| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mosquito Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Mosquito Mountain Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, July 28, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Small parking area just as described in the guidebook. Look for the red paw. I don’t think there was a trailhead but there’s a sign a short ways in. Troutdale Rd is narrow as the guidebook describes but is not too rough at all as there’s many houses along it. Many potholes filed with water and such but low clearance should be fine. I was the only car there around 8:45am. One other at 11am. Room for 3-4 cars before you’d have to get “creative”. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None really though there was some running water through the powerline swath. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail is primarily marked with red blaze in the shape of a bear paw like the guidebook mentions at the parking area. It looks a little old but is still quite visible. There is also lots is surveyors tape. Mostly orange down low, some blue up higher, and some yellow that seemed to mark some newer reroutes up high. I didn’t find the trail hard to follow although the various herd paths and reroutes up high may be confusing. There’s also a few cairns along the ledges. There’s several blowdowns. Most of them are in the last 1/4mi to the summit in between the summit and the spur to the overlook. One is a large uprooted tree and there’s another next to it that is easy enough to step over if you’re tall on the ascent but is more difficult to climb over on the return trip. Someone also unfortunately used the hole created by the uprooted tree to relieve themselves and left the toilet paper… I believe there were three other blowdowns in this section that were learners/widow makers and one step over or crawl under I believe. These were all a bit smaller than the large uprooted one and the other big one right next to it. All of them had been at least partially delimbed so were quite passable. There were some blowdowns down low too which included a small cluster of learners/widow makers (these may have been on the overlook spur), and at least two stepovers one of which was trivial, the other of which wasn’t too difficult to get over. Sign a short way in that said Mosquito Mtn and sign for the overlook spur were intact. The trail is overgrown in places and could be significantly trimmed back in a few spots. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Most hiking dogs would probably be able to handle the minor rock scrambling and ledge involved. |
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 | Bugs: |
I don’t think they were too bad. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
First hike of the day. I’d hoped for some more Maine 4ks or a Grafton Loop East traverse but between not having a car spot, so much rain the day before, etc. I settled for some smaller stuff.
The woods were still surprisingly wet at 9am so I got soaked going through the powerline cut and such. The trail is travelled well enough but is rather overgrown in spots so I was perpetually wet though it was finally drying out when I returned around noon. One of the two roads you turn left onto near the start, then quickly turn right off of and onto the trail as described in the guidebook, is VERY muddy and it’s easy enough to not realize the right turn off of it as you’re focusing on trying to not get a wet foot. Beyond this very wet and muddy area down low, I don’t think the mud was too crazy. The trail starts off gradual but becomes both steeper and rougher as the guidebook indicates. Definitely some real erosion too. The spur at about 2000ft has an old sign and isn’t hard to find. Beautiful views from the ledges and there’s a register here as well.
The climb up to the true summit along the ledge was nice. Definitely a lot of herd paths and different ways to go along with some reroutes so watch where you’re going though. Nice summit sign and terrific views! Lots of photos were taken here ;) 3-3.25mi, 1200ft of gain, 2hrs. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-07-31 |
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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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