Also on this trip

Trails Used

Marston Trail, Bushwhack

Trail Conditions

Notes

When you get up at 1:30am to head to Baxter, you know it's going to be an amazing day and it was. Our crew met up and headed into the park at 7am. The Marston trail is beautiful and the footing is soft and so nice. There were some wet areas along the way but it wasn't really wet until that last .8 miles to the summit of North Brother. There was water running down the trail there with some areas of mud and slick rocks. Once we were above that stretch, the rocks were dry and grippy. The bushwhack to Fort is tight in many places but if you can push through the trees you can usually find a footbed. There were slick roots and holes along the way which Steve called out as we moved along. Every so often we would reach an area that was less dense and there was great cheering. The climb up to Fort has one rock that is tricky to get up. We approached it from the left and used a tree for assistance. The quote of the day came from that spot and we laughed over that for the rest of the hike. This was another episode in the Thag and Uki show and we loved having Rachel join us. Huge thanks to Steve for agreeing to join me for this one and driving and supplying us all with snacks and entertainment. We will be back again this winter. Or so he keeps telling me.

Parking

Steve drove and his truck was great on the tote road. The road is rough in spots but not bad at all. We were the first vehicles in the lot and when we returned there were only 2 others. It's a large lot so there is plenty of room. There is an outhouse on site.

Water Crossings

All were easy rock hops

Wildlife

Nonexistent in the morning down low. They were bad and biting at both summits and lingered as we descended. We were surprised that they were hanging around so late.

Trails Used

Marston Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Wife and kiddos were super eager and ready with me at 4:30AM to hike after yesterday’s Katahdin journey:) After scraping the crew together out of the tent we drove through the park and were only car at trailhead. Light cool rain felt great for parts of ascent. Steep above the pond and summit cone very rough and steep. Lots of mellow hiking in between with beautiful scenery. Wonderful summit views where sun came out for awhile. Clouded up last half of descent and rain started a few moments after we got to truck. Opened up with wind and rain on drive back to Roaring Brook Campground. Frantically packed up camp and bailed on last night with potential severe weather. Great two days of hiking in BSP can’t wait to go back!

Water Crossings

Lots of easy little hops

Wildlife

Came out on the descent after rain stopped and sun came out

Trails Used

Williams Pond Road, Tote Road, Marston Trail

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Great Baxter trip with a wide variety of conditions. Went in Friday on Williams Pond on about an inch of hard packed sleet pulling a pulk sled. Remarkably little snow for March. Snowed an inch overnight, Tote Road still has plenty of snow on it and is easily bare bootable. Spiked Marston from the trail head all the way up to the sign at the bottom of the North Brother spur. Switched to snowshoes for the spur, wore them going down until the first steep pitch going down to the pond, spikes after that to the road. Williams Pond out Sunday was a cruiser with 3 inches of fresh snow on top of the sleet. Note that steep south facing slopes above the pond have 2-3 inches of snow on hard ice in places from the warm up last week, I took a couple pretty good diggers coming down due to dull microspikes. With the rain coming in tomorrow, Williams Pond Rd is likely to lose all of the sleet and snow currently on it. Chatted with two folks Friday night who had done the Brothers and Coe that day, they reported spiking to the North Brother summit, then snowshoed over to South Brother and Coe. Congratulations to Ben for completing his Winter Hundred Highest.

Parking

Borrowed a friends truck to get into Williams Pond Rd parking, however I wouldn't have had much trouble in a small SUV. Ruts not terrible yet on Golden and Telos Roads, potholes numerous on Golden Rd.

Water Crossings

All well bridged or easy to step over.

Wildlife

Two or three flying raisins observed once the Nesowadnehunk Cozy Cabin warmed up.