csprague
Member
Date of Hike: 7/21/12 - 7/22/12
Trail Conditions: Well maintained, pleasantly non-eroded in most areas which is a nice change from the older, more heavily used trails. Campsites in good condition as well. Water a bit of an issue, see below.
Special Equipment Required: Normal single-night backpacking gear, extra water bottles particularly helpful while this drought persists.
Comments: The campsites, and the trail as a whole, do not appear to be getting a lot of usage, which is sort of too bad. On a pleasantly non-humid Saturday in what has been a very hot July, we were one of only 4 cars in the parking lot, and we saw literally nobody until we were on our way down Old Speck this morning.
MOST WATER SOURCES ARE DRY! You're going to want to bring more than you usually do, as sources are scarce once the trail stops following the stream. We saw many completely dry stream beds. Sargent Brook Campsite had what amounted to 2 small, 2" deep puddles that nonetheless appeared clear enough to pump from. Good thing we did, as we saw no water whatsoever until reaching Slide Mountain campsite (where the water was abundant). Further along, Bull Run had water as well. Otherwise, normal trail conditions for the descent of Old Speck apply - nothing out of the ordinary there.
csprague
Trail Conditions: Well maintained, pleasantly non-eroded in most areas which is a nice change from the older, more heavily used trails. Campsites in good condition as well. Water a bit of an issue, see below.
Special Equipment Required: Normal single-night backpacking gear, extra water bottles particularly helpful while this drought persists.
Comments: The campsites, and the trail as a whole, do not appear to be getting a lot of usage, which is sort of too bad. On a pleasantly non-humid Saturday in what has been a very hot July, we were one of only 4 cars in the parking lot, and we saw literally nobody until we were on our way down Old Speck this morning.
MOST WATER SOURCES ARE DRY! You're going to want to bring more than you usually do, as sources are scarce once the trail stops following the stream. We saw many completely dry stream beds. Sargent Brook Campsite had what amounted to 2 small, 2" deep puddles that nonetheless appeared clear enough to pump from. Good thing we did, as we saw no water whatsoever until reaching Slide Mountain campsite (where the water was abundant). Further along, Bull Run had water as well. Otherwise, normal trail conditions for the descent of Old Speck apply - nothing out of the ordinary there.
csprague
