1SlowHiker
New member
Date of Hike: 5/14/13, Tuesday
Trail & Mts: Saddleback ski slopes to Saddleback, AT to The Horn.
Trail Conditions: Large sections of hard packed man-man snow still on the slopes, no snow on the sides of the ski trails, but muddy, better off on the snow. Dry with no snow on the higher parts of the AT , but still some sections of deep mono-rails in the valleys . Early in the day there was some surface ice on rocks, but melted into surface water by 10am.
Special equipment: The whole hike could be bare boots. I started bare boots but used spikes halfway up the slopes. Bare booted from top of slope for rest of hike with no problems. Poles with good tips help on some of the steeper rock faces on east side of SB (I was glad I just replaced my tips). Snow shoes definitely not needed.
Comments: Was a great day for my first Maine 4k. Very windy but clear on top of SB but it calmed down when I got to the Horn and was calm by the time I got back to SB. Moose tracks and skat all over the trails, even on the peak of Horn. Only post holes I saw in the snow was deep ones from a moose. Temps were 30-40 at first but it got up to 50 when I repeaked SB. Snow on trial up was hard and bumpy so didn’t really need traction. Chose to go down under the ski lift by then snow was soft on top and was able to boot slide a lot of it.
Trail & Mts: Saddleback ski slopes to Saddleback, AT to The Horn.
Trail Conditions: Large sections of hard packed man-man snow still on the slopes, no snow on the sides of the ski trails, but muddy, better off on the snow. Dry with no snow on the higher parts of the AT , but still some sections of deep mono-rails in the valleys . Early in the day there was some surface ice on rocks, but melted into surface water by 10am.
Special equipment: The whole hike could be bare boots. I started bare boots but used spikes halfway up the slopes. Bare booted from top of slope for rest of hike with no problems. Poles with good tips help on some of the steeper rock faces on east side of SB (I was glad I just replaced my tips). Snow shoes definitely not needed.
Comments: Was a great day for my first Maine 4k. Very windy but clear on top of SB but it calmed down when I got to the Horn and was calm by the time I got back to SB. Moose tracks and skat all over the trails, even on the peak of Horn. Only post holes I saw in the snow was deep ones from a moose. Temps were 30-40 at first but it got up to 50 when I repeaked SB. Snow on trial up was hard and bumpy so didn’t really need traction. Chose to go down under the ski lift by then snow was soft on top and was able to boot slide a lot of it.
