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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Brother, Fort Mountain, Mt. Coe, South Brother, ME
Trails
Trails: Tote Road, Marston Trail, North Brother Trail, bushwhack, Mt. Coe Trail, South Brother Spur Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, March 1, 2013
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The Williams Pond road junction turnout continues to be plowed. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Marston Trail in great shape, with one crawl under 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: One MSR Lightning tail, strapped to a pack, must have snagged on a branch.  
 
Comments
Comments: Party of three. Williams Pond road had a couple inches of powder over a snowmobile track on our entry.

The Tote Road and lower Marston Trail had 3-6" of fresh powder over the base, increasing to 10-16" on the saddle. There was faint evidence of a track down low from the prior weekend's party, but overall the Martson Trail was pretty blown in. The North Brother Trail was totally blown in, with loose powder increasing to waist deep on the upslope. Above the scrub line, the slope was wind packed.

The route to Fort was initially quite mellow until the mid point where we all experienced multiple spruce traps, some chest deep. Fort summit was pleasant, being in N. Brother's wind shadow. Returning back over N. Brother, the Mt. Coe Trail had 12-18" of fairly dense powder over a consolidated base. We all carried tails but didn't use them (see Lost & Found). There were a couple stretches of waist deep powder nearing Coe, but these were short. The summit ridge was compact and easy. Retracing our track to the S. Brother Spur, we again encountered waist deep powder for a bothersome stretch below the scrub line, but above the scrub it was windblown and compact.

Then the long slog to the Nesowadnehunk cabin and the following day's pack out on the Williams Pond Road, now with about 6" of new wet, dense snow slowing travel. Thanks to Pat and Scott for a great trip!  
Name
Name: ThinMan 
E-Mail
E-Mail: twcaldwell@comcast.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2013-03-03 
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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