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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Albany Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Albany Mountain Trail, Albany Mountain Spur
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, May 12, 2023
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of parking at both trailheads. The dirt roads leading to the northern trailhead are all open and in good condition. The southern trailhead on Birch Road is accessible despite Route 5 being washed out a little to the east of the junction. It's easy to access from Lovell - accessing it from Stoneham or Bethel requires a detour around the washed-out area. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The crossing of Meadow Brook near the southern trailhead no longer has a bridge. I was able to find a place to rock-hop just to the right (looking north) of the trail. My boots got a little wet, but my feet were dry. This could be a difficult crossing in times of very high water though. All other crossings were easy one- or two-step rock hops. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: A few blowdowns, but none that were an impediment to travel. Much of the narrower old road part of the southern section of the trail was very wet and muddy; the newer, wider roads in the southern section were fine. There were signs at both trailheads as well as at the junction with the spur. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: They should be fine. 
Bugs
Bugs: They're out. They were worst in the southern section of the trail - the wet, muddy areas and streams here must provide good habitat for the bugs. The northern section and the spur were a little bit less buggy, but they were still there. Recommend good strong bug spray, and bringing a head net just in case is a good idea. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Nothing. 
 
Comments
Comments: I did this traverse from south to north. From the south, the trail is a wide old road for quite a while. There's an arrow where the trail bears left onto the older road that's really wet. Very careful foot placement is required in this section to avoid submerging a boot. The trail then briefly follows a much wider dirt road and then turns right off it - this turn was fairly clear to me. The climb up to the notch was moderate with a steep section, and the trail was easy for me to follow. The sharp right turn in the notch is also pretty obvious.

When turning onto the summit spur, you quickly get to an open ledgy area, and there's a side trail to the right that leads to an amazing view. The summit, however, has no sign (just a cairn that's larger than the other ones along the trail), and no real views. I looked for a herd path like what the WMG described, and didn't see one. The trail down the north side is in good shape and has had a lot of trail work done.

The WMG says this route should be 5.2 miles, but my Alltrails said it was 6 miles. Not sure why there was a discrepancy. Either way, it's not a particularly difficult hike. I enjoyed the redline.  
Name
Name: GN 
E-Mail
E-Mail: ghnaigles@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2023-05-12 
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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