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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Abraham, ME
Trails
Trails: Fire Warden's Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The gravel Rapid Stream Road is not up to the standards of the WMNF forest roads. Nevertheless, the road is passable for all vehicles with care and low speeds. One section of the road is precariously close the the stream channel. Hopefully, the stream bank is reinforced to avoid a collapse of the roadway during torrential rainfall. Turn off route 27 in Kingfield by Jordan Lumber on West Kingfield Road (paved). Follow until it turns to gravel. Continue on to Rapid Stream Road. Just before reaching the bridge crossing there is a sign on a tree pointing left for Mt Abram. Go over the two bridges that span the two river channels. Turn immediately right after crossing the second bridge and drive about a half a mile to the parking area. The bridges are in good condition. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: There is a series of small brooks. All were easy to cross today on rocks. Some rocks were mossy. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Trail in good condition. A few downed trees across the trail were easy to step over. The limbs had been cut. The blow downs are primarily near the beginning of the trail. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Fine for dogs 
Bugs
Bugs: A few bugs but not troublesome. Beware of an underground wasp nest by the trail below the campsite. One youngster was stung on the leg. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: It had been nearly 24 years since I hiked Mt Abraham and almost 28 years since walking the Firewarden's Trail. The trail is gentle or moderate grade up to the campsite with a crossing of one forest road on the way. The camp site has a privy and a fire pit. Thereafter, the trail climbs at a steeper grade and finishes over open alpine and scrub evergreens to the open summit. This stretch would be difficult in poor weather. There are cairns marking the way above the tree line. From the summit one can easily walk over to an adjacent area by some tall cairns where there are excellent views to the southeast over the entire Abraham range with extensive alpine terrain. It would seem that an excellent ridge trail could be built across this range and then down a ridge to the trailhead that would make a fine loop trip. There may be good reasons that this route has not been created (alpine preservation, cost, difficult topography).
Most of the other hikers were from Maine including a family from New Gloucester with two sons. There were two men from MA & NH one of whom was planning to complete his NE67 today over Abraham, Spaulding, and Sugarloaf.
Excellent views from the summit of all of the 4K peaks in northwest Maine.  
Name
Name: WAUMBEK 
E-Mail
E-Mail: waumbek@roadrunner.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-07-07 
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.

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