| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mahoosuc Arm, Old Speck Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Speck Pond Trail, May Cutoff, Mahoosuc Trail, Notch Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, June 15, 2013 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We drove in on Success Pond Rd from Berlin. It took us about 40 minutes to drive in the 12 miles that we needed to go. Even with my truck, top speed was about 20mph due to numerous pot holes and rocks. Matt drove his Volvo station wagon in and had no real issues. Care needs to be taken with low clearance vehicles as there are some large rocks poking up through the road. Just before the Speck Pond TH there is a low spot over a culvert that may cause some vehicles to scrape bottom. All trailheads seemed to be marked well. We spotted a car at the Notch Tr before heading up to Speck Pond Tr. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All were rock hoppable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
All trails were surprisingly in good shape. There was one small blowdown near the stream crossing at the bottom of the notch that we removed. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
A challenging day for Marlie. While Mahoosuc Arm and Old Speck pose no new challenges for trail dogs, Mahoosuc Notch is another story. This section of trail is NOT recommended for dogs for a reason. I knew what we were in for so it was no surprise. There are several boulder caves that Marlie had to be persuaded to enter and some deep holes between the boulders. Both dog and master must be able to work together to navigate through and over the pointy uneven terrain. I could tell that she was getting tired as we reached the top of the notch. Even the 3-4 foot scrambles that she usually cruises up were starting to cause her to hesitate. Once we reached the Notch Tr she was back to normal and led us down to the car. I'm very proud of her for helping me red line this section of trail. |
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 | Bugs: |
The breeze kept them away at the summits but at the foot of the notch the black flies were swarming us. There were also a few mosquitoes mixed in. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
What an excellent day to red line some new trails. Speck Pond Tr was a nice approach and we barely noticed the elevation gain to Mahoosuc Arm. We then followed the May Cutoff around to the Mahoosuc Tr. There are some nice alpine bogs near the summit and great views. We then descended down to Speck Pond and after a short chat with the caretaker, headed up to Old Speck. The views from the tower were spectacular! After returning to Speck Pond we followed the Speck Pond Tr back up Mahoosuc Arm to finish redlining that trail, the took the May Cutoff again to the Mahoosuc Tr. This time we headed south descending the steep trail to the bottom of Mahoosuc Notch. Then it was over, under, around, and through the boulders. There were numerous patches of snow throughout and at one spot we made a small snowman in honor of and Sue and Earl. There was another patch of snow that we had to cross which was a bit sketchy as we did not know how firm it was or what may lie beneath it. We were all very happy to reach the junction of the Notch Tr. It took us just over 1:30 to make it through the notch. It probably would have taken a little less without Marlie, but what fun would that be? The Notch Tr was smooth sailing as it seemed to follow the remains of an old road. Great day with great company. Congats Matt of finishing up your ME 4Ks!
12.5 mi 4050' elev + 9hr 40 min |
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 | Name: |
IQuest |
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 | E-Mail: |
iandanner@hotmail com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2013-06-16 |
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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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