| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Lapham Ledge, Moody Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Lapham Ledge Trail, JNJ Backcountry Trail, green-blazed spur trail, logging road, unnamed trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, December 17, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We were the first ones there at 7:45am. Mid-large sized gravel lot with room for over a dozen cars. Maybe a half dozen, if that, when we returned shortly past 11am. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Small creek on JNJ was easily crossable. Now, it could be much more difficult! |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Lapham Ledge Trail is blazed in lime green as is the spur trail to Rumford Avenue/Woodstock Elementary School. JNJ Backcountry Trail is blazed in red. Moody Mtn Spur Trail is blazed but I do not recall in what color. Buck's Ledge Trail is blazed in light blue. I'm not sure the logging road was blazed but if it was, I think it was blazed in blue. I do not recall any blowdowns. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
1st hike of the day. I redlined the loop described in the 11th ed of the guidebook earlier this year, but the 12th ed of the MMG described these trails much more elaborately so I returned with the CCC to redline the rest of them. We hiked up Lapham Ledge Trail (shown on the in-text map as "Lapham Loop Trail") to the ledge, continued along JNJ Backcountry Trail, did an OAB along the green-blazed spur trail to Woodstock Elementary School, completed an OAB along the logging road to its jct with Buck's Ledge Trail, and an OAB to Moody Mtn along the spur trail, and continued along JNJ to its end on Buck's Ledge Trail which we turned left on until a sharp left turn shortly before the logging road. Here, though not shown on the in-text map or described in the guidebook, is a new trail, signed "alternate trail to parking lot". Figuring it just cut the corner and rejoined the logging road, we took it but it did not rejoin and had some PUDS, so when it ran next to the logging road again, we just walked over to it and followed the logging road down instead. There was at least one other trail that diverged from this one not described in the guidebook as well.
Lapham Ledge Trail was mostly dry I think. But once we started descending the north side of Lapham's Ledge on JNJ, ice began to appear. We didn't bother putting on spikes, though it may have been worth it at the time. I imagine most/all snow/ice is gone after Monday's rain. Some wet/muddy spots along JNJ and the green-blazed spur around the drainage. Note that the guidebook requires you to go to the school (0.6mi away from the start of the trail) which is well beyond the end of the trail/road. The road ends by a house on Echo Ln. Walk down Echo Ln to Rumford Ave, and turn right and walk to the school for redlining purposes. There was also some snow/ice along the logging road between Buck's Ledge Trail and JNJ that was tricky but again we didn't put on spikes.
Gaia had us at about 6.25mi, roughly 1100ft of gain, and 3hr15min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney and the CCC |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-12-20 |
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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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