| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Saddleback Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Saddleback Uphill Trail, Appalachian Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 8, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the resort - uphill access "opens" at 7, so was the first one in the lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
Was hoping to hit Saddleback and the Horn. Not knowing what shape the AT is in from Route 4 in, and given how bad trail conditions have been so far this year, I opted for the Saddleback uphill route instead to make it a 7 miler instead of a 14. I bought and uphill pass online ($15) beforehand.
Except for at the very start, the uphill route is well signed and easy to follow. Just stay to the far right when you start heading up the slopes and you should see the skin track heading into the woods. After that, just follow the signs.
The trail was well packed all the way to the top, but I definitely needed showshoes (they also request no bare-booting). After getting to the top of the ski trails though and heading out towards the summit, it's a different story. The half mile up to the summit is pretty hard, frozen snow, but makes for fast snowshoeing. Once I hit Saddleback summit though, there is a lot of deep drifts, particularly on the leeward side.
I started heading towards the Horn, but winds were much stronger than forecasted and the blowing spindrift made for very poor visibility. There was no discernible tracks and it was not broken out at all. Given the wind and conditions, I left the Horn for another day. |
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 | Name: |
dr.gstjohn |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-01-09 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.instagram.com/p/CnKvCpoJaun/ |
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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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