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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Quaggy Jo Mountain - South Peak, Quaggy Jo Mountain - North Peak, ME
Trails
Trails: Spur Trail, road walk, South Peak Trail, Notch Trail, Ridge Trail, North Peak Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, November 20, 2022
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The road into the campground is blocked off and unplowed so you’ll be parking at what I eventually gathered the guidebook calls the day-use lot. It had not been plowed since last nights and today’s minor snow flurries so had an inch or so of snow to plow through. I’d recommend snow tired or AWD to ensure you don’t get stuck. Otherwise, maybe park just before the (open) gate at the parks entrance? Roads in are paved.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Notch Trail crosses the stream that drains the notch between north and south peak. Both crossings are bridged. The stream is very small anyway.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: I believe all the trails needed for redlining are blazed in blue whereas other trails in the park are blazed in lime green except for one weird section of Notch Trail where the like green continues along it for a ways for seemingly no reason. There were small blowdowns on Notch Trail and Ridge Trail. Some paths going around them in the snow. Nothing major but there were actually several. Trails appeared to be blazed relatively well though with blazes on rock scrambles rather than on trees on South Peak Trail, it could be difficult knowing which way to scramble up.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Not sure I’d recommend this time of the year with the snow covered scrambles on Sputh Peak Trail and the fact that they have to be leashed in the park. Not the best combination of things. Also, note that hunting is allowed in season in the park (no weapons discharged within 300ft of any trail, campsite, parking lot, etc.) except for Sundays.  
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: 2nd redline of the day after Mars Hill. This was easier to find/follow but also involved the craziness of awkward OABs that comes with the territory of redlining. Not sure if anyone really will find this helpful but my way of covering everything was…

OAB on very short “spur” described within North Peak Trails trail description (I guess not technically needed for redlining since it’s not given with a distance) from parking area, road walk in to campground, south peak trail, OAB on Notch Trail, South Peak Trail to summit and short view spur, Ridge Trail, OAB on spur trail to toilet just beyond lean-to and around where Gaia incorrectly shows the summit of North Peak - not needed for redlining, Ridge Trail to summit of North Peak, back to and down North Peak Trail all the way to the campground, walked back along road. Some of this felt silly but wanted to make sure I had everything I needed. All trails needed for redlining are shown on Gaia. You’ll be along the Nature Trail or whatever it’s called at times too. Most confusing is when Notch Trail intersects a like green blazed trail. I later realized this was one of their snowshoes trails shown on a map somewhere (not needed for redlining). What’s odd is that Notch Trail continues to have both colored blazes even after the snowshoe trail leaves it.

Other than a short seepage on Notch Trail, everything is snow covered. Not enough snow for snowshoes yet in my opinion though I did not old snowshoe tracks including on steep South Peak Trail. Trails were broken out but not consideliated by bareboot traffic. You were generally sinking a few inches. I’m guessing somewhere around 1/2ft of snow off trail along the ridge. I never put the spikes on. Didn’t seem to be much ice. Just powder. That said, I’d carry them. I forgot to mention snow conditions on Mars Hill in my previous trail report: they were the same.

Nice views from the summits and lean-to along the ridgeline. Seems like a good redline to do in winter since the park is open year around and seems to get traffic. South Peak Trail is steep and a bit scrambly though. I didn’t really notice the first scramble described at 0.25mi. That was just steep. The one at 0.35 or 0.45min felt like more of a scramble to me. Little/no ice just wet rock and had to watch and rest your foot placement a little. Could be treacherous (ice axe and crampons??) if real icy. Gaia had me at 3 1/3mi with 1000ft of gain, taking me 2hrs to complete.  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney 
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2022-11-20 
Link
Link: https:// 
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