Recent content by BillDC

Yes, indeed a gem. It's one of my favorites. Went amazingly far up the White Brook trail approach one dry summer a few years back and parked not too far from the trailhead with a decent clearance vehicle. Went up the firewarden's trail from WB which was still in decent shape. Another time...

Sorry, I thought I had added the link, but I overlooked it earlier. The original can be found at this link - http://docs.unh.edu/ME/kata30nw.jpg

Interesting thread. I was just up on Abol this summer looking for some of these sites. Yes, there was indeed a fire lookout station on Katahdin operating from 1913 until the end of the 1919 fire season. As described above, Frank Sewall was the watchman during these years. The Sewall Camp or...

This approach uses a logging road just off of the Troutdale road in Bald Mountain Township. Locate the AT crossing on the Troutdale road. The AT comes in on the west side of the road but leaves the east side of the road about .1 mile to the south. From the east side of the Troutdale road...

The trail starts from the Nesowadnehunk Campground in Baxter State Park reachable by the park tote road. Cross the Nesowadnehunk stream bridge past the ranger station and follow the road up to a left (signed) and walk by the wooded tent sites to the trailhead. The trail starts on relatively...

It had been 20 years this August since I was last up Katahdin, so this visit was long over due. Upon arriving at the Abol campground parking lot, the day use area was nearly full, so we lucked out and got the last spot. As we meandered through the campground toward the Abol trailhead under the...

I haven't been in that east approach, but via a shorter approach from a logging road just south of Moxie pond. Using this approach, you can get to the summit via the AT and the bypass trail in around 1.7 miles. Depending on what side of Maine you are coming in from, this may be shorter. I can...

Yes, the state's MSCommNet statewide communication project is driving alot of these removals. West Kennebago was to be preserved at a museum, but was in too bad shape to be airlifted off the summit, so it had to be sent to scrap. Peices of it may still be sitting down at the sandpit next to...

Having to be home early, I decided that an early hike was better than no hike. I left Rangeley around 4:45A heading 16 west. At the junction where RT16 splits, it is freshly paved and a nice ride. Not even at the trail, the adventure starts. Within 5 minutes I see 3 moose crossing with some...

The trailhead starts in a small parking lot at the end of Mount Blue road in the Mount Blue state park in Weld. There is a picnic area just beyond the parking lot with a nice enclosed table area and fine looking privy. The trail is in great shape and dry. A side trail about half way up leads...

A new observation platform on Mount Blue has opened to the public. It is part of the larger fire tower that was recently constructed to conceal radio equipment. There are now 360 degree views from the summit...

Mount Zircon Access to this trail is from a gated dirt road just off South Rumford road. The road proceeds through Poland Spring land also part of the Rumford Water District. There is active logging going on at this time, watch out for skidders! The road gently climbs south and eventually...

Congratulations Jim! A fine read of poetry for your last climb. Have enjoyed these reports for many years and will miss them. Enjoy! Bill

Yeah, the Beaudry road seemed reasonable from the Spencer road when I was through. The Spencer road itself was washed out in several spots and had very recent gravel filling it in out beyond mile 25, but still passable. Ever do King Mountain just to the north of Kibby/Peaked? Interestingly...

I located a portion of the old watchman's trail up Soubunge back in 2009 around half way up, but never followed it back down toward the bottom to see where it came out. This trail was discontinued in 1969, but was easily found once in the woods. The lower half of the mountain has been heavily...