None - Bickford Brook Trail - 12-22-2012 - NewEnglandTrailConditions.com

Hiking Trail Conditions Report
	Peaks	None, ME

	Trails:	Bickford Brook Trail

	Date of Hike:	Saturday, December 22, 2012

	Parking/Access Road Notes:	Parked at the plowed Cold River Campground Road off route 113 near the NH-ME line. Route 113 is not plowed north of the state line.

	Surface Conditions:	Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Standing/Running Water on Trail

	Recommended Equipment:	Snowshoes

	Water Crossing Notes:	There are a series of small brooks crossing the Bickford Brook Trail. Most are easilt stepped over. Two required using rocks which were not slippery today. Water levels were higher than normal due to recent precipitation.

	Trail Maintenance Notes:	Trail in good condition. Removed some small trees in path.

	Dog-Related Notes:	Plenty of water and gentle grades.

	Bugs:

	Lost and Found:


	Comments:	The walk was relatively easy on the unplowed section of route 113 to Brickett Place and also on the Bickford Brook Trail up to the lower junction with Blueberry Ridge Trail since other hikers had beat down the snow to that point. Uphill from the Blueberry Ridge Trail junction had not been used since the last snowfall. I broke trail in bare boots up to the Spruce Hill Trail junction. The snow was saturated with a good dose of water from rainfall on the snow. This made for a lot of resistance in the dense snow. Unfortunately the snow was not strong enough to bear my weight so I sunk in about a half a foot sometimes falling to underlying water. I wish I had brought my snowshoes. There are many places where running water on the trail resulted in stretches of trail with a wet soggy leaf surface. But for the most of the distance it was a snowy surface. Traction was not required. The only other hiker I met was when I was descending. The man from Stow ME was wearing snowshoes. He said the going was difficult even with the flotation. Although the surface conditions were not ideal it was still a pleasant hike with a light snow in the air much of the time.

	Name:	WAUMBEK

	E-Mail:	WAUMBEK at Roadrunner dot com

	Date Submitted:	2012-12-22

	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.