put his soft shell on at the end when I thought we would hike out in the rain, and he tolerated it. We ran into two Husky type dogs just up from the Sawyer Parking area on our way out. 
Bugs
Bugs: There were a few black flies, and I found a dog tick on my leg on the drive home. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: I chose to hike in trail runners instead of waterproof boots today, thinking if we got into any significant rain I'd be wet in both, but the trail runners would dry out. The trail runners are better for my feet issues too. The choice worked out well, we mostly avoided the rain and the Hokas' thick soles avoided getting really wet from the trails. Marty used waterproof boots, and Pepper barepawed it.

We used spikes on the upper part of Mt. Tremont; there are still stretches of ice. Before and after that there is no snow or ice. The hike along Stony Brook and it's many cascades was great; Pepper loves a noisy brook. There were no views as the peaks were in thick fog. Almost all of the water that fell on us and our packs was from wet vegetation. The one light shower that hit us did so just as we reached the Sawyer Pond shelter, and it stopped shortly after we left it. We didn't see anyone until we got close to the Shelter, but no one appeared to be staying there. Thanks Pepper and Marty for the best way to spend an otherwise somewhat dismal day - hiking.

 
Name
Name: Pepper and Me 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-05-07 
Link
Link: https:// 
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