NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks East Kennebago Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Logging roads, boundary swath, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, January 25, 2025
Parking/Access Road Notes
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. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None 
Trail Maintenance Notes
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. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Lots of moose in here, know the limits of your recall discipline. 
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
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.  
Name
Name: Khiggs 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2025-01-26 
Link
Link: https:// 
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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved