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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Bigelow Mountain (Avery Peak), ME
Trails
Trails: Fire Warden's Trail, Appalachian Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Thursday, January 14, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The summer trailhead is NOT accessible by FWD car. I don't think any cars are supposed to be on the Stratton Brook Rd in winter. Sign said no motorized travel except snowmobiles about 0.75 miles in. I tried to drive down it until I nearly got stuck, then backed out to the Pond Loop Rd and snowshoed in from there. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Traction, Ice Axe 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Multiple stream crossings on this trail. Tricky with the freshly fallen snow and my choice of wearing snowshoes. As most people break in the trail, I think it won't be a problem. I broke trail after the storm on Tuesday, so it was tricky to tell where people had stepped before. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Trails seem to be in pretty good order. A few smaller blowdowns. The summit sign of Avery Peak was not attached to the post and was sitting on the summit cairn. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: Thankfully no bugs this time of year :) 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: I saw a glove on the Stratton Brook Pond Rd roughly 0.6 miles in hanging on a tree on the right. (Before a steep hill) 
 
Comments
Comments: I got a semi-late start because of the driving in and getting stuck fiasco, about 9:45am. Temps around 10°F. Snowmobiles had broken the trail from my parking spot for about 3 miles. I broke trail from there to the summit along the Fire Warden Trail. Snowshoes for the majority of the time. I wore the snowshoes until it was too steep for them - roughly where the rock steps are in summer if I'm not mistaken. Snow was 4-6 inches deep, more in some drifted areas. Switched to crampons for the remainder of the ascent, left snowshoes along the trail. Much easier with crampons at this point, and snow was deeper, maybe closer to 8".

The trail from the col (jct. with the AT) to Avery Peak was very challenging to negotiate. Highly drifted snow meant it varied from an icy crust to chest deep snow at times. The talus section was treacherous because it was hard to see where the holes between them were. (Luckily I didn't fall in!) Once above tree line, there was an icy crust with intermittent heavy drifts. Hard to see where the trail was, though I had clear skies and could see the summit post. Time up was 5hr 50min.

Descent was quick but still tricky due to steepness. I took off crampons at the col and slid down until the privy a mile down. Then snowshoes till I got to the snowmobile-broken trail, and bare-booted from there to the car. Time down was 3hr 30min. It was dark for a bit, but no problem following the trail with a headlamp.  
Name
Name: Nathan Hillman 
E-Mail
E-Mail: njhcomposer@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-01-15 
Link
Link: https://peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=611142 
Bookmark and Share 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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