Maine 4k's (Abraham, Redington,....

[CINDERSMOM]

I am headed up to hike next week in Maine. hoping to do Crockers and Redington and also Abraham, Spaulding and Sugarloaf. I have seen lots of questions but no recent trip reports. I have a shutttle driver so was thinking of a traverse over Abraham to Spaulding and Sugarloaf going up Fire Wardens Trail and down ski trails. Is a southern approach to Abraham better, easier, shorter then the Fire Warden trail? Is a loop hike over Crockers and Redington better than an out and back bushwhack to Redington from south Crocker? Thanks

 

[rocket21]

There are recent conditions reports for some of those peaks at http://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/me/. Archived reports available at http://www.newenglandtrailconditions.com/listsne4k.php

Each of the three times I've been to Redington, I've planned to do an out and back bushwhack (only really a bushwhack in winter, as the herd path can be followed without snow on the ground), only to end up changing my mind on Redington proper and taking the roads back. Six, one half dozen the other. Good idea to have notes handy for turns on the herd path and logging roads out. I believe these directions are still accurate: http://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos/Maine/crockermtn-2010-0919.php

Unless the bridges have been replaced in the past few months, the Mt. Abraham Trail aka Fire Warden's Trail is an extra mile or so longer due to the road walk.

 

[Maineman]

Firewarden's Trail is not one of my favorites, I'd prefer the AT approach

 

[Tom Rankin]

I am headed up to hike next week in Maine. hoping to do Crockers and Redington and also Abraham, Spaulding and Sugarloaf. I have seen lots of questions but no recent trip reports. I have a shutttle driver so was thinking of a traverse over Abraham to Spaulding and Sugarloaf going up Fire Wardens Trail and down ski trails. Is a southern approach to Abraham better, easier, shorter then the Fire Warden trail? Is a loop hike over Crockers and Redington better than an out and back bushwhack to Redington from south Crocker? Thanks

There is a river crossing at the start of the Fire Warden's trail, so heavy rain could make it difficult. (The bridge was washed away by Irene or Sandy).

The 'whack' to Reddington is very easy, it is really just a herd path. Just don't follow the AT boundary corridor.

 

[natron]

The 2 crossings to get to the firewardens trail, could be @ flood stage next week, very fast and prolly knee deep to waist deep at least.. To avoid crossings, I've biked in thru salem on miles of atv trails and logging rd.'s.

If it's high water next week, I'd suggest the loaf ski trails to abe out and back...

bridges washed out by irene, my tr from 9-30-11 http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?42270-bondcliff-bond-(9-28-11)-mt-abraham-(9-30-11)

 

[tomcat32]

For Crockers and Readington I prefer up AT to Crockers. Herdpath to Readington, then roads back. That way it's a loop. I haven't been there for a couple years but every intersection on the road was cairned and all turns went downhill. The above link with directions is what I used for reference and it was easy to follow.

I did Abraham before the washout. Above the cabin, now gone I believe, it was mostly up rocks and scree. I had a hard time finding trailhead with old maine mtn guide and delorme, I drove onto wrong roads, maybe its more straightforward with bridge out. I wouldn't recommend this unless you are strong and have all day but I did Abraham from firewarden trail out to sugarloaf, ate lunch, then returned same way hitting Spaulding. It was just over 20 miles I believe but on the AT there are no signifigant ups except for hitting Spaulding and the Loaf which are both less than 1000 feet if I remember right. I'm not a fan of ski area approaches, that's just me They just aren't that pretty with the ski area infrastructure.
Abraham is the 2nd largest amount of terrain above treeline in Maine and quite nice. I thought it was worth traversing it twice on the out and back.

 

[LisaHikes]

Where is everyone getting trail maps for these hikes? They're not in my AMC maps that came with the Maine Mountain Guide, and I cannot find any online.

 

[tomcat32]

You might have to refer to the MATC maps that come with the AT guide. It does not include the Readington bushwack. I don't have it in front of me but isn't there a Rangely/Stratton map in the Maine Mountain Guide. At least the last edition had it.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

From my trip and planning in 2010...

You need an older AMC MMG. My 9th edition has the map you want.

You can also try this: http://caltopo.com/map?id=5H5D


Tim

 

[Tom Rankin]

Tim, your pic did not come out right... EDIT : It looks fine now, I was not mobile.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Tim, your pic did not come out right...

Looks OK to me - are you mobile?

Tim

 

[Peppersass]

We are doing Sugarloaf/Spaulding on the 4th via the slopes (not even trying to cross the Carrabassett off the CVR) and the following day doing Abraham via Barnjum Road to the AT but considering Fire Warden trail too. Land manager for that area indicates if you go upstream of the washed out bridges you can wade - though that was before all his incredible rain. Sue at Stratton Motel will be able to give you the most up to date reports on Rapid Stream and Carrabassett. Hope to see you up there. AMC used to make a map of the area and that is what I am using. When I asked them why they no longer make them the reply was "we don't have to make maps for all the regions." Redington was fun but VERY wet - okay, my husband did not think it was fun but I did it herd paths and logging roads and reported directions - its my most popular posting. http://summithikinginnewengland.blogspot.com/2012/07/59-mt-redington-maine-july-4-2012.html

 

[madmattd]

You might have to refer to the MATC maps that come with the AT guide. It does not include the Readington bushwack. I don't have it in front of me but isn't there a Rangely/Stratton map in the Maine Mountain Guide. At least the last edition had it.

The latest edition (10th, 2012) includes trail descriptions for Rangeley/Stratton, but omitted the map that covered the area between Route 4 and Route 27. Basically, of the 10 peaks there, only the Bigelows have a map presence in the newest guidebook. I think the huge 100-Mile Wilderness Map "replaced" it. The MATC map for Route 4 to Route 27 shows enough trail detail for the 4Ks to get the job done.