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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Flagstaff Hut, ME
Trails
Trails: Trailhead spur, Shore Trail, Beaver Trail, Maine Hut Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, April 28, 2023
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: If you look at Gaia, it’ll look like the easiest way to get to this trailhead, and others, is from Carrabasset via Carriage Rd but this is a private gated road. Glad I happened to walk along it when hiking to Poplar Hut; otherwise, I probably would’ve tried to get in that way and wasted a lot of time. You’ve got to drive in Long Falls Dam Rd as the guidebook describes for the AT southbound over Little Bigelow. The guidebook does not give driving directions to this trailhead. Long Falls Dam Rd is paved and it must be plowed a long ways in at least in winter. Whether it gets plowed this entire way, I don’t know. There’s a large dirt lot at the trailhead with a bathroom with no toilet paper. I was the only car there when I arrived and left.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Small Patches 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: I don’t recall any.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: I don’t recall if the spur trails or Beaver Trail was marked. Shore Trail was blazed in blue and had blue diamond “Maine Hits and Trails” markers on it. I think the spur trail from the trailhead and Maine Hut Trail were marked with white diamonds instead. In any case, trails were easy to follow except where Beaver Trail turned off a road and Maine Hut Trail intersects with other roads. More blaze, arrows, or signage good do good here but what signage there was was intact. There are a myriad of blowdowns on Shore Trail. This trail definitely needs spring cleanup. Many were small and could easily be taken care of but some are larger and many of them are difficult to get around. One large blowdown on Beaver Trail that you’ve got to go around. There may have been a couple blowdowns on Maine Hut Trail, I don’t recall, but if there were they were certainly few and far between compared to Shore Trail. There was also a lot of surveyors tape on Shore Trail and a hit in some other places as well like Beaver Trail.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Good trails for dogs.  
Bugs
Bugs: Some things flying around maybe but not biting.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: First hike of the day. The spur trail to the Maine Hut Trail (MHT) and Shore Trail is a narrow, muddy path between grass that descends gently to the jct. Shore Trail has great views but is a bit of a pain at the moment with all the blowdowns. I loved hearing the loons on Flagstaff Lake! The trail crosses over some other roads once or twice. Beaver Trail is signed. Spooked some ducks at the marsh. The marsh was nice but palls in comparison to Flagstaff Lake. Not long after Beaver Trail, you’ll pass by the hut and a path leads to it but the true trail continues ahead to the spur with the vista of Flagstaff Lake. Some beautiful birches in here. The spur trail was signed and easy to follow. The trail then swings back toward the hut and its end at the intersection with MHT. No one appeared to be at the hut and a sign said it closed to day visitors and for private guests only. I then followed MHT back to my car. It intersects with other roads and signs do not indicate how to continue and there aren’t always trail markers here; nonetheless it’s usually relatively clear which way the trail continues.

There were just a few patches of snow on trail and a bit more off trail. Gaia had me at 5.25mi with 100ft of gain, taking me 2hr15min to complete.  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney 
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2023-04-30 
Link
Link: https:// 
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