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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Mt. Coe, South Brother, North Brother, Fort Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Marston Trail, South Brother, North Brother, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Friday, June 24, 2022
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes:  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: Baxter in late June. Black flies were thick 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Last report on Fort was a winter one so here is a 2022 summer look:

Herdpath is heavily grown in but followable if you keep your eyes low. Is definitely there. When heading off of North Brother and you come out of the first spruce section momentarily (you'll know what I mean if you walk it) the herdpath splits. Go to your left instead of straight (this will keep you at elevation for a few hundred feet). You will run into a cairn shortly and then dive back into the spruces to know you are on correct path.

Attempted to walk entire ridgeline of Fort (to ESE end) where there appeared to be a herdpath to start but loss all remnants of it at some point a hundred or so yards of where it appeared (from afar at least) to turn back into alpine zone. Didn't want to continue to fight the spruces so turned back....I suppose my exploring gene switched off at that point from a combo of the black flies and extremely thick spruce stand.

Coming off Fort on way back to North Brother had brief few moments re-finding herd path after descending the 'large bouldery' area at the edge of alpine zone and treeline. Was probably most difficult time I had route finding but was able to reset on proper route without pulling out GPS after a short backtrack.

Took me about 20-25 minutes walking time each way if I take out the ridgeline messing about and time spent sitting around the summit. Radio was cool to tap but not sure I'll go out of my way to get out there again unless with someone that is interested chalking up a hundred highest. Was a scratchy herdpath with better views IMO to be had from the towering nearby North Brother.

Marston Trail is a gem.....do a counter-clockwise loop of it if you haven't. You'll want to go back.  
Name
Name: EAKenRea 
E-Mail
E-Mail: benewfang@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2022-06-25 
Link
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/CfMLOEMAARx/ 
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.

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