Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Bigelow Mountain - Avery Peak, ME |
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| Trails: |
Stratton Brook Pond Road, Fire Warden’s Trail, Appalachian Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, January 26, 2021 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at plowed AT lot on Rt. 27. Keep in mind that there is a lot of snowmobile traffic on Stratton Pond Rd when walking in. |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
One or two minor creeks that are still open. |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lots of blowdowns on lower FWT. Horns Pond trail looks like it hasn't seen traffic in a while. |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
None today. Would be a struggle up high for even the hardest mountain pooch. |
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| Bugs: |
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| Lost and Found: |
One Nike sneaker at the Stratton Brook trailhead. Maybe the Lafayette trail runners have moved to new ground? |
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| Comments: |
Tired of trails that have been packed to a paved sidewalk, well the Bigelows are for you. The bottom portion of the AT/FWT was nice and solid at 0730. Bare boots until past all the blowdowns. Once the trail started to climb I switched to snowshoes. As you climb higher the snow becomes increasingly unconsolidated and deeper as the trail gets steeper. I've done the whole AT loop in summer and I think I used less energy doing the whole loop as I did getting to the ridge today. Just before you top out at Avery campsite the trail becomes windswept, drifted, and disappears. The AT itself is incredibly drifted. I had plans to do the whole ridge and come down Horns Pond trail but my trip to Avery peak made me think twice about a solo journey. I sank up to my hips in spots with my snowshoes. Every step I took made me think that a spruce trap could potentially eat me if I slipped off trail, so I decided that I should retreat in the interests of self preservation.
I think that if I had a partner to break trail up high it would be a lot more manageable trip. Please everyone continue using snowshoes even in the lower elevations. If I did it again I would go up Horns Pond first and work my way to Avery. |
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| Name: |
Seth |
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| E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-27 |
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| Link: |
https:// |
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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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