| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Saddleback Mountain (TB R11 WELS), ME |
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 | Trails: |
Logging road, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 7, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Merther Road off of Katahdin Iron Works Road is in relatively good shape, though there were a couple of rocks to avoid in a low-clearance car, like my Honda Accord. A major logging road branches off to the left at ~1,060'. Taking this road, I drove up past the gravel pit on the right to ~1,460'. Typically I consider myself quite adventurous when it comes to driving logging roads, however, I would NOT recommend this for low-clearance cars. In a several places it has a high, rocky center line, with a rocky narrow shoulder, so it is difficult to put one side on the raised center line. Additionally, the road was pretty soft in these places. There was much sketchy scraping of the underside of my car. I ended up driving back to the intersection with Merther Rd. and hiking from there. However, if you have a higher-clearance vehicle, you should be able to make it just around the SW end of the summit ridge to where the road trends to the NW at~1,920'. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
There were plenty of deer flies about. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I hiked up the logging road that wraps around SW end of the ridge to about 100 yards from the end of the road on the NW side, where it dips down at its end. It is just under 3.5 miles from Merther Rd. From there I bushwhacked to the summit ridge and up to the summit from the SW through relatively open woods. The jar is on the ground at the recognized highpoint. Do not miss the expansive views from ledges just off summit. I retraced my steps SW down summit ridge, then dropped South to towards a logging cut. It was mostly thick and steep. From the logged area, I reconnected to the road back to my car at the intersection with Merther Rd.
Highlight: I flushed out a large bull moose shortly before beginning bushwhack. |
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 | Name: |
Matt K. |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-07-08 |
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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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