| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Burnt Meadow Mountain - North Peak, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Burnt Meadow Mountain Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, December 23, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot is NOT plowed, and parking is NOT possible on the road shoulder. I parked at the parking area for a boat launch 0.4 miles north along 160. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Drifts, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Several oak duck-unders that will try to poke out your eyes. Watch out! Someone needs to bring a pair of clippers... |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Ellie had a great time. No water is available, so bring it. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
I was surprised that the parking lot wasn't plowed. See parking notes above. The roadwalk added 0.8 miles round trip, not bad. There were only a couple tracks at the trailhead, and I was concerned that I would have to break trail. Fortunately the trail was already broken and the snowshoes mostly got a free ride. Microspikes were the way to go, although it wasn't too bony for snowshoes (other than the scramble below the summit). 6" of snow down low, with +18" at the summit with deeper drifts. The postholes were knee-deep and confined to the deep snow at the summit. This is a fun trail, probably the most rugged in Southern Maine outside of the White Mountains. Coming up the ridge and seeing the summit and scramble looming above you is pretty neat. Too bad there isn't a northward view.
The plan was to ascend the North Peak and then return via the Twin Brook Trail. At the lower junction, there was a set of ski tracks heading along the planned return route, so I figured I was all set. At the summit I followed obvious ski tracks that I figured would lead me along the trail. This was not the case. I figured out that it was a skin track, and then whomever was skiing down the north side of the mountain through open woods. I had dropped about 200' before I figured it out. I decided to traverse side-slope to the trail, but the powder was quite deep. I was sinking ~15" despite wearing 25" snowshoes, I did not have gaiters, and my dog was having some trouble with it. I quickly gave up completing the loop, and backtracked to the summit and went down the way I ascended. Expect most, if not all, of the snow below the summit area to melt during the upcoming storm. Don't expect the snow bank blocking parking area to melt away, but maybe it'll melt enough to drive over... I expect ice flows to form during the weekend. |
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 | Name: |
Tom and Ellie |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-12-23 |
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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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