NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Old Speck Mountain, Baldpate Mountain - West Peak, Baldpate Mountain - East Peak, ME
Trails
Trails: Appalachian Trail, Grafton Loop Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, January 23, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Wish every parking lot in Maine/New Hampshire is as good as this. Lots of plowed space available 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Light Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Everything is bridged over or easy to hop over 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: The AT going up Old Speck and the AT going up Baldpate are in pretty similar shape. Bottom portions are more compacted and spikes would be fine but when getting into higher elevations the snow is softer, less packed down, and with the wind yesterday and today, drifted over. My tracks disappeared on both peaks within 20 minutes, even at times in the woods. Snowshoes will help the trail and yourself a lot.

The portion between West Peak and East Peak of Baldpate is completely exposed and one should not count on any kind of trail to follow. The snow isn't necessarily deep most of the time (parts are deep in the trees) and there are areas where it's slabs of rock with a coating of crunchy snow. Climbing the steep portion of West Peak was a lot easier than I anticipated; mostly that same kind of crunchy snow is covering all the rock and made going up pretty easy. The top doesn't have deep snow, many of the rocks can be seen. Due to the rime ice care should be taken to follow the cairns of which can be easily confused with fir trees at this point.

For anyone wondering, Eyebrow Trail had been hiked in the last couple days but not nearly as much as the AT. I was the first one up and down Old Speck so perhaps later in the day it was travelled more. The two trails leading to Table Rock have both been travelled with the lower (steep) trail not nearly as packed down as the higher up side trail.  
Name
Name: Ryan 
E-Mail
E-Mail: rk219@yahoo.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-01-24 
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