09/19/2010: Sawyer River Trail

[cooperhill]

This is report is about making the best of a bad situation. We got up early on Sunday with the intention of hiking Mt. Chocorua. Everything packed .. eh. no. Forgot my trail runners. After spouting off some obscenities, we decided to hike something that I could manage in tevas and wool socks.

We opted for the Sawyer River trail which sits on an old logging railroad bed off the Kanc north of Bear Notch Road. This trail was full of wildlife and signs of wildlife that had been there very recently. The trail seems little used too.

After crossing the Swift River, the trail follow the 'Nan' xc ski trail for a bit and then sets off towards Sawyer River Road. Foliage is starting to come out as it was much colder in the wetland areas. It is an easy hike and I thought I'd share some sights along the way:

Toad:



Salamander:



Open wetlands with great views. Saw a belted kingfisher, winter wren, Northern Flicker. Not sure of the peaks in the distance.



Kind of a neat shot showing how flat the trail is with open area in the distance.



Cotton Sedge:



Bull moose rutting pit (I think) - smelled like a zoo:



Moose track on bridge:



Overall, light wasn't that great for picture taking and my footwear (or lack there of - sorry not a barefoot runner) prevented us from going far. If we had been there earlier or stayed longer, I'm sure we would have seen more.

 

[1HappyHiker]

Chris . . . it's always nice to read a report about someone making the most of a situation. You got some nice photos that were quite interesting. I especially liked the photo of the trail with the opening in the distance. And, from one of your other photos, I learned that moose also use bog bridges!

Thanks for posting!

 

[cooperhill]

I went back this past week to the opposite end of the Sawyer River trail and found a totally different trail. It isn't a snowmobile trail like the Kanc side so obviously the trail is smaller. However, the trail on the Sawyer River side was for the most part overrun with brush and blowdowns. I went back the next day and brushed out about .7 miles of the trail and cleared blowdowns. There is still a bit of work that remains and a confusing bit of trail near the junction with Hancock Notch trail.

Before:



After:

 

[1HappyHiker]

. . . the trail on the Sawyer River side was for the most part overrun with brush and blowdowns. I went back the next day and brushed out about .7 miles of the trail and cleared blowdowns.

Thank you Chris for your hard work and for volunteering your time!

 

[Mike P.]

Thanks for the nice TR. You made the best of your situation and got to see a place you weren't planning on seeing & saw it.

I know often times when I'm heading to peak X or ridge Y, I don't focus as much on what is on the way to the destination. (Sometimes I do)