Also on this trip

Trails Used

Caribou Valley Road, AT, herd path

Trail Conditions

Notes

Two days in a row driving Caribou Valley Road-what a treat! Climb out of the valley is mellow until the pond Spur then it is straight up to the ridge- very steep but never too rough. After summitting South we found beginning of redington herd path marked by orange flagging tape and obvious corridor. Path is just like a lightly maintained trail-easy to follow and obvious. Just a tad overgrown spots and a few extra blowdowns. Second Out and back to North more straight forward on AT. Solid day two in Maine getting to 58,59, and 60/67 with the kiddos. Challenging and rugged hike-really great!

Parking

SUV or better recommended for CVR. Tons of potholes, rocks, washouts, culverts, etc. to navigate. No problem with clearance and going slow!

Wildlife

Not bad

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Ski trails, Sugarloaf side trail, AT, bushwack, herd path

Trail Conditions

Notes

After work overnight trip. Night of the 24th. Started up ski slopes around 645 pm after doing evening chores. Somewhat followed tote rd, but took some steep, more direct lines. Windy on the summit. Pre sunset glow was glorious. Got to Spaulding summit at the end on sunset, red glow through clouds with growing moon. A new view point has been cut at the summit sign looking ssw towards saddleback ridge. Very cool. Headlamp on to Spaulding tentsite arriving at 930 to a full shelter and several tents around. Hopefully I didn't wake anyone setting up my tent, but it sounded quiet. Maybe halfway down the climb from Spaulding, I crossed paths with a moose. It stood up as I passed, maybe 15-20 yards away. I saw the eyes and turned up my light. We looked at each other a few seconds then it took off into the woods. Very cool Thursday morning, up and out at 6. Whacked west to caribou pond snomo trail and headed to Redington. Moose moss morning = wet feet. Whee! The trail to south crocker was decent, usual overgrowth. Skipped the trip to NC because of time restrictions. Saw one NOBO at SC summit, and met a NOBO woman who had stayed at the Spaulding shelter also and I met again on SC as I descended. Walked down CVR then whacked/ road walk back to the loaf parking and back to work by 2. Fun trip, a lot more hikers at the shelter than I expected. I didn't stay long enough to ask if they were thru hiking. Figured I should use the old privy before the new one goes up this summer.

Parking

Parked at Sugarloaf resort

Water Crossings

I didn't cross the Carrabassett, but the thru hikers were making it over. No major crossings on my route

Wildlife

Some, breeze kept them away mostly

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Appalachian trail, Redington Bushwhack

Trail Conditions

Notes

Hiked in the rain so trail was wet with standing water, but overall pretty well maintained with blow downs cut up etc. Bushwhack to Redington was doable with another person's company looking for pink property markers on the trees and decent Verizon service so I could check a map along the way. Pretty well beat down, but still a bushwhack.

Parking

Caribou Pond Road is horrific. I have a lifted RAV4 with beefy tires. You have to be able to clear decent sized mud pits, 1 foot drops, and go over exposed plastic and metal culverts. Took half an hour to drive this road up to the yellow gate which leaves you a half mile hike in.

Water Crossings

Sugarloaf bridge is washed out and hanging on by a cable. Water was very high and brown. Not worth the risk of drowning so I doublebacked for the Crocker's.

Wildlife

It was raining so bugs were away 🙏

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Mt Abraham trail, Mt Abraham spur trail, Appalachian trail, Sugarloaf side trail, bushwhack

Trail Conditions

Notes

Spring wildflowers are blooming :) Trail was pretty dry, only a couple little muddy bits. Overall in very good shape after the winter. Water source at Spaulding is lovely, and the seep box halfway up sugarloaf was full. The unmaintained heard path over to Redington was, as promised, very unmaintained, but not terrible. Would have been more pleasant on a dry day I imagine. Met a young moose on the way down from Crocker.

Parking

Rapid Stream Rd is ROUGH. I took my low clearance sedan and that was a solid mistake. Don't do it unless you've got something high clearance. Park at the bottom and do the road walk. Oh also, the location of the trail head on Google maps is a lie. Gaia/Cal topo have the correct location.

Water Crossings

Plank bridge at South Branch carrabassett River is still there and sturdy enough

Wildlife

Mosquitos were out in force

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Bushwhack, Caribou Valley Road, Appalachian Trail, bushwhacks, snowmobile trails

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

The bushwhack from the golf course is short but no clear path could be followed. Snow was balling on snowshoes from the start, until just below S. Crocker summit. 4-6 in of fresh powder after that. Broke trail all day. The slide portion was steep and a little bit tricky, hard snow but no ice. The AT between SC and C is beautiful and smooth, easy to follow. Snow pack has already reduced, just fresh snow on the trees. The bushwhack from SC to dirt road is not a clear path, some flagging here and there but can’t rely on that. That was the most fun part for us! The start of the Redington bw is very well marked, and the way up is easy. Took us one hour up and down. It was a long walk out, at one point two snowmobiles came in so it made it a bit easier for us. Took us 11 hours for the 24km.

Parking

Sugarloaf golf course

Water Crossings

All main crossings have bridges

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Bushwhack, Caribou Valley Road, Appalachian Trail

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

The bushwhack from the golf course bridge to Caribou Valley Rd was discernable and fairly well packed (recommend eye protection). Caribou Valley Rd was also well packed and we used spikes for both the bushwhack and the road. We switched to snowshoes at the AT junction. They are highly recommended/necessary for the conditions today. The previous trail was mostly discernable and relatively easy to follow until we got to the top of the very steep section up to South Crocker. Here some drifting obscured the trail in a few place but some minor meandering discovered the previous path taken. After that, the trail curled around a few winter obstacles but was relatively easy to follow. The trail to North Crocker from South Crocker was easy to follow but there were many small trees clutching and grabbing at us, especially over the last third of a mile to the top of North. Back at South, there was a discernable path heading towards Redington but we decided our legs had had enough.

Parking

Sugarloaf gold course parking lot plowed with plenty of parking.

Water Crossings

Used the bridge from the Sugarloaf golf course road for the first one. First minor stream on the AT was bridged. Second had a snow bridge about 20 ft away. Didn't notice any others.