| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Bigelow Mountain - Avery Peak, Bigelow Mountain - West Peak, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Stratton Brook Pond Road, Fire Wardens Trail, Bigelow Range Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, March 18, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked in makeshift pull off area off Stratton Brook Pond Rd, just off ME 16/27 in Carabassett Valley. This is a dirt road that was muddy and slushy today. Any vehicle would be fine so long as you test the soil before parking. It is quite soft right now. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No water crossings present issues on these trails, regardless of water levels. There is a lovely human made bridge to cross Stratton Pond. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dogs should be fine. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Route:
Roadwalk on Stratton Brook Pond rd (a snowmobile trail in winter) > Fire Warden’s Trail > AT to Avery Peak then back to West Peak > then back the way we came.
Stratton Brook Pond rd: well packed by snowmobiles. Any footwear would be fine. Well maybe not Converse sneakers…
Fire Warden’s Trail: well blazed in blue, well maintained. Soft, slippery, spring snow from start to end. There is a firm footbed, but it meanders and is narrow. It’s hell to stay on without snowshoes. So spikes just don’t work as the firmness changes every few feet. There are icy sections in the upper, very steep portions. We managed just fine in snowshoes for the entire trail. But we live in Maine, this is how it is in March. Two young males from Vermont totally tore up the trail with postholes as they were in spikes for the duration of their hike. No snowshoes on their packs either. So, if you’re looking for a good game of “Posthole Dodgeball,” this is your trail.
AT: blazed in standard white blazes. No supplemental carins above tree line. These were not needed as the above tree line trail to Avery peak was snow free save for one large drift. We barebooted from tree line to summit. The path to West Peak is still covered in snow, but the summit was bare rock. Snowshoes stayed on above tree line to West Peak. All signs up, legible. Postholes all over the place. Met another Mainer on the way up to Avery Peak. She too had snowshoes on her feet. Huh. I guess when in Rome…
This report is likely useless with impending rain. I caution that the steep portions of Fire Warden’s may require serious traction in the upcoming days. But, you never know. Sometimes it just melts after rain as these steeps are in direct sunlight, sometimes it freezes over into a hard glaze. There are plenty of surrounding woods to make alternate routes for snowshoe clad adventurers. We accidentally butt slid down a lot of the steep sections as the snow was so soft and slick that we just couldn’t stay upright. There was rushing water heard underneath several sections of Fire Warden’s. With the impending rain, this will likely undermine the packed trail making for rough going in any footwear.
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 | Name: |
Remington34 |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-03-18 |
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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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