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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Blueberry Mountain, Shell Pond, ME
Trails
Trails: White Cairn Trail, Blueberry Ledge Trail, Lookout Loop, Stone House Trail, Rattlesnake Pool Spur, Rattlesnake Gorge Spur, Shell Pond Trail, Shell Pond Loop Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, March 8, 2025
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Enough plowed parking for 2-3 cars about 0.3 mile in from Rt. 113 on Stone House Road. Road walk to the gate (summer trailhead) is about 0.8 mile. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment: Snowshoes 
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The crossing of Rattlesnake Brook no longer has a bridge. It is not wide, but it IS deep. I backtracked about 0.2 mile and found a safe crossing. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Lots of branches down from the wicked winds. I flicked a bunch off; a bunch remain. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs:  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Still high, blustery winds this morning so I continued hiking lower elevations. White Cairn Trail is fun and pretty. Snowshoe televators came in very handy on the steep, ledgy sections. Thankful for previous snowshoe tracks on Lookout Loop which would have otherwise been challenging to follow over Blueberry Mountain's south ledges. Spectacular views!

Descended Stone House Trail. Great flotation in snowshoes all day, sometimes approaching boilerplate status. One and only hiker encounter in 5 days at the junction of Rattlesnake Pool Spur. Also checked out impressive Rattlesnake Gorge.

Shell Pond Trail is confusing in the landing strip-Stone house area, but I eventually figured it out. I knew there was no longer a bridge across Rattlesnake Brook but had my Wiggy's Waders so was hopeful... Nope, not crossing that. It looked waist deep. Backtracked about 0.2 mile and found a safe crossing.

Did the out and back to Deer Hill Road, then finished up with Shell Pond Loop Trail and the road walk back to my car. 11.2 miles for the day.
 
Name
Name: Snowflea 
E-Mail
E-Mail:  
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2025-03-11 
Link
Link: https:// 
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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