Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
East Kennebago Mountain, ME |
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| Trails: |
Snowmobile trail, herd path, bushwhack |
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| Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 27, 2014 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Difficult. So much snow in Maine- could barely squeeze car to right of shoulder line. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Skis |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
last ditch was open water- how did the snow mobiles cross it?! |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Blowdowns but not as bad as some trails! |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
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| Bugs: |
Yes! Saw 3 or 4 bugs that looked like mosquitos. |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Set off on skis pulling my sled under gray skies and steady wind. Grateful for snow mobiles…and astounded as to where they go. Switched to snow shoes around mile 2.5 or so on the ATV/snow mobile route. Consolidated but deep snow and the use of the snow mobiles on the route made the 4 mile approach a cinch. There is a TON of snow in Northern Maine- more than I've seen anywhere.
Some snow mobiler went up the boundary path the route follows-removing any challenge left. At 3000 feet, I turned into the woods heading northwest and followed a few yellow blazes while they lasted. The snow was unbelievable! I never sunk anywhere though I saw moose post holes deeper than 3 feet. The hike was easier than summer/fall since the snow covered all the little spruce trees, yet spruce traps were never a threat. Signed in to the register in the canister- last hikers were up there 11/15. I could not easily follow my tracks back but had no problem angling back correctly. Saw 2 minks 20 minutes apart. Descent was 30-40 minutes.
Back at the base, I threw my skis on and enjoyed some exhilarating moments. After one wipe out where my sled crashed into me, I straddled the sled with skis on either side and had a blast- had to have hit 20 mph on some of those hills. Managed to avoid the few snow mobilers out. Descent on the ATV road was 45 minutes versus over 2 hours up. Back to car by 1. Can never get enough of Maine. |
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| Name: |
Lucky Laura |
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| E-Mail: |
luckylaura95@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2014-12-27 |
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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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