| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Ice Caves (Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area), ME |
|
 | Trails: |
Ice Caves Trail, Cliff-Top View Spur, Ice Caves Spur |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 14, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Small parking area with room for maybe a half dozen cars at the end of the unnamed road. One other when I arrived shortly past 3pm and one other when I returned shortly before 5pm. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
I don't believe there were any. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I don't recall there being any blowdowns. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
They couldn't go down into the caves and I'd be real careful with them around the cliff-top view but beyond those things, I think it's a fine trail for dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
I think they were out but not too bad. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
The trail is blazed in light blue and I believe was blazed fairly well and was easy enough to follow. I don't recall there being any blowdowns. All jcts with the spur trails were clearly signed.
3rd day in Millinocket. Second hike of the day after redlining the AT to Rainbow Mtn. The footing along the trail is a bit rough and it, generally speaking, climbs gently, then descends, more steeply, to the lake. The scenic outlook was nice and was clearly signed and easy to follow. Watch pets and children in this area as the drop offs could kill you. The spur to the ice caves was also clearly signed and easy to follow though I wasn't aware just how intense it would be to get down to them. This is certainly a step above The Subway and similar trails in the Whites. There are handrails and rope so it's very doable if you have the height, but you do descend, vertically, down into a cave. If you fell, it could be a big issue. I do not recommend this for children, the inexperienced, or those with mobility issues. If you really want to explore down there, especially if it's not in the middle of summer, you may wish to bring microspikes too. It was super cool though and the drastic temperature difference no more than a few dozen feet away blew me away. 80s above ground and cold enough below ground that I could see my breath. Slightly obscure but well marked trail from here down to the lake where two people had kayaked across to access the ice caves. Much quicker return trip without visiting the spurs and I was back at the car before I knew it. Gaia had me at 2.75mi, about 425ft of gain, 1hr23min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-07-15 |
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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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