NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Sugarloaf Mountain, Spaulding Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Ski trails, Sugarloaf Side Trail, Appalachian Trail, Spaulding Side Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, December 29, 2019
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parked at the Sugarloaf Base Lodge.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No crossings.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A number of blowdowns along the AT between Sugarloaf and Spaulding - easy to go around them now. Things could get a little more tricky with more snow.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: No dogs are allowed on the ski trails.  
Bugs
Bugs: None.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing.  
 
Comments
Comments: We did this one as an out-and-back from the ski area. After buying the uphill pass ($10 each) and making it about a mile up the designated route we got stopped by the Ski Patrol and were told we could only go as high as Bullwinkle’s Bistro. Uphill access beyond that point wasn’t allowed. We (politely) pleaded our case and were ready to turn around when the Ski Patrol employee said “let me make a call”. The result - uphill access was granted with certain very easy to comply with provisions (use Timberline, stay to the right, call Ski Patrol when done).

The lower route (Windrow) wasn’t open and there had been no snowmaking. There was enough snow (with a little ice) to use snowshoes up to Bullwinkle’s. The upper route (Timberline) wasn’t open but there was a ton of snow. They had been making it for days but haven’t groomed it so there were huge mounds. The trail from Sugarloaf to Spaulding had been packed out by friends a couple of days earlier and was easy to navigate. We still used snowshoes (they provided great traction and the heel lifts were awesome) but there wasn’t much soft snow to contend with.  
Name
Name: Michael and Monica 
E-Mail
E-Mail: michaelfblair@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2019-12-29 
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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved