| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Big Bald Peak, Pleasant Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Bald Peak Trail, Fire Wardens Trail, Ledges Trail, road walk |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 14, 2012 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parkes at ledges trailhead - plowed out spot for 5-6 cars - one car when I got there in afternoon |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow - Drifts, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
one minor crossing on bald peak easily done |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails in great shape - bald peak trail above junction with Sue's way before bald peak could use a few blazes in spots - lost trail |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Ledges a great canine hike up to pleasant - unbroken bald peak trail above junction with Sue's way might slow the canines down |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
A nice little loop - parked at ledges trailhead and did the road walk to bald peak trailhead. Prior traffic on Bald Peak trailhead up to junction with Sue's path provided packed conditions with a bit of loose powder which was easily navigated.
At junction with Sue's path - most headed on Sue's path over to ski slopes. Up the steeps towards Bald Peak, prior traffic gave out about 100 yards up the trail - missed a turn here and ended up bushwacking through open woods for about 1/4 mile until I found the trail again below the Bald Peak ledges - so at point where you see a single set of footprints heading to the left avoid following. Bald Peak trail was unbroken once I reacquired. Hard crust over 4 to 6 inches of powder with a few deeper drifts, a few places where there was ice under the snow on the ledges - had one nasty slip even with traction - wore boots with traction but in this stretch snowshoes probably would have worked - unfortunately forgot them in the car - fortunately trail was easy to follow with blue blazes and red flagging from Bald Peak over to Pleasant though it took a while breaking it out by myself - once I hit Fire wardens found broken out trail; Ledges trail was a joy headig down - nicely packed out. Saw a great sunset from Pleasant along with 3 others other than that 4 on Bald Peak trail - all heading to go back down the ski slopes via Sue's way. |
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 | Name: |
Brian from Maine |
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 | E-Mail: |
brobert1@maine.rr.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2012-01-14 |
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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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