N Horn (Saddleback) 3772' to Potato Nubble 3029'

Has anyone done this 'whack, or have info on it? I'm looking to string together several peaks in the area while avoiding whatever military presence might be out and about. Does N Horn > Potato Nubble > SW Black Nubble make sense?

Onestep

The bushwhack from Saddleback The Horn to the 3772' peak has been done by quite a few hikers in all seasons. It wasn't bad at all ... but conditions do change over the years. I know of one party that even continued on from there to the Potato Nubble, but you're committing yourself for a VERY long day. You'd better have another car spotted on the other end or be prepared to spend the night out there. REF: MAP 1. For Potato Nubble we walked up the military road (didn't see any military personnel along the way) and approached approx. from the gravel pit area REF: MAP 2. That take off point is (or was) before the official gate entrance to the reservation.

We started (in July 1991) for Potato Nubble at the same place as you did, Dennis. It was one of those days: it was hot, and my bombproof nylon bushwhacker pants were soon hotter than a sauna. That obvious old road had thicker vegetation than the surrounding forest, and the road we did end up taking had been undermined by a brook, so every 10 steps one of us would fall into a hole. The rest is just a blurred memory of the balsam-breaststroke.

my mindset on those is to do north horn and potato nubble in a loop whack out of the parking lot of saddleback bypassing the horn all together

I climbed Potato Nubble from the road near Saddleback Lake, DennisC was on that hike but apparently has forgotten. Wasn't that the one where somebody stirred up a hornet's nest and we all got stung? We looked at N Horn from there but it wasn't on the list yet although it looked suspicious. I'm sure PB can do the combination but I don't know about lesser hikers.

Black Nubble is one of the few peaks aided by aerial photographs. Some people do a car spot for the pair but I looked at the USGS photogrammetric map and saw adjoining clearcuts on the 2 peaks. We climbed Black Nubble from the E, went over to the smaller peak, dropped into the clearcut, and headed back E. As it turned out there was a skid road connecting the clearcuts and the 2nd clearcut led back to the road we started from.

I have climbed all the 3K in the area and never saw any Navy people or any signs, just stay on the ridges and away from the base camp.

Yes, as a matter of fact Roy, I do recall that first visit (now). Potato Nubble apparently is another of the peaks that I went back and did a second time. I guess the second approach was the one that I remember (and recommend).

As for Black Nubble, we did that and the SW peak on a day hike from a car camp off an old logging road that ended our driving at a bridge washout north of BN (where the road crosses the stream, top of MAP 3 ). The next day we went off to get Redington Pond Range, Middle and S Peak (wide open view) and the 3100' labeled peak just south of there : MAP 4 . We used the "trail" through the notch to return, just north of the labeled "Heli Port" (avoided). We did meet a military officer in those back woods "on maneuvers". We chatted awhile and explained that we were peak bagging. He admired the sport and let us go on our way, no problem at all.

N. Horn/Potato Nubble

I was there last Fall..... I approached on the Redington Rd (from Rt 16). Just before the closed gate to the miliary preserve is an access rd to a gravel pit on the south side, where I parked. A well-travelled gravel rd leaves the pit (shown on the Delorme map connecting with the Mountain Rd to Saddleback). I found the abandonded logging roads (on the Topozone maps that Dennis posted) relatively easy to follow, and the climb to the N Horn was mostly open. The ridge over to the Nubble, however,after a promising start, was a "bear" (or some other "b"-word). To avoid the military preserve and the nasty blowdown, I fell off to the west side of the ridge. The south end of Potato Nubble looked rather "cliffy", so I'd recommend climbing it from the western side, too. The whole area is laced with herd and skidder paths, some easier travelling than others. As other reponders have indicated, this is a tougher than average loop, and adding in SW Black Nubble would have been more than I would have wanted to do! The summit register on the N Horn was in hundreds of pieces on the ground and the register itself was completely soaked with the entries all obliterated. The Nubble "jar" was still attached to a tree, but the lid was gone and, again, the log book completely destroyed by water.

Poplar Ridge

Thanks for all the suggestions... good advice from all!
I'll make it a point to replace both jars when I get there later this year.

My overly ambitious plan was to somehow include Poplar Ridge into the mix.
How did you do Poplar, separately or in combination with another peak(s)?

