| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sugarloaf Mountain, Spaulding Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Appalachian Trail, Sugarloaf Side Trail, Spaulding Side Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, September 6, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lot by the gate was clean and clear. Access road (Caribou Pond road) was in passable shape. Not magnificent, but certainly passable. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The water crossing just after the trailhead has a lovely bridge (OK, it's just a simple board, but it's effective) and between that and the abundant rocks, your shoes will be high and dry. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Everything was in fine shape, not withstanding the mud. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Maine's state bird was mercifully held in abeyance. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Luckily, my new rain shell showed up the other day, because I started out the day needing both it and my rain cover. But the clouds parted by lunchtime, and the sun came out from time to time. It wasn't the most perfect day, but at least you could skip the sunscreen. I saw a lot of NOBO AT hikers on the trail, and they were thrilled that they were within about 200 miles of Katahdin. If that positive energy doesn't put a spring in your step, I don't know what does. Oddly, I saw a few SOBO-ers -- seems a bit late in the season, but what do I know? In any case, lots of smiles over those miles.
There were significant stretches of mud here and there, and they were unavoidable without blasting through the vegetation on either side of the trail. My strategy was to look up that kid I left behind when I finished fourth grade -- the one who thought mud puddles were the greatest thing -- and after that, the mud almost became fun. Other than that, the trails were in great shape overall. Blazes, when needed, were apparent. Trails are being well maintained.
I highly recommend taking the extra steps to any available outlook. The views, even with the thick clouds, were superlative. One of my favorites was of the river slowly carving out the cirque on the north side. And by the end of the day, you could almost see Mt Washington, which was pretty amazing. 10/10, would do again. About the only downside was the four hour drive just to get up there. We've put men on the moon -- can't we put those mountains a bit closer to me?!
Blog post with pictures will be forthcoming in the next day or so. Stay tuned. |
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 | Name: |
Protean Wanderer |
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 | E-Mail: |
hiker@proteanwanderer.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-09-06 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.proteanwanderer.com |
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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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