| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sugarloaf Mountain, Spaulding Mountain, Mt. Abraham, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Bushwhack, Caribou Valley Road, Appalachian Trail, Sugarloaf Side Trail, Spaulding Side Trail, Mt. Abraham Trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, March 3, 2024 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the Sugarloaf GF lot to start the trip. Plenty of room. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Parts of the AT are sparsely blazed or the blazes are faint and could use a refresh. some blowdowns forced a go around or over. signage at the Spaulding Mtn spur off the AT |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None |
|
 | Bugs: |
Cool seeing all the snow fleas in depressions |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
Found a Nalgene bottle labeled "ADK 46" in a thermal sock on the AT near Spaulding mtn |
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 | Comments: |
We started our trip on Saturday (3/2) at the Sugarloaf GC lot and took the bushwack from the 11th tee to Caribou Valley Road to snowmobile tracks that led to the start of the bushwack to Spaulding Mtn Lean-to. Two well prepared ladies left just before us at the lot heading in the same direction to the AT where they were hitting Crocker and Reddington. We joined them through the bushwack and their turn off CVR. Conditions were frozen and firm and we bare booted until near the start of the bushwack to the lean-to. Rain fell overnight and continued as a light drizzle to misty precipitation throughout our hike Sunday. Starting from the lean-to, we headed north to Spaulding and eventually Sugarloaf and back. Conditions were wet but manageable as long as we kept moving. We were on snowshoes all day. Trail conditions were clear to Spaulding but became somewhat diffuse in sections between Spaulding and Sugarloaf with blowdowns that forced a go around. After Sugarloaf, we backtracked to the lean-to for a short food break then headed to Abraham for our last objective of the day. A shorth distance from the lean-to, the AT was somewhat difficult to follow but we were able to stay on or find the trail and reach Abraham for our only brief views of the day. We were cursing the presence of deep postholes on trail approaching Abraham but soon realized they were moose tracks. The last scramble up to Abraham was a fine test for the new MSRs with televators that replace my 20 yr old Denalis. Our 3 peak day lasted 9 hrs and was another epic in our growing list of epic hikes. Our hike back Monday was an awesome cruise on snowshoes the entire way due to the changing (i.e., warming) conditions, and we had nice views Sugarloaf, Spaulding and the Bigelows. |
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 | Name: |
paul |
|
 | E-Mail: |
pknapik65@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-03-05 |
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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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