NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Old Speck Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Old Speck Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, April 19, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parking lot is plowed. Almost full due to many hikers parking there to access Table Mountain - only saw about 6 groups hiking Old Speck. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow - Spring Snow 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes, Traction 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: First 2 crossings were unbridged but easily crossable. Upper crossings were all snow-bridged. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: One large tree blowdown about waist-high across trail close to the start. Climbed over no problem. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw 3 dogs + I brought mine. All were having a great time in the snow and spring air! Kaia (Doberman) had no issues with the trail conditions and didn't need her jacket due to the warm temps. 
Bugs
Bugs: A few slow-moving mosquitos at the lower elevations. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Beautiful spring day out in the Mahoosuc range! I wore Hillsound trail crampons until after the 2nd stream crossing (a few tenths from the parking lot) then switched to snowshoes. I preferred my MSR Lightning Ascents for added traction and a fast ascent/descent in the slippery, soft spring snow. No one else was wearing snowshoes so the trail is clearly doable without them but it would be a lot smoother if people wore them. There were numerous post holes and the trail was fairly lumpy all the way. There were a couple patches of exposed blue ice on a few steep scrambles but they were doable with traction. A few more warm days and this trail is going to degrade really fast...

The fire tower is in great shape with a sturdy ladder to the top. The platform afforded great views into Maine and the snow-covered Presidentials New Hampshire!

 
Name
Name: Jessica Holland 
E-Mail
E-Mail: joflyer22 at gmail 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-04-20 
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.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved