| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Blueberry Mountain, Speckled Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Bickford Brook Trail, Blueberry Ridge Trail, Outlook Loop, Route 113 |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked in the plowed area at the Cold Brook Campground entrance. The gate on route 113 at the Maine border is closed for the season. It appeared that a truck drove in to Brickett Place to perform maintenance. The closed section of route 113 was bare pavement or compressed snow. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Spring Snow, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossed Bickford Brook on the Blueberry Ridge Trail just downstream of the trail crossing by jumping from ledge to ledge. There was an ice shelf adjacent to the landing ledge, so I wore microspikes. There was also a crossing possible just upstream from the trail crossing by jumping across brook from rock to rock.
The drainage ditches on the Bickford Brook Trail were using a stride or jump from bank to bank. There was one crossing that I used some rocks in the stream. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Many tree falls on the Bickford Brook Trail that are not too difficult to get by. The trees may or may not be removed as most of the hike is in a wilderness area. Not many blazes but there are many cairns on the Blueberry Ridge Trail and the Bickford Brook pathway is obvious. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Fine for dogs although the ice flows on the Blueberry Ridge Tail may be a problem for some dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
A few flying insects. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I bare booted until I got to Bickford Brook where I wore the microspikes as traction up the steep icy area on the Blueberry Ridge Trail between the brook and the first open ledges prior to reaching Blueberry Mountain. Traction and care are required in this section. A combination of bare rock, snow, and puddles on the Outlook Loop. Nice southerly views from Blueberry Mountain. The walk on Blueberry Ridge reflected the transition season; rock, puddles, and crunchy snow. Today was cool enough to allow passage without snowshoes up past the ledges. Thereafter, I used snowshoes on the upper portions of the Blueberry Ridge Trail and Bickford Brook Trail. There were moose postholes up to a couple of feet deep on the final ascent section of the Bickford Brook Trail. There were human postholes downhill from the junction with the Spruce Hill Trail. I was able to avoid the holes while wearing my snowshoes. Further downhill on the Bickford Brook Trail there were alternating sections of trail with bare ground and snow.
Good views from the ledges on the Blueberry Ridge Trail and at the summit of Speckled Mountain. |
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 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
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 | E-Mail: |
waumbek@roadrunner.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-03-23 |
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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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