Blueberry Mountain - Stone House Trail - 4-19-2020

Hiking Trail Conditions Report
	Peaks	Blueberry Mountain, ME

	Trails:	Stone House Trail

	Date of Hike:	Sunday, April 19, 2020

	Parking/Access Road Notes:	Road to the summer trailhead is still muddy with patches of snow and ice but you can get to the summer trailhead. Some parked at the winter gate others along the road to the summer trailhead, summer trailhead lot has room for 3-4 cars. Lot was full with a number of cars parked alongside the road at the trailhead

	Surface Conditions:	Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Small Patches

	Recommended Equipment:

	Water Crossing Notes:	None of any size all easy rock hops

	Trail Maintenance Notes:	There is a limb down across the road leading to the trailhead easy enough to get around. There was a tree down with a branch blocking the trail a bit above the pool which we trimmed back, one other easy stepover as you start heading up the steeper section about 1/3 mile or so from the top.

	Dog-Related Notes:	Easy canine hike saw several out today.

	Bugs:	Planned ahead and brought deet but didn't see any out today.

	Lost and Found:	Found: one microspike on the look-out loop. We brought it back to the Summers trailhead.


	Comments:	A beautiful spring hike today with sun and nice temps. Trailhead is about 0.5 mile up the road from the summer trailhead and is signed. Trail is generally dry up to the spur to the pool about 0.5 in. Above this there are several stretches of mud and running water but nothing you really just can't walk through. Trail then dries out as you head up for about the last 0.5 mile. I guess It's been a while since we have been up Blueberry this way as upper section of the trail has been relocated - the prior trail which went up to the summit heading up more directly and a bit steeply has now been replaced by a section with lots of switchbacks and easy grades. There were spots where the trailbed was obscured with leaves but there was pink flagging to guide you along this section. It joins back with the old trail as you enter the pines. We ran across one patch of snow just below the top and a few patches on the look-out loop but nothing you just can't walk through. Views from the look-out loop were great as always. Blueberry ridge trail was dry at the junction heading towards speckled but there is still a lot of snow higher up on the peaks in Evans notch so I would still expect snow on trails heading up to Speckled.

	Name:	Brian from Maine

	E-Mail:	brobert1@maine.rr.com

	Date Submitted:	2020-04-19

	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.