| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Dorr Mountain , ME |
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 | Trails: |
Ladder Trail, Kane Path, Canon Brook Trail, Dorr South Ridge Trail, Cadillac - Dorr Connector, A. Murray Young Path, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, December 27, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Same as previous hike: large dirt area to park off the side of the road, a short ways south of The Tarn. Just a few other cars there but room for many. I can’t imagine this gets plowed so I imagine you’d have to park roadside in winter. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Black, Wet Trail, Ice - Blue, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
I forgot to mention in my previous report that there is a crossing with stepping stones at the start of Ladder Trail. It was easily crossed. On this hike, there are also crossings on A. Murray Young Path and Canon Brook Trail as it ascends to The Featherbed. All were easily negotiable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I believe all trails were blazed in blue, if they were blazed. I recall not seeing any of much blaze on Kane Path, at least as it entered/exited the talus field and was a bit ambiguous. Parts of Canon Brook and A. Murray Young Path could be obscure and perhaps use a little more blazing as well. 5-10min above the memorial plaque on A. Murray Young Trail, there was a small blowdown you could walk over, then about 5min after that there’s another, larger blowdown, that you can go around to the side of the trail. Ideally, both should be taken care of. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I’d be cautious with the current icy conditions but most hiking dogs should be okay. The talus field on Kane Path could be rough on their paws, but it’s pretty small. Canon Brook Trail and A. Murray Young Trail have some rougher sections as well but nothing is really call scrambling. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
2nd hike of the day after redlining all the steeper trails on the east side of the mountain. After a short break in the car to change and refuel we hiked the following route: Ladder Trail —> Kane Path south —> OAB on easternmost section of Canon Brook Trail to Rt 3 —> Canon Brook Trail —> Dorr South Ridge Trail —> Cadillac - Dorr Connector —> A. Murray Young Path —> OAB on Canon Brook Trail west to The Featherbed —> Canon Brook Trail and Kane Path east and north back to Ladder Trail and parking.
This section of Kane Path is rougher and more obscure than the others as it goes through a talus field. The OAB on the easternmost section of Canon Brook Trail was quick and easy. It does not have all the twists and turns in it that are shown on Gaia. Dorr South Ridge Trail is a steady moderate grade. Overall, I’d say it’s a bit steeper than many of the ridge trails in Acadia that are usually relatively easy-moderate. The summit was socked in of course but we enjoyed it nonetheless. The Cadillac - Dorr Connector is steep but not too bad as a descent. A. Murray Young Path was cool. It was much more rugged than most trails here and had more of a White Mountains sort of feel to it. Nothing really scrambly just steep at times and with rougher footing. The OAB along Canon Brook Trail from A. Murray Young Path to The Featherbed was also a bit more challenging as it was steeper. Also, up until now, we’d seen some ice but it was both avoidable and minimal as far as I recall. On this trail, it became more of an issue at times and we actually threw on the microspikes for one brief stretch as the trail approached the ledges and crossed the stream. In addition to the ice, the ledge was just wet so additional caution was exercised. On the way back down, we just whacked down the north side of the brook for a tenth or two of a mile maybe to avoid some of the ice. The woods were open but steep and with occasionally rough footing. You maybe have better luck on the south side of the trail but it was really okay. With above freezing temps, there was also water on the trails and mud.
Gaia had us at 7.25mi, 1900ft of gain, and 3hr45min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney and the CCC |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-01-05 |
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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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