Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
East Kennebago Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Logging roads, boundary swath, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 25, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The logging roads were actively plowed for 1 mile off the main road. There had been enough traffic that I could drive another 2 miles up on the snowpacked roads towards the "summer trailhead"; I ended up parking about 1 mile short of that. I made it up in a Subaru with proper winter tires, which was fine, but also close to the limit of what I'd want to drive with that combo. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There seems to be a lot of blowdown all around the last leg of this hike, where normally there is a fairly distinguishable herd path. I could not follow any sort of herd path for all the snow-covered blowdown. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Lots of moose in here, know the limits of your recall discipline. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
On the logging roads and boundary line, there really isn't deep snow cover; however, once you make the final turn towards the summit, the snow gets significantly deeper, and is covering up some deep spruce traps. There were TONS of moose tracks everywhere as I followed the logging roads up from where I parked, especially past the viewpoint at the end of the maintained road. Eventually I saw some fresh tracks from that morning and soon saw their makers off in the trees. The turnoff for the boundary line was very obvious with a marked post, and was easy to follow until just short of the turnoff for the rumored herd path. Near there, I heard a snort, and looked up right into the face of a big bull moose who was just as surprised to see me as I him. Apparently he was more scared than I was, because he did classic Scooby Doo run away from me. As noted, I could never make heads/tails of the herd path up from the boundary line; I mostly followed the bull's tracks on/off all the way to the summit. I followed his tracks more completely on the way back down, because he had avoided some particularly devious sections of blowdown I'd struggled through on the way up. |
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 | Name: |
Khiggs |
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 | E-Mail: |
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 | Date Submitted: |
2025-01-26 |
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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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