# Sugarloaf - Caribou Valley / Pond Road Conditions



## salsgang (Oct 4, 2007)

Hi all,

We are planning to hike Sugarloaf via the AT this weekend. Just wondering if anyone has been on the Caribou Valley / Pond Road lately. It seems like getting to the AT 4.5 miles in should not be much of a problem, but just wanted to know if anyone has traveled it lately and could give a condition report. 

Thanks!


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## Mike P. (Oct 4, 2007)

Skimmed the VFTT conditions & not much activity but no one saying it's real bad either at least to the steel bridge.  Can get beyond the AT but the road is a bit harder from the bridge.

What are you driving?  SUV's & Foresters should have no problem, regaular cars okay but Family Trucksters & Corvettes may be an issue...


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## David Metsky (Oct 4, 2007)

You have to have some guts (and high ground clearance) to go past the steel bridge.  If you park there it adds just under a mile each way.

 -dave-


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## salsgang (Oct 4, 2007)

I am driving a Saturn VUE - mid size SUV AWD. Thanks for poking around the Net Mike P.  We should probably be fine to the steel bridge anyway... From what I see the AT is about 4.5 miles in so I will set the odometer and see how far we get!


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## klrskiah (Oct 4, 2007)

salsgang said:


> I am driving a Saturn VUE - mid size SUV AWD. Thanks for poking around the Net Mike P.  We should probably be fine to the steel bridge anyway... From what I see the AT is about 4.5 miles in so I will set the odometer and see how far we get!



I hiked it three weekends ago.  If you're careful you should be able to make it all the way to the parking lot.  I have a cherokee and we made it up without using the 4 wheel drive.  Just be careful with the approaches to the wooden bridges they are pretty steep so make sure you have enough clearance before bombing over them!

have fun, the foliage should be almost peak this weekend up there


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## salsgang (Oct 4, 2007)

Cool. Thanks for the update klrskiah.


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## Mike P. (Oct 5, 2007)

It's not the 4Wd or all wheel you need, just ground clearence.


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## salsgang (Oct 6, 2007)

Just got back from the hike of the loaf. Caribou Pond Road to the steel bridge was OK. After the steel bridge there is a pretty rocky / rutty scramble up a hill but my VUE did OK. After that we hit this bridge: We decided to park since we were 4 miles in and only .5 mile or so to the AT. Probably could have made it but just as well to park it and walk. Rule of thumb seemed to be cars to the steel bridge. Small/mid size SUV's to before this bridge shown below. And 4x4 trucks / full size SUV's to the AT and past.


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## Mike P. (Oct 7, 2007)

The more important beams on these bridges are the ones below that support the whole bridge.  they are designed to be built quickly but hold logging trucks.  Glad you had a good trip!


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