I found myself with mid-week off, the week before Columbus Day; the weather looked promising, so I set off for Maine. My objective was to climb several of the "prominence" peaks in Maine; mountains listed on the Northeast 2,000 foot prominence list (2kp) and others of the New England Finest Fifty list (NEFF) (The fifty mountains with most prominence in New England).
I won't be around long enough to climb all the 7,999 three thousand footers in the Northeast, so the prominence lists seem like a reasonable alternative. Many of Maine's mountains are common to both lists, of course, so I kind of comingled the lists and came up with a game plan.
TUESDAY, Oct.5. CHAIN OF PONDS SNOW:
prominence: 2330'
NE2kp#29
NEFF#24
**New England Hundred Highest #70**
I left Massachusetts for the area of Coburn Gore, Maine with my sights on Chain of Ponds Snow Mt. This was a perfect start to my odyssey, as Snow is on three lists; New England Hundred Highest, in addition to the two prominence lists. And my expedition would start out on a "high" note as Snow would be the highest peak of the week at 3980; and also complete, at long last, my New England Hundred Highest.
I was a little concerned about hunting season as I drove down the Snow Mountain approach road through Penobscot Indian Territory. But I would wear orange and hope no one mistook me for a Big Moose. High up on the mountain I saw trees in a whitish cast. I wasn't surprised. A cold front had pushed through, and it was windy and quite cold even down low along the road.
I parked where directed, next to a pickup with a large rifle in the front seat. I wore layers beneath my orange, and set out between the two boulders, following the now narrower road toward Snow Pond. Yellow snowmobile arrows helped at forks and turnoffs. Near the pond, I kicked up a not-so-big Moose. I found the trail leaving the pond for the mountain (signed) with no problem. There was light snow underfoot above 3100 feet, and the uneventful climb brought me to the top where I found a decrepit old camp, discarded old propane cylinders, and a profusion of other detris. The tower stood tall and sturdy. The metal rungs on the ladder were coated with an inch of rime ice. I put on gloves and climbed to the cab. Fortunately a few window panes remained intact to partially block the wind. Where the panes were missing, the wind howled through creating a "brisk" bazillion below zero wind chill. The Bigelows were looking good down to the south, and way off east I could make out Katahdin! The air was that clear. But the trade off was the cold. I didn't dally on top.
My celebration consisted of scratching "100" in the ice on one of the panes and taking a picture; a low-key ceremony for sure. But this peak was a "three-fer" and a perfect transition to the new lists!
As I descended, thawing out from the winter above, I wondered how many peaks I could hit over my three-plus days. I decided to shoot for 6.
Back at the car with a TRT of 3:50, with the usual :25 on top...vertical ascent 2150.
I repaired to a "primitive" campsite off the King and Bartlett Road, not far from tomorrow's mountain. Logging slash from a nearby clearcut made wonderful firewood for the fire ring, but when it was tent time, the cheer of the fire was just a memory. The night was so cold I vowed to buy a new down sleeping bag ASAP! My "zero degree" synthetic bag was a big zero, for sure.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 6, a.m. KIBBY MOUNTAIN:
prominence: 2264'
NE2kp# 33
NEFF #26
I broke camp and headed for Kibby Mountain under clear sky. The car's heater was appreciated. PapaBear's desciption from last summer is right on. I would only add that there are two cairns marking the trail on the left, .35 miles up the new logging logging road off Gold Brook Road.
I began my hike at 8 a.m. At first the "trail" is like a path through Christmas. Straight and narrow, with a profusion of fir encroaching from both sides. Only the lights and ornaments were missing. The trail is so straight, flat and gradual, you could probably go up on a Segway. (you paying attention, Dean Kamen?)
Nearing the top, it finally got steeper and rockier and the Christmas trees were long gone. On the scrubby top stood a nice observation deck. The views were similar to Snow's, but with no rime ice or howling winds this morning, I enjoyed the outlook a lot more.