I did the short bushwhack to Poplar Ridge from along the A.T. from a tent / car camp set up in the valley east of there. Follow a series of logging roads in there from East Madrid (and hope the roads are in good shape). Where's that (you may ask)? Check your DeLorme Atlas and Gazetteer, or follow this MAP 5 "4WD" road one click SE, then two clicks S and you'll come to it.

(3/04/06: Like Roy, I also did Saddleback Jr. as well.)

onestep said:

How did you do Poplar, separately or in combination with another peak(s)?

Click to expand...

Did it from the AT, in combination with Saddleback Jr

Here is a documented written route elaborating on what Dennis C stated. Below are the directions that I documented as I found the DeLorme or AT maps not to be too helpful in getting into this AT crossing. I took this route in last year, Aug. 23, 2005. By the way it took 34 minutes to get from the AT crossing of Perham Stream logging road to ME 142.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO AT XING OF PERHAM STREAM LOGGING ROAD
1) Drive 3 miles into Kingfield from Deer Farm Campground.
2) From intersection of ME 16/27/142 in Kingfield take ME 142 southwest 12.7 miles.
3) Look for East Madrid Road (signed & paved) on right. Sign there is for (Hot Mix Plant).
4) 1.0 miles from there pavement ends & 1.9 miles pavement resumes.
5) 2.1 4-way intersection (crossroad) continue straight. Junction with Bray Hill Road.
6) 3.0 pavement ends again.
7) 4.5 cross bridge near houses. Just beyond, road becomes a little rough going up hill to left.
8) 5.3 cross roads with fences on far side of intersection. (plenty of posted signs at intersection) – make right. Rough narrow road from here.
9) 5.7 rotted bridge and I wasn’t sure I could trust it but asked around and they assured me the bridge was OK and safe to cross.
10) 6.9 green gate on right
11) 7.5 bridge over stream. Make immediate left at fork after bridge. Many snowmobile trail signs at intersection
12) 7.7 & 7.8 cross rough gullys
13) 8.0 another fork after another bridge – bear left.
14) 8.3 junction on left – stay straight
15) 9.2 fork again – stay left.
16) 10.7 cross AT, Perham Stream bridge & parking on left.

Total distance is 27 miles from our campground outside of Kingfield, but it is 10.7 miles to ME 142 from the AT and that is what took 34 minutes. Hope this info helps. BTW: I did this route with my Dodge Caravan which does not have four-wheel drive but does have decent clearance.

Thanks, Aaron!
With your detailed directions I'll finally get into that area I've wanted to visit for so long.

thanks

askus3 - great directions!! thanks

one question, is this the route that follows along Orbeton Stream (the old RR grade)? I can't picture where Perham Stream is in relation unless we're talking one and the same.

Onestep

OneStep: This logging road crossing (I called Perham Stream Road), is no worse than Caribou Valley Road (a matter of fact, someone on this board indicated that this road flows into Caribou Valley Road, but I never confirmed this or travelled it to see if it is navigable). It crosses the AT two miles north of the Orbeton RR Bed which is too narrow and not auto driveable. So if you were to approach the Saddlebacks from here, you start by descending 700 feet in two miles, parallelling Sluice Brook for a stretch. This is a very scenic piece of trail. If going northbound, you immediately ascend Lone Mountain on the AT. It makes the climb to Abraham about 4 miles and 1770 feet of elevation gain. My altimeter read an elevation of 2280 feet at this road crossing of the AT.

I always wondered if anyone wants an interesting Maine 4,000 footer hike bagging 6 peaks and based on info on a thread from a couple of years back, for you ultra mountain hikers, I offer this challenging hike. Start at Caribou Valley Road. Go south on the AT. Climb Sugarloaf, Spaulding and Abraham. Then when you get back to the intersection of the AT and the Abraham Spur Trail continue straight and you will follow an old path to the Caribou Valley Road. Follow logging roads to Reddington. Bushwack to South Crocker. Follow AT north to North Crocker, turn around and hike south on the AT to Caribou Valley Road. I wonder how many miles and elevation gaiin this would entail. Sounds like a peakbaggers challenge. The most serious bushwacking is finding the herd path from the lumber cut and ascending South Crocker. The old path route from the Abraham Spur to Caribou Valley Road (I believe that is what it is called at this point) is supposed to be fairly obvious and easy (relatively) to follow. If anyone does this, report back!!!