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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Brother, Mt. Katahdin - Baxter Peak, Mt. Katahdin -Hamlin Peak, ME
Trails
Trails: Logging roads, Tote Road, Marston Trail, Tote Road, Abol Trail, Appalachian Trail, Saddle Trail, Northwest Basin Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, April 1, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Left Wayne's Truck at Bridge on Golden Road, My Car at Williams Pond. Road are pot holed and muddy but I've seen worse. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction, Skis 
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: Wayne and I had prepped for this for a long time and practiced legs of it this winter. Still I felt lucky to have made it through it.
Left Williams at 9pm skied to Nesowadnehunk and then down the Tote road arriving at ~ midnight. I did a sitski coming into the campground broke the buckle on my waist belt which meant although I could tie a square or granny knot in the front I could not really get the weight off my shoulders. We left the skis and boots and a few non essential items and made good time to the junction of N and S brother. Our packing efforts the previous week had left the trail in great shape. Winds kicked up tremendously on top. We tried to do a summit picture but all we succeeded in doing was leaving Wayne's phone on top which meant a long arduous return trip when he discovered he had left it almost back to the "t". I felt like I was falling asleep all the way back to Marston TH. Thankfully the sun came up and we skied over to Abol. The elevation gain in that direction was more significant than I had remembered. We got changed back into boots and met up with Jason Beaupre who offered us a great breakfast and the offer to go with us. We got up a bit and Wayne decided to head back out. I understood as he has soldiered through some health issues and this was my mess to finish.
Trail was softening and Jason went with micros and I crampons as we started to climb the slide. Jason had to wait for me multiple times as I was quite slow. The winds picked up as we neared the top of the slide and did not seem to bad as we first started out on the Table Lands. At the bottom of the first rise they picked up tremendously and as we climbed we were in 15-20 vis whiteout. We made it to the top and then headed over to Hamlin. as we got back towards the flatter areas the wind threatened to push us off the edged and it was extremely difficult to walk. We made to Hamlin and headed back winds constantly in our faces or blowing us side ways the whole journey. It was one of those you got to want it hikes. In retrospect I will never do anything that stupid again. Until next time. Coming down the slide the sun became like an oven. What a range of experiences. Jason and I skied out hitting the parking area about 6pm.  
Name
Name: Little Brown Mushroom, Waynald and Jason Beaupre 
E-Mail
E-Mail: camosteve955@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-04-03 
Link
Link: https:// 
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