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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Old Speck Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Old Speck Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, January 3, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Designated lot off ME 26 is plowed to the pavement. Can hold 20+ cars. No toilet paper in privies at trailhead. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Snow/Ice - Postholes 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Snowed over.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Two large blowdowns at start of trail. Remaining few are step overs. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: No issues for dogs on this trail. 
Bugs
Bugs: One spider. Poor bugga was confused with the unseasonably warm temps! 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: In reading Frankenfoot’s report I now know the source of the trail obliterators. Grrrr... The trail started out as such a nice, compact snow sidewalk that then turned into a posthole massacre from the halfway point all the way to the top. I cry for the twisted ankles that are likely to ensue this weekend.

I habitually don snowshoes as I live in Maine and these are standard footwear for outdoor winter adventures*. Spikes are for slick or icy conditions and, according to my neighbor, for “city slicker sissies, ayugh!” (sorry, he’s a die-hard Mainer). Today was no exception. Snow is deep enough to warrant snowshoes, especially after the first 0.8 miles. Snow levels are alarmingly low. Maybe 8-10 inches up in the higher elevations. The blazes are still visible far above the snowpack. I’m not used to that... Kept jumping when these white blazes would pop out on trees. ;)

Unseasonably warm temps made snow wet and heavy as afternoon came. Trail was packed out from head to summit.

Oh- there are two ledge points on this trail. They pose no issue if you stay away from the sloping edges. From the evidence left in the snow, I noted that some brilliant human started walking out towards an edge and began sliding. Cause there’s ICE under the thin layer of snow. In Maine (and I assume elsewhere in the north), rock ledges get wet. Then freeze. This makes ice. Venturing out on ledges with steep drop offs in winter is dangerous. Spread the word...

*Moose are exempt from this standard.  
Name
Name: Remington34 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-01-03 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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