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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Katahdin (Baxter Peak), Mt. Katahdin (Hamlin Peak), ME
Trails
Trails: Chimney Pond Trail, North Basin Trail, Hamlin Ridge Trail, Northwest Basin Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, March 8, 2015
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at Abol Bridge on 3/6 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Traction, Ice Axe 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: On Friday the 6th, we skied from Abol Bridge to Roaring Brook and stayed in the Bunkhouse. Great hard packed snow on the Tote and Roaring Brook roads. On the 7th, we skied to Chimney Pond and were considering an attempt at the summits but the ranger warned us about high winds and we decided to wait til the next day.. Trip to Blueberry Knoll instead with Zach and Joanie as we anticipated a better day on the 8th. On the 8th, from Chimney Pond, we barebooted the hard packed trail to the start of the Hamlin Ridge trail, then switched to crampons. Trail was a combination of hardpacked snow and ice up to the summit of Hamlin. We had good visibility until we reached the summit and then the challenge began. Whiteout conditions prevailed, making trail finding difficult for our next leg of the trip to Baxter Peak. Rock cairns were difficult to find. Trail on the ridge was hard packed snow and crusty ice making sharp full crampons quite necessary. Our return trip took us back the same way we came in, via Hamlin Ridge as the ranger had warned of avalanche danger on the Saddle Trail. It had snowed all day and Hamlin ridge had about 6 inches of new unpacked powder covering the ice on our return trip.
This was a very challenging and great adventure with our friend Zach (zportercoldrivercampcook). This was #59 and 60 (winter67) for Joanie and Suzanne. A very big congratulations to Zach for reaching #66 and 67 of the NE 4000 footers in winter!.  
Name
Name: Slow and Steady, zportercoldrivercampcook 
E-Mail
E-Mail: suzanneblackburn@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2015-03-09 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share 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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