| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Blueberry Mountain, Speckled Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Route 113, Bickford Brook Trail, Blueberry Ridge Trail, Overlook Loop |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, December 3, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Route 113 at the state line is now gated so I parked at the Basin Pond entrance. On the one hand you don't have to pay Iron Ranger @ Brickett Place to park...but on the other you may want to drop a couple bucks anyhow as the potty there is open :) |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The Bickford Brook crossing low on the Blueberry Ridge Trail can be done without getting a toe wet...but you may have to look beyond the 'dotted lines' to do it. No issues otherwise. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
One blowdown maybe midway up the Blueberry Ridge Trail and another on the Bickford Ridge Trail maybe a mile or so below the summit - both are easy step-overs. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn't see any. |
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 | Bugs: |
Didn't see any. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nothing. |
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 | Comments: |
A mixed bag of shoulder season conditions here today. The bottom half of the BBT is either dry, wet and/or has significant leaf cover. The upper half has stretches of wetness, 1-2" of hard crusty snow and dustings covering icy spots. The lower portion of the BRT is mostly dry or wet but the upper half has some tricky areas with running water with occasional black ice on slabs. The Outlook Loop is mostly either the hard/crusty or dust over ice conditions. Cairns assist in navigating this loop but right around the middle of it I didn't notice any - but I did happen to notice a couple of green and one yellow blaze on open rocks - which confirmed where I thought the trail should logically continue. I had Spikes but didn't use them: the crunchy stuff made for good traction using bare boots and I'm not sure they would have done much good on the scattered black ice spots. Bring them and make your own decision.
I'm guessing the dusting of snow may have come last night as I didn't see any other human footprints outside of the first BRT/Overlook Loop junction. However I did see many tracks throughout made by creatures big and small. It seemed all day I was looking at clouds and a bit of snow over the Baldfaces, Wild River Wilderness and beyond but didn't get too much my way. It was a bit windy with very light and occasional flurries most of the day and the sky was scattered with various shades of grey - but even still some nice views and pics were had at both peaks and at various points along the way. I walked this loop in complete solitude as I did not see another person the entire day.
On the road walk back I noticed a lot of busy beaver work being done below the bridge along the Cold River - something I never would have seen had the gate been open and whizzing by in my car. Exploring their handy work was a fun way to end a great trek. |
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 | Name: |
HMJ |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-12-03 |
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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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