| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Owl’s Head (attempt), NH |
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 | Trails: |
East Side Road, bushwhack, Lincoln Brook Trail, herd path, Owl’s Head Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, October 15, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot was very open at 8 am. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Pemi was around 240 cfs at 8:15 am. Lincoln Brook fast-moving but mostly hoppable, though our feet got a bit wet. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few minor blowdowns, nothin to write home about. Mud at times was calf deep and crossing logs were hidden beneath new leaf cover, causing precarious footing. Use trails have developed alongside some areas of Lincoln Brook trail due to this issue. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
No pups sighted today; would have been a difficult day with the Pemi crossing. |
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 | Bugs: |
None to be seen. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A humbling day on Owl’s Head. This was meant to be my 48th summit, and probably would have been if we had started out earlier and not had issues with the Pemi crossing and BP bushwhack covered by leaves after the pond. The downed tree looked very sketchy due to the height and speed of the river. We spent a while trying to find another way to cross but eventually had to use the tree. Extreme care was needed.
We also took longer than expected on the BP bushwhack due to new leaf cover. Parts of Lincoln Brook were extremely muddy, and the leaves also obscured the logs and rocks, so footwork was slow. Lincoln Brook crossings were comparatively easy, though I lost my footing for absolutely no reason and got wet. I was VERY glad I had brought a change of clothes. We took the Brutus up but I would definitely go up on the slide next time. Brutus has a lot of soil erosion and exposed roots, but maybe still better on the downhill...hard to decide. Met a happy group of people who had reached the summit ahead of us, marking their 48th. Congrats to Mary and company! They pre-congratulated us and gave us their owl hat and also their 48 sign, which we had neglected to bring. So sweet! But alas, it was not to be. We were losing the light and knew we had to either turn around or navigate the whole descent in the dark. Ugh, that was hard to do. But the mountain will be there for next time.
Overall it was a beautiful day, though; no complaints about the weather! If only we’d been able to start earlier. Looking forward to going back and finally seeing the top, and wearing those hats!
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 | Name: |
fluffycat |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-10-19 |
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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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