It is good to have a notebook and pencil or tape recorder along to record problems that need attention. In addition to completing the tasks identified on the spring walk-through, the summer hiking season is a good time to clear the trail of woody brush and annual vegetation. The trail is most obscured when leaves are fully out as overhead branches sag and leaves hide blazes. The MST is blazed with a 3 inch white painted dot. The blaze for the Alternate MST and various feeder spurs is a 3 inch blue dot.
Summer is also the best time to touch up trail blazes.
Clearly visible blazing is most often needed in the autumn when the trail can be obscured by fallen leaves. In general, a properly blazed stretch of trail needs repainting every three to five years. Early summer is also the best time to clear the trail through open areas, before plants such as grasses and briars reach peak growth. Through One of the best times of the year to clear out drainage structures is after the leaves have dropped from the trees. This puts the trail in a good condition during the winter and is good preparation for heavy spring runoff.