| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Snow Mountain (Chain of Ponds), ME |
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 | Trails: |
Logging roads, old fire warden's trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, November 14, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at a dirt pull-off about five miles down North Rd, which is off ME route 27 about nine miles from the center of Eustis. A mile marker and a brightly colored sign posted by the Penobscot Indian Nation are just beyond the parking area. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All of them had wooden bridges over them |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The old warden's trail from Snow Mountain Pond to the summit doesn't appear to be officially maintained (although there is intermittent orange flagging), so keep your eyes on the trail/surroundings. Some sections of it are easy to follow, others aren't as easy. The logging roads themselves are easy to follow, but it can be a bit of a maze with the active roads criss-crossing the inactive ones, so again, watch where you're hiking. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The route up Snow Mountain is in the AMC Maine Mountain Guide, but it doesn't appear to see any official maintenance, and markings are few and far between. Definitely study the route and maps of the mountain before heading out.
The sky was overcast with snow showers the entire hike, with patchy snow down low and more consistent coverage near and at the summmit. Even so, snow depths were never more than an inch or two, so definitely not snowshoe material (yet). I found light traction helpful on the steep sections of the old warden's trail, particularly the wet, snowy scramble up and around the boulder overhang. The summit was socked in, so I didn't bother climbing the fire tower skeleton- it was coated in rime ice anyway, so it definitely wouldn't be worth clambering up the rime-coated ladder to get views of grey. Still a nice, peaceful hike in Maine's remote north woods, which was the perfect antidote to the holiday season craziness at work lately. |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-11-14 |
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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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