| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sugarloaf Mountain, Spaulding Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Appalachian Trail, Sugarloaf Side Trail, Spaulding Side Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, August 2, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Caribou Pond Road is mostly in decent shape, with some rough spots. Most cars should be OK if you take it easy. When I arrived at 7:40 AM Sunday, there were 8 cars in the parking lot, and 8 parked along the road. When I left at 5:00 PM, there were 4 in the lot and 4 along the road. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossing of South Branch Carrabassett River has a sturdy plank to walk across. Today the water was so low maybe it wasn't needed, but I was very glad the plank was there. Other stream crossings were trivial. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail is in good condition. Some sections could use brushing out, especially along the edge of the cirque going up to Sugarloaf. A few more blazes would be helpful, especially on the lower section. Even when the path is clearly visible, some white blazes would reassure that we are on the AT and not some side trail or herd path.
The summit sign on Spaulding says it is 3988 feet. Isn't Spaulding a 4000 footer now? Maybe the sign could be updated, if only to boost the fragile egos of us peak baggers. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Minimal, a few buzzing but not biting. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The first mile or so of the trail up to Sugarloaf has a long steep, rough stretch, with a few tricky rock scrambles. Take your time and look around for the best route. The obvious way is not always the safest. Ask me how I know. After that section, the rest of the trails are mostly moderate to easy. At least until you have to go back down the steep stretch.
The summit of Sugarloaf has a beautiful, panoramic view of surrounding mountains, if you don't mind all the cell towers, etc. Actually an interesting mix of hardware, with the antennas, helipad, ski lift, etc., but not exactly a wilderness experience. Spaulding summit is wooded, but there is a nice lookout to the north via a side path. There are some nice views to the side of the trail, along the cirque going up to Sugarloaf, and off the ridge over to Spaulding. |
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 | Name: |
GregM |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-08-03 |
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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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