Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Number 4 Mountain, Baker Mountain, ME |
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| Trails: |
Number 4 Mountain Trail, Baker Mountain Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Monday, June 14, 2021 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I accessed the trailhead following excellent signage heading from Greenville towards the village of Kokadjo. The trailhead is several miles in on a gravel/dirt road. Most cars should be fine if the road is respected and taken slow. Yield to logging trucks. This is mandatory as these trails are accessed through lands owned by Weyerhaeuser. Parking is a small lot (3-4 cars) PAST the trailhead. Everyone smartly parked in the lot today. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
No crossings |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Many new blow downs on Baker mountain trail. Most obscure the path presenting obstacles that have to be climbed over, through, under or around. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
The trails are DRY. No water at all. Great trails for dogs. |
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| Bugs: |
Down low you will be eaten alive unless you run. Up high the winds blasted those blood suckers to Canada. Bug dope only encourages them to bite... |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
Route:
Number 4 Mountain Trail > Baker Trail and back the way I came.
Number 4: very well blazed in blue. Very well defined footbed. Well maintained. Super fun, quick, 1.8 mile hike to a good view on clear days. Surprisingly 5 people on the summit when I was returning from Baker.
Baker Mtn trail: finished around 2015, this newer trail is a very pretty hike through the woods for experienced hikers. According to the map it's 4.8 miles from Number 4 summit to Baker summit. This is a lightly travelled trail and care is needed in places to stay on trail. The first 1.5 miles or so are VERY well blazed in blue. I was rockin' nd rollin' through this section. Though the footbed is lightly used, I was able to follow the trail through numerous sections of dense, overgrown vegetation. Then BAM! The blazes simply stop. The next section had me questioning if I was on trail or not. It looked so much like a boundary swath that I really wasn't sure. But then I'd go through a part that was most certainly a trail. This, in turn, was followed by another part that looked like a boundary swath and not a trail. It was moderately simple to follow, though, so I pushed on confident that I could turn around and find my way out. After all this I stumble upon a sign at the junction with a snowmobile trail. The wooden, engraved sign said "Baker Mtn 2.1 miles." I walked for about 40 feet up the snowmobile trail and encountered another sign facing the opposite direction that read "No. 4 Min 2.6 miles." At this sign another footpath appeared on the right, going into the woods. I assumed I was to follow this. And so I did for maybe another mile. Then I came upon 4 powder blue splotches on trees followed immediately by red diamonds nailed to trees. I saw more red diamonds and guessed that I was to follow these. That was correct. The red diamonds led me all the way to Baker's summit carin and canister. I was grateful these markings were present. There were a couple of areas where I wouldn't have known where to go. No views on Baker's summit but some nice views of Katahdin from old cuts when climbing towards the top.
There was NO water at all. Prepare.
Though this is a very lightly used trail, experienced hikers will have no issue following it (especially with the help of blazes and markers). It is super pretty and not difficult. I did the 14 miles round trip in 6 hours. So not too rough at all. |
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| Name: |
Remington34 |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-06-14 |
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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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