Leaving South Casco in a heavy mist, I was pleased that by my meeting point with Onestep (KMart in Auburn) the rain had stopped. The further north we drove the brighter the skies became. As we turned off Rt 27 well north of Eustis at the logging road by Clear Brook, blue sky and sun appeared. The first right hand turn on this road took us to within 1 mi of Sisk (3270'), a "straggler" which had eluded us two weeks earlier during Whackfest More. Hordes of black flies buzzed and landed maddeningly, but didn't bite (I remember now why I prefer winter hiking... luckily they were not an issue on any other peaks). The west slope of Sisk has been recently logged and offered a number of easy routes along old paths or open woods until the usual thickness guarding the summit. My new compass was doing its best imitation of Captain Jack Sparrow's and pointed everywhere but North, but ,of course, OneStep's sense of direction remained true.
Passing through Customs to Canada was painless (her cheery "bonjour" and dazzling blue eyes didn't hurt), then we off to ZEC Louise-Gosford. Past the gatehouse, a Left at the first intersection eventually meanders to within 1 km of the border. A well marked trail leads to the border swath and along it as well. It seems that our concerns regarding the legality of travelling along the swath have been overblown. In the winter there is high volume snowmobile traffic here and the Quebecquois maintain and use official hiking trails along the border here and at several other locations in their park system. Nevertheless, being whackers we opted to head offtrail to the swath just North of Monument 439 and then just inside Maine again to Unnamed Peak, Northwest Pond (3190'). It was here that Jim Crawford finished his 451 last fall!!
Back on the swath we were impressed, as have been many other recent posters, by the bounty of wildflowers - huge carpets of Spring beauty, Goldthread, a few white Moccasinflowers, twinflower. A very impressive ravine was crossed heading North to Monument 437 and Unnamed Peak, Massachusetts Bog (3030'). The jar here was shattered but replaced with the last of our jar repair supplies.
The US Customs agent was mildly more inquisitive and actually looked in the trunk, but didn't open any backpacks. Only a driver's liceinse required... Rt 27 south from Coburn Gore is spectacular - newly reconstructed, one can now actually appreciate the surrounding mountains, lakes and streams rather than hanging on for dear life as the driver dodges frost heaves and potholes. The Tim Pond Rd condition has improved considerably since Marc Howes' report of several weeks ago; there are still a few rutted, muddy sections, though, that require caution. As we approached Black Mt (3183'), the clouds were lower and darker, but still no precip. Starting on a logging road we meandered up through misty open mature forest to the open, blowndown, raspberry encrusted summit. The plastic jar here was in ruins, but we were out of replacement parts. On the descent we happened upon a freshly logged path that led directly down - faster, but less esthetically pleasing.
The mist didn't start until after we marvelled at the cloud-wreathed Bigelow Range across Flagstaff Lake. What a beautiful part of the world!!
Passing through Customs to Canada was painless (her cheery "bonjour" and dazzling blue eyes didn't hurt), then we off to ZEC Louise-Gosford. Past the gatehouse, a Left at the first intersection eventually meanders to within 1 km of the border. A well marked trail leads to the border swath and along it as well. It seems that our concerns regarding the legality of travelling along the swath have been overblown. In the winter there is high volume snowmobile traffic here and the Quebecquois maintain and use official hiking trails along the border here and at several other locations in their park system. Nevertheless, being whackers we opted to head offtrail to the swath just North of Monument 439 and then just inside Maine again to Unnamed Peak, Northwest Pond (3190'). It was here that Jim Crawford finished his 451 last fall!!
Back on the swath we were impressed, as have been many other recent posters, by the bounty of wildflowers - huge carpets of Spring beauty, Goldthread, a few white Moccasinflowers, twinflower. A very impressive ravine was crossed heading North to Monument 437 and Unnamed Peak, Massachusetts Bog (3030'). The jar here was shattered but replaced with the last of our jar repair supplies.
The US Customs agent was mildly more inquisitive and actually looked in the trunk, but didn't open any backpacks. Only a driver's liceinse required... Rt 27 south from Coburn Gore is spectacular - newly reconstructed, one can now actually appreciate the surrounding mountains, lakes and streams rather than hanging on for dear life as the driver dodges frost heaves and potholes. The Tim Pond Rd condition has improved considerably since Marc Howes' report of several weeks ago; there are still a few rutted, muddy sections, though, that require caution. As we approached Black Mt (3183'), the clouds were lower and darker, but still no precip. Starting on a logging road we meandered up through misty open mature forest to the open, blowndown, raspberry encrusted summit. The plastic jar here was in ruins, but we were out of replacement parts. On the descent we happened upon a freshly logged path that led directly down - faster, but less esthetically pleasing.
The mist didn't start until after we marvelled at the cloud-wreathed Bigelow Range across Flagstaff Lake. What a beautiful part of the world!!