An uneventful descent brought me to my car in 1:55. Total vertical was 1200.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 6, pm. BOUNDARY BALD MOUNTAIN
prominence: 2002'
NE 2kp# 55
NEFF# 42
My next stop would be Boundary Bald. It was some distance away, over north of Jackman. Should I go south, then up through Bingham, Caratunk, and Jackman, or north through Quebec? Quebec, it turned out, was fewer miles and I had some loonies left over from a Toronto trip that would make good lunch money. So I headed north up a newly improved, repaved, gloriously scenic route 27.
The border crossing was a bit of a hassle, but they finally deigned to let me into their country and I went off rolling over long sweeping stretches of bucolic Quebec countryside. I spent my $8 Canadian in Lac Megantic and crossed back into the U.S., picking up U.S. 201 south.
It took me 108 miles from Kibby to the turn off from 201 (just north of The Falls rest area).
The gravel road, heading left (east) featured a small white "Bald Mt. Hiking Trail" visible from both directions on 201. How nice! I could've used a few signs like that on the other various logging roads I drove on over subsequent days! Additionally, forks and intersections heading to Boundary Bald had those same smallish white signs pointing the way.
At a final fork in the road, a Michigan SUV was parked. The sign pointed up the right fork here. My car is no SUV, and has little clearance, but I pressed on. The car bought me an additional 300 feet of vertical and .4 miles before I came to a small turnout where I parked (2200'). Just beyond, it turned out, the road was badly washed out. I headed out on foot at 1:20, again in orange, continuing up the road. Along the way I encountered the people from the SUV. They had hiked up the trail quite a ways, they said, but had to abort because the path got "very rocky." They would be the only hikers I encountered over my days in Maine. The rocky, washed out road gained another 400 feet. Then the trail itself appeared on the left; again clearly marked, "Bald Mt. Tower" with an arrow. The path has blue blazes and occasionally you'll find curious pink-stenciled 4x6 inch howling wolf markers on rocks.
The trail started out as a creek bed, then went through some wallows. After 500 feet of vertical, I abruptly hit the usual high mountain conifer forest at 3100. Now the path climbed up rocks and roots and over one damaged metal rung ladder. Various lengths of telephone wire lay in the duff from time to time. The trail finally emerged onto open rocks and traversed the ridge, in and out of scrub pine.
At the peak there's no longer a tower, just a heap of metal scrap off to the side. In its place stood a newly constructed log cabin building with solar panels. Interestingly, a red sign affixed to the side read:
(this building is) "protected by a series of concealed, motion-activated surveillance cameras. Photographs taken by the cameras are immediately transmitted to a security agency for disposition to law enforcement agencies."
Hmpphhh. Is there no escape? Hello Big Brother.
I enjoyed the immense views and set my sights on the huge distant lump of Big Spencer to the southeast. That would be tomorrow's destination.
After gazing out over half of Maine, I descended, thinking in retrospect I should've touched the building, generating a photo, proof that I had summitted! I got back to the car with a TRT of 2:50. Vertical was 1500.
Back on 201, I checked out the very scenic ribbon falls behind the Falls Rest area, and headed for Jackman. At Bishop's store there, I was poking around and happened upon a book, "North Woods Walks" by Christopher Keene. (The paperback was signed by the author!) I thumbed through it and learned: A) I could have saved 70 miles of driving by taking logging roads from Kibby east over to 201 in the Jackman area;
B) Coburn Mt. (on both of my lists) is the highest point between the Bigelows and Katahdin.
Mr. Keene had rudimentary directions for Coburn. It wasn't far from Jackman, so I decided it would be the next morning's mountain...Big Spencer perhaps in the afternoon.
I bought the book and retired to the adjacent Jackman Motel. No 4-star inn, not very quiet, it was nevertheless acceptible. Couldn't beat the price...$35 included all taxes. The room had a kitchen with stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker and a nice breakfast table. The shower had ample hot water and the bed was very firm. The cable TV had the baseball games. The Yanks were playing, later the BoSox, so I settled in. Unfortunately I passed out by 10 pm, lulled to sleep by the constant roar of logging trucks heading down 201. I had to find the scores the next morning. Somehow the Sox managed to win without my cheering them on.
To be continued ...
JT
I won't be around long enough to climb all the 7,999 three thousand footers in the Northeast, so the prominence lists seem like a reasonable alternative. Many of Maine's mountains