| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Crocker Mountain, South Crocker Mountain, Mt. Redington, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Golf cart path, bushwhacks, Caribou Valley Road, Appalachian Trail, herd paths, logging roads |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 9, 2011 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Appalchian Trail lot on Route 16 not plowed. Caribou Valley Road (Caribou Pond Road) not plowed, but room for maybe 4-6 cars plowed at beginning of it. Instead of those, we parked near a pump house near Hole 11 at the golf course. Steep, narrow road to get to it, but plowed (4WD a good idea). Easier parking available near clubhouse. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Golf cart path has bridge over South Branch Carrabasset River. Minor brook crossing (ice bridges available) later in that bushwhack to CVR. Minor crossings on Appalachian Trail hoppable but open (barely flowing). |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail obstructing blowdowns just east of South Crocker and just south of Crocker. A few minor ones on old logging road to Redington. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dogs may not like walking over the steel grate bridge on CVR. Snowmobile traffic active on CVR, so dogs may want to be kept close by or on leash for that portion. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Bushwhacked to the CVR from the Sugarloaf golf course. Considered going higher up for a shorter bushwhack (and shorter CVR walk), but South Branch wasn't fully frozen over, so decided to go with bridge crossing. From where we parked to AT crossing (via golf cart road, bushwhack, and CVR starting at mile 3) took 1 hour (vs. 4.5 mile CVR walk from Route 16). Maybe 1-3" of packed frozen granular and ice with some bare spots on CVR - bootable with light traction or snowshoeable. Appalachain Trail to South Crocker was a virtual sidewalk from thaw and refreeze, though the cirque section had exposed rock and ice. South Crocker viewpoint recently recleared (socked in, so nothing to see today). Not as heavily travelled from South Crocker to North Crocker, but firm and broken out nonetheless. From South Crocker to Redington, we tried to follow the herd path, but 1-2' of snow makes it hard to follow and, in some places, not worthwhile due to upper level brush. Thusly our tracks meander a bit, but drop into the clearcut before the logging road (snowmobile tracks, connecting to CVR) anyway. From col logging road, attempted to follow bootleg trail, but lost it in the upper elevations...instead connected to logging road-fourwheeler road path (broken out by snowshoes up high, skis down low, frozen granular) to summit. Couldn't get canister open. Took fourwheeler path-logging roads back down...lots of exposed ground in the lower south facing sections prior to reaching pond area junction. |
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 | Name: |
rocket21 |
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 | E-Mail: |
rocket21 at franklinwebpublishing dot com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2011-01-09 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos/Maine/crockermtn-2011-0109.php |
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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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