Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Sugarloaf Mountain, Spaulding Mountain, Mt. Abraham, ME |
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| Trails: |
Appalachian Trail, Sugarloaf Side Trail, Spaulding Side Trail, Mt. Abraham Trail, bushwhack, Caribou Valley Road |
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| Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 25, 2024 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Caribou Valley Road (Caribou Pond Road) is in okay shape. The distance from the road to the parking area is ~4 miles. At 2.5 miles in, you will find the worst washout. We had one person get out of the car and direct as we drove over/around it. Take it slow and you should be okay. We did see several people turn around. At the parking lot, we saw several Subarus, trucks, other SUVs, and even one sedan! |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
When we crossed the Carrabassett River in the morning, we had to wade through water up to our knees. It seems that later in the day a board/plank was added to make the crossing easier. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
LOTS of blowdowns between Spaulding lean-to and the Abraham spur. At times it was hard to find the trail again after walking around a blowdown. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
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| Bugs: |
Some mosquitoes and black flies, but they were not bothersome. We didn’t even use spray. |
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| Lost and Found: |
We picked up a poly tarp after the river crossing. |
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| Comments: |
A lovely day to work on the NE67! The initial water crossing was tough—we spent time trying to figure out the best place to cross, but ended up wading across right near the trail. The hardest mile of the day was heading up towards the Sugarloaf junction. See notes about blowdowns between Spaulding and Abraham above. Abraham was our favorite peak of the day—it was really cool to be on the exposed summit, snacking, airing out our feet. We even saw some blooming Diapensia! We decided to bushwhack down from the AT to Caribou Valley Road to avoid completely retracing our steps. On some online maps this bushwhack is called “Caribou Valley snowmobile pass.” From the AT, there are some flagging tape markers to help guide you through the trickiest sections. After the flags disappear, we just decided to continue down the mountain in one direction using a compass. Towards the bottom, you will encounter some mossy bogs that are easy to navigate around. When we reached Caribou Valley Road, there was running and standing water on trail, which we just blasted right through. The road walk was easy after this. LOTS of very fresh moose tracks—I am surprised we didn’t see one! |
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| Name: |
Remi & Ro |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-05-27 |
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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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