Best routes to Sugarloaf/Spaulding, Abraham

[Mohamed Ellozy]

I will be in the Stratton area this coming weekend and need some advice on best routes. For Sugarloaf and Spaulding, would you recommend an up and down by the AT, or a loop (up the ski slopes, down the AT) or an up and down by the ski slopes? I gather that Caribou Valley Road is plowed almost to the AT crossing.

For Abraham, should we do it from the Kingfield side, or is it preferable to approach it from Barnjum, where I have heard they are logging? How clear (or obscure!!) are the logging roads from that side?

Hope to meet some Gatherers on the trails this weekend!

On my two previous trips to the area we had temps way below zero. This weekend the weather appears positively balmy.

 

[king tut]

I would say for sugarloaf and spaulding, it might be best to go up from the cvr and then ski the trails down to the lodge at the end of the day. I'm not too sure if the carrabassett is frozen yet where you cross it from the cvr. I would not want to come down the trail into the valley at the end of the w/out knowing what it is like. Once you get on the ridgeline of sugarloaf after the initial mile or so up from the valley, the trail is pretty tame over to spaulding.

I would think that the road into abraham would be plowed most of the way, i think some people live out there. I have never hiked it from the other side of the valley, but the odds of that side being plowed are probably pretty low. I could be wrong though.

 

[weatherman]

For Abe, the road in from Kingfield (past Jordan Lumber) is typically plowed about to the first trailhead, and perhaps to the second. Quite straightforward, though there are a couple turns that you need to take note of (I imagine the MMG has directions). We did it last year in a couple of cars and a pickup, in conditions similar to now. I only hope for you guys that it doesn't rain too much/freeze. Probably want to bring crampons and consider an ax for the short but steep snowfield above "treeline".

 

[cushetunk]

For Abe, the road in from Kingfield (past Jordan Lumber) is typically plowed about to the first trailhead, and perhaps to the second.

I can't claim that I have visited Abe in winter with any frequency--last winter trip was in 2000--but I thought the road from Kingfield was usually only plowed to the last house (3 miles from the first trailhead). Have I been thinking wrong? Is there cutting going on? Should I climb Abe this year and save myself six miles of easy skiing?

Hope you have a good trip, Mohamed.

 

[audrey]

Mohamed,

Since it sounds like getting into Caribou Valley will be a piece of cake this weekend, you could bushwhack up to the AT near Spaulding leanto from the loop road. That's what Pat and I did this summer with Little Bear. We walked about 10 minutes from the T-junction and found a path (cairn at the start, then a few more further in) that was quite good for about 15 minutes. It petered out (or we lost it) for about 10 minutes, and then the woods were open for the rest of the short hike that put us some distance above the leanto. Spaulding and Abraham are within reach from there. We only did Spaulding that day because a thunderstorm descended on us. The bushwhack was very easy, unlike the hellhike we did a few years ago (2 hours from the leanto to the CVR).

 

[hikerfast]

sugarloaf and spaulding

i went straight up the ski slopes over the top of the loaf, on to spaulding, then back the same way.

 

[hikerfast]

middle abraham

is middle abraham still on the list? when we did that..we took the usual trail to the cabin, up abraham. we heard the ridge to middle abraham was a mess of krummholtz, so we went down to the right(wrong side in my opinion, away from cars and safety) and found a logging road going parallel to the ridge. we started up towards middle, found a slide we ascended, and came right out at middle peak. then we whacked straight down the slope to our tracks on the trail going in. took 12 hours in deep snow. it was -13 with winds so hard we crawled across middle abraham, which is open peak. beautiful views up there.

 

[dms]

hikerfast, I totally agree with you that Middle Abe is a fantastic peak, I did it in 1990 in the same way as you did. I thought the route worked out ok, it took us about the same time as you, in almost the same wind and snow conditions. It's no longer on the NEHH list, it's now no. 107, but it is a 3k peak and worth doing anyway!