Caribou Pond Area Question? Or two ...

I've never been in the area and will probably be doing some dayhikes into the mountains around the valley. I've got pretty good beta for a Road to Redington to the Crockers loop (can always use more input for that ).

Question is about the roads I see on the map that semi-circle the pond.

Does the road run distinct all the way to the pond, as shown on the maps?

Is there a maze of other roads that are not on any of the maps?

Has anyone done a loop up the AT to Sugarloaf/Spaulding/Abe and then bushwhacked from the col below Spaulding (near the campsite) down to the road? Just curious how the terrain is, private land issues, river crossings, logging, all that good stuff.

Anyways, thanks and all thoughts, opinions, and ideas are welcome!

Doc McPeak said:

I've never been in the area and will probably be doing some dayhikes into the mountains around the valley. I've got pretty good beta for a Road to Redington to the Crockers loop (can always use more input for that ).

Question is about the roads I see on the map that semi-circle the pond.

Does the road run distinct all the way to the pond, as shown on the maps?

Is there a maze of other roads that are not on any of the maps?

Has anyone done a loop up the AT to Sugarloaf/Spaulding/Abe and then bushwhacked from the col below Spaulding (near the campsite) down to the road? Just curious how the terrain is, private land issues, river crossings, logging, all that good stuff.

Anyways, thanks and all thoughts, opinions, and ideas are welcome!

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Mohamed's website has as good a description of the route to Redington as you'll ever get. In JUly we drove only as far as the bridge that's after the metal bridge and parked just 5-10 minutes walk from the AT crossing. You may be braver.

The circle road runs very close to the pond, and there are other roads leading off it. The current USGS topo should give you an idea of them. Delorme tends to erase the roads once they start to fill in, which is a shame. Old editions of the atlas would serve better than the latest. Last time we walked the loop, we found meadows full of bog orchids, orange hawkweed in huge swaths, and little fish in pools and brooks along the way.

One road leads in from the south and is apparently passable - a couple of years ago we met a guy on a dirt bike who had ridden in to the valley.

There are no river crossings to worry about, as there's a bridge (at the pond outlet).

Three years ago we whacked down from the leanto and didn't find a whisper of a path or road - one of the toughest whacks I've ever done! But last year, we located a cairn (on the circle road) and a path that took us part of the way up and then through open woods to the AT well up on Spaulding. The cairn was less than 10 minutes walk from the bridge.

You can also take advantage of a path to Middle Redington which you can find if you keep heading on roads towards it. The last section ends in a clearing, take a right through a thicker section, and you ought to find the path. Harley Lee (the windpower guy) owns some of the land, though there are no indications of private property. The military has posted No Access signs near the top, but I don't think the summit is restricted. The ledges at the top are the best vantage point in the area. We always see moose grazing below when we're up there.

Hope this helps. You will love it!

I agree that Mohamed's directions are good to Redington. From the log book on Redington it sounds as if some had an ok time going between S. Crocker and some had a hell of a whack. Beautiful area. Tons of berries on the way to Redington.
We only drove the Honda to the metal bridge. No one had driven further the day we were there. 4wd could definitely go further.

There’s some good info in the two links below.

The first has a recent description of the condition of Caribou Valley Road. In the second, Askus3 mentions the route from the AT down to Caribou Pond as starting at the Abraham spur trail (scroll to his last comment).

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=13643

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12063&page=2&pp=10&highlight=black+nubble

Hi Doc,

whacking down to the pond from the AT is pretty easy. There are a lot of skid trails that head along the fall line. If you start on the AT a little ways before you head uphill to Spaulding Mtn. proper, you'll find an easy time of it down to the pond. You'll first go through some medium-dnesity softwoods and after a couple hundred yards, you'll break out into some 5-10 year-old skid trails. The spot to start is just before the AT takes a distinct 90-degree turn to the east. The CVR does go all the way to the pond. When you whack down to the pond, you'll head right (north) on the road and round the pond to the north side where the main road heads northerly still and takes you out towards the AT crossing between Crockers and the Loaf.

good luck!

oh, and don't worry about landowner issues there. It's private forest doing the public good and perfectly accessible.

spencer

Thanks, everyone! Audrey, Good to know the lean-to is not a good starting off point. And I love Hawkweed. Is Middle Redington the 1135M bump on my map? And when are we whacking an Adk peak?

Spencer, thanks for the scoops. That may be the route I shoot for. And from your avatar a hearty congratulations are in order I see! This trip is planned for the last week and weekend of August if you want to do any of these.

John S, thanks for the two links. Since both side trips will be loops involving the AT I'll take my truck in as far as the crossing. That's why I'd like to visit the pond returning from Abraham. I do love those ponds! The route askus3 mentions (leaving the AT at the Abe spur trail) sounds interesting as well. I'll see if anyone chimes in who has actually done it. I should pm askus3...

And Rik! Love the latest batch of pics. What an awesome day for your 115 finish! Those in and out days are my favorites. The "seas below" shots were spectacular. I'll want to pick your brain a bit before I head over. Charlene must be getting close as well? And ... she's still smiling!

Thanks again everyone. Wishing I were hiking today!

Doc McPeak said:

And Rik! Love the latest batch of pics. What an awesome day for your 115 finish! Those in and out days are my favorites. The "seas below" shots were spectacular. I'll want to pick your brain a bit before I head over. Charlene must be getting close as well? And ... she's still smiling!

Thanks again everyone. Wishing I were hiking today!

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Thanks Doc. Give me a call sometime if you want to talk about these peaks. Charlene climbed Allen on Saturday to bring her to 96/115! And still smiling.

I once did exactly the loop you are suggesting to S/S/A.

Doc McPeak said:

Good to know the lean-to is not a good starting off point.

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The old 100-foot rule in action. When they built the leanto they had a blue-blazed trail from Caribou Pond Road to the site, I didn't find where it started but picked it up partway down and it led into and down skid roads. I would start from the leanto again.

Doc,

We'll probably be in the Adirondacks for a week next summer. I may take you up on that, and we could go see how Lillian Brook is doing.

I haven't got my topo handy, but the DeLorme shows a 3724' elevation west of Caribou pond.

So if you start from the lean-to, as Roy says (I'd never argue with Roy), if you end up on an apparent snowmobile (?) path, or find the ancient lean-to ruins, go way left or way right. We encountered a small semi-hidden brook further down and stayed with it because there was nothing better. Every step was either into a deep hole or on a slippery boulder. It was either that or become shish-kebab among the spruce. Well, it's still way better than sitting in my boss's office.

Roy, I certainly know the 100' rule. I'm tending toward Spencer's notes, though the Abraham Spur path sounds interesting. I'll probably be solo and don't need to fight through a mine field of sod traps in the middle of strange territory.

Does anyone know anything about this route near the Abraham Spur?

Audrey, I'll be visiting the much improved Lillian Brook paths this fall, but I have something really special in store for us to explore in the Dix Wilderness.

Can't wait to hike in Maine ... aside from hiking from the car to the venue to see Jerry and the boys rock the house.