Paradox
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- May 29, 2006
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Rory (SonofGrumpyGran), Laura, Zippy, and I spotted a car at the condos at Sugarloaf USA. We then drove to Kingfield and in the West Kingfield Road until we did not feel comfortable crossing a logging road bridge with our low clearance vehicle. There is a small (5 car) parking area just before the bridge. We road hiked in the .6 miles to the Fire Warden's Trailhead. The trail rises as an easy grade for the first 3.3 miles through some rather muddy areas, with many blowdowns to the Fire Warden's cabin. The trail turns left, rises rather steeply, and emerges from the woods onto a talus field at 4.1 miles. It is another .5 miles to the summit. The summit is open with an enticing view to the open Southeast Ridge of Abraham.
After many pictures and lunch we headed to the AT via the Mt. Abraham Side Trail which is in excellent shape. We met up with a pair of AT trail maintainers about .1 miles from the summit (the only folks we encountered, all day.) We turned right at the AT and it was another mile to the Spaulding leanto. Water is available a few feet to the East of the AT near the leanto. It was a very warm day with temps in the mid-eighties. I was carrying 2.5 liters of water and Zippy had 1 liter. It was a good thing we found the brook at the leanto in good order.
On to Spaulding for some summit pictures at the sign.
We then headed for Sugarloaf. I had considered an alternate route to the AT from Caribou Pond Road using logging roads. The location I had considered to bushwhack to on the AT was a miserable collection of thick young spruce and krumholtz. Very glad I did not try that.
A viewpoint just a few feet East of the AT near the Sugarloaf side trail junction yielded some of the nicest views of the day. At the AT junction the trail rises moderately to the summit of Sugarloaf. We had little breeze all day but it was quite windy on top cooling us down nicely.
At this point Zippy was appearing a bit limpy and upon examining her feet, two of her pads had sores on them. I had to carry her down a dirt road for a bit. Carrying 75 pounds of dog for 200 feet is not easy. Once on the grassy ski slopes I had to set her down and she had an easier time of it. It was a good thing Rory had brought along a trail map for the Ski area as it made it much easier to pick our way down the mountain.
GPS track, waypoints, and photographs at Wikiloc.
After many pictures and lunch we headed to the AT via the Mt. Abraham Side Trail which is in excellent shape. We met up with a pair of AT trail maintainers about .1 miles from the summit (the only folks we encountered, all day.) We turned right at the AT and it was another mile to the Spaulding leanto. Water is available a few feet to the East of the AT near the leanto. It was a very warm day with temps in the mid-eighties. I was carrying 2.5 liters of water and Zippy had 1 liter. It was a good thing we found the brook at the leanto in good order.
On to Spaulding for some summit pictures at the sign.
We then headed for Sugarloaf. I had considered an alternate route to the AT from Caribou Pond Road using logging roads. The location I had considered to bushwhack to on the AT was a miserable collection of thick young spruce and krumholtz. Very glad I did not try that.
A viewpoint just a few feet East of the AT near the Sugarloaf side trail junction yielded some of the nicest views of the day. At the AT junction the trail rises moderately to the summit of Sugarloaf. We had little breeze all day but it was quite windy on top cooling us down nicely.
At this point Zippy was appearing a bit limpy and upon examining her feet, two of her pads had sores on them. I had to carry her down a dirt road for a bit. Carrying 75 pounds of dog for 200 feet is not easy. Once on the grassy ski slopes I had to set her down and she had an easier time of it. It was a good thing Rory had brought along a trail map for the Ski area as it made it much easier to pick our way down the mountain.
GPS track, waypoints, and photographs at Wikiloc.
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