| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Bubble, South Bubble, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Carriage road, Jordan Cliffs Trail, Deer Brook Trail, Jordan Pond Path, Bubbles Divide, Bubbles Trail, Jordan Pond Path |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 19, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lots of room at the Jordan Pond boat launch parking. If full, park at the Jordan Pond House lot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction, Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The only major crossing (on the Deer Brook Trail) had some icy rocks that required careful stepping. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A couple blowdowns on the eastern part of Jordan Pond Path, but no notable issues otherwise. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Not a good idea to take a dog on the Jordan Cliffs Trail. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The trail conditions generally followed the pattern of my hikes of Dorr Mountain, Cadillac Mountain, and the Beehive on 2/18- mostly ice and frozen granular snow, with more open, southern facing sections of trail having more bare ground. Jordan Cliffs Trail, though, not only had boatloads of ice on the trail itself, but there were lots of large chunks of ice falling from the tall cliffs above, making for a bit of a conundrum- if I hiked too fast, I risked slipping or overextending myself and falling down one of the steep drop-offs, but if I hiked too slow, I risked getting hit by falling ice. Fortunately, I made it through unscathed. That said, there's a reason the NPS website only mentions spring and fall as times of year to hike the Jordan Cliffs Trail, and I found out why today- admittedly not one of the smartest hiking decisions I made, but my gear thankfully served me well, and I now have a hell of story to tell!
Other than that icy, cliffy escapade on the Jordan Cliffs Trail, the rest of the hike was very smooth going with lots of sweeping views from the pond path and both North and South Bubble (and, to be frank, the Jordan Cliffs Trail too). Will never attempt JCT in winter ever again, but I would totally give it a whirl in dry summer-like conditions! |
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 | Name: |
Spencer |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-02-19 |
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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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