| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Speckled Mountain (attempt), ME |
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 | Trails: |
Spruce Hill Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 2, 2015 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Rte 113 is now open - Parking at lot for East Royce trail with room for 10 cars, trailhead just across the street. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Significant, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The several crossings before the wilderness boundary were open and crossed on rocks, crossing below top of spruce hill had a snowbridge which given the nature of the snow we didn't trust, crossed at a spot just downstream |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Before wilderness sign one large stepover one large duckunder and a small tree at knee level at a spot just after a stream crossing that made it a challenge - Once the snow melts it will be waist high. After the wilderness sign up to spruce hill there were too many blowdowns and leaners to count - large and small stepovers, duck unders, clusters that obscured the trail we had to route around. It will take some work to clear them all out. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Normally an easy one but this day would have been quite a challenge |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Nalgene water bottle likely swallowed up by one of the blowdowns |
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 | Comments: |
Thought to take a different route up to Speckled but bit off a more than we could handle! Trail was largely clear with a few patches of snow, some running water and mud up to the wilderness boundary. After that the snow started in earnest, patchy at first but then almost solid cover still 3 feet deep in places. NO evidence of recent travel other than one postholing moose. Did lots of postholing - snowshoes may have given a bit more flotation but given the nature of the snow would still posthole and with the endless stream of blowdowns would have been quite a hindrance. Given the conditions we opted to turn around once we made the top of Spruce hill since the snow and blowdowns looked to continue past this point. I'd wait a while for the snow to melt out but the blowdowns will still be a barrier. |
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 | Name: |
Brian from Maine |
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 | E-Mail: |
brobert1@maine.rr.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2015-05-03 |
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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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