buckyball1
New member
...emerged from hiking hibernation, probably a bit early
After the relatively hard winter up here (heavy snow, no thaws, not much Spring), it was a bit soon to hike Moosehead Lake area, but i needed to get out and peck away at ME300P. Limited signs of winter 'til Dover Foxcroft, then frozen lakes around Guilford, considerable snow in the woods by Abbot/Monson.....
Burnt Jacket (Greenville)-1690'-the small peak lies a bit east of Greenville, off the road to Kokadjo on a peninsula jutting out into Moosehead Lake. (strangely enough there's another Burnt Jacket Mt northwest of Jackman that i plan to climb later this year-always lots of "Bald", Black", "Blue Ridge", but 2 "Burnt Jacket"s in close proximity??) In the summer, today's hike would be a "bunny", but i often manage make easy hikes interesting during shoulder seasons. The good dirt road to the base of the peak was cabled/locked near the hard road for mud season; there's active logging in the area.
Instead of being able to drive at least 2 and perhaps 3 miles back in, i started walking the very solid, well maintained road; clear for several miles, then snow on the road to go along with about 4-8" of consolidated spring snow in the woods at that point. My plan was to work my way south of the peak thru logged areas and 'whack straight north. After slogging thru mushy snow on the road for a bit, i decided to head into the woods and whaclk the peak from the SE.
It wasn't bad for a bit, but the 6-8" of snow with patchy clear spots became a blanket of 8-20" as i worked my way higher, breaking thru every few steps. The woods itself is scrubby hardwoods with lots of body/face slashing "whips"-the thicker evergreen patches are easily avoided. I approached the top from the east in a small ravine and suddenly i find myself postholing thigh to crotch deep every few steps--annoying and tiring.
I topped out on a false summit knob about 250' from the true summit-seemed to take an eternity to waddle thru a very shallow col to the summit itself. There's a small cairn near, but not on the top and some decent partial views of Moosehead Lake toward Greenville and around to Moosehead Mt. I descended toward my originally planned route and after a few icy, butt sliding steeps, hit the logging area. The hike back to the car was routine. In absence of snow, you should be able to drive any vehicle at least 2 miles off the hard road, work your way south of the peak using old logging activity and only need to bushwhack a moderately steep, not too dense 0.2 miles or so to the top.
Arriving back at the car, i was more tired than i hoped to be--first real hike of year (running all winter just doesn't prepare all the right muscles), too much slogging uphill thru the deepish snow and perhaps the fact that i'll be on Medicare very soon
. I had two more hikes planned, but they were even further "north", back in pretty far on iffy roads, 2-500' higher than BJ, and both north side approaches-clearly should/would wait a few more weeks.
While i was in the area, i scoped out approaches to a few hikes and stopped at the end of a non-descript dirt road north of Rockwood to ask for advice on a nearby peak. Small world-turned out to be a border patrol guy i met a few years back on a tiny dirt road north of Sandy Stream Mt above Jackman.
Not sure if or where i'll hike next week.Unless you enjoy trudging thru deepish, mushy snow. I'd consider staying away from Greenville/Jackman/Stratton/Beaudry/Rangeley areas for several more weeks. There was relatively little snow in parts The County this winter and i may try some peaks i have up that way-Ashland, Ft Kent area
be well
jim
After the relatively hard winter up here (heavy snow, no thaws, not much Spring), it was a bit soon to hike Moosehead Lake area, but i needed to get out and peck away at ME300P. Limited signs of winter 'til Dover Foxcroft, then frozen lakes around Guilford, considerable snow in the woods by Abbot/Monson.....
Burnt Jacket (Greenville)-1690'-the small peak lies a bit east of Greenville, off the road to Kokadjo on a peninsula jutting out into Moosehead Lake. (strangely enough there's another Burnt Jacket Mt northwest of Jackman that i plan to climb later this year-always lots of "Bald", Black", "Blue Ridge", but 2 "Burnt Jacket"s in close proximity??) In the summer, today's hike would be a "bunny", but i often manage make easy hikes interesting during shoulder seasons. The good dirt road to the base of the peak was cabled/locked near the hard road for mud season; there's active logging in the area.
Instead of being able to drive at least 2 and perhaps 3 miles back in, i started walking the very solid, well maintained road; clear for several miles, then snow on the road to go along with about 4-8" of consolidated spring snow in the woods at that point. My plan was to work my way south of the peak thru logged areas and 'whack straight north. After slogging thru mushy snow on the road for a bit, i decided to head into the woods and whaclk the peak from the SE.
It wasn't bad for a bit, but the 6-8" of snow with patchy clear spots became a blanket of 8-20" as i worked my way higher, breaking thru every few steps. The woods itself is scrubby hardwoods with lots of body/face slashing "whips"-the thicker evergreen patches are easily avoided. I approached the top from the east in a small ravine and suddenly i find myself postholing thigh to crotch deep every few steps--annoying and tiring.
I topped out on a false summit knob about 250' from the true summit-seemed to take an eternity to waddle thru a very shallow col to the summit itself. There's a small cairn near, but not on the top and some decent partial views of Moosehead Lake toward Greenville and around to Moosehead Mt. I descended toward my originally planned route and after a few icy, butt sliding steeps, hit the logging area. The hike back to the car was routine. In absence of snow, you should be able to drive any vehicle at least 2 miles off the hard road, work your way south of the peak using old logging activity and only need to bushwhack a moderately steep, not too dense 0.2 miles or so to the top.
Arriving back at the car, i was more tired than i hoped to be--first real hike of year (running all winter just doesn't prepare all the right muscles), too much slogging uphill thru the deepish snow and perhaps the fact that i'll be on Medicare very soon
. I had two more hikes planned, but they were even further "north", back in pretty far on iffy roads, 2-500' higher than BJ, and both north side approaches-clearly should/would wait a few more weeks.While i was in the area, i scoped out approaches to a few hikes and stopped at the end of a non-descript dirt road north of Rockwood to ask for advice on a nearby peak. Small world-turned out to be a border patrol guy i met a few years back on a tiny dirt road north of Sandy Stream Mt above Jackman.
Not sure if or where i'll hike next week.Unless you enjoy trudging thru deepish, mushy snow. I'd consider staying away from Greenville/Jackman/Stratton/Beaudry/Rangeley areas for several more weeks. There was relatively little snow in parts The County this winter and i may try some peaks i have up that way-Ashland, Ft Kent area
be well
jim
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