| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Tumbledown Mountain, Little Jackson Mountain, Jackson Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Parker Ridge Trail, Tumbledown Mountain Trail, herd paths, Little Jackson Trail, Jackson Mountain Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, May 23, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Morgan Road is in good shape |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All easily hoppable |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Official trails are well maintained and marked, although eroded from overuse. There is a maze of herd paths on these mountains and you have to know which way that you're going at intersections, but they're otherwise pretty easy to follow |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Very few |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The plan for today was to hit all of the summits of Tumbledown and then go over Little Jackson, but, as often happens, it turned into something more.
I was the first car in the lot at the end of Morgan Road. It was a quick ascent up the Parker Ridge Trail, which is likely the most scenic way up Tumbledown. However, it is still unfortunately impacted by extreme overuse. When I reached the pond, I started by following the Tumbledown Mountain Trail to West Peak, before taking the herd path which led to the main summit.
After spending a bit of time at the top, I followed the herd path up to Little Jackson and its 360 degree views. At this point, it was only 10:00, so I decided to add two more objectives to the hike. The first was the north peak of Little Jackson which can be reached via a herd path through the alpine zone and has an old weather station on it. The north peak offered more great views and a unique perspective on Little Jackson and Tumbledown.
From there, it was on to the final objective of the day, Jackson Mountain. It was a quick hike up to the top, where I lay in the sun on the helipad before descending the Little Jackson Trail back to my car.
It was just about perfect hiking weather, although it was quite cold and windy above treeline. I passed two people, one near the outlet of Tumbledown Pond, and one in the col between the Jacksons who was doing the same hike I was doing, but in the opposite direction. Other than those people, I had the trails all to myself. This hike was a great way to visit all of the peaks on the Jacksons and Tumbledown! |
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 | Name: |
Sam Shirley |
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 | E-Mail: |
newenglandskier13@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-05-23 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/MaineHiking/permalink/2572600812882297/ |
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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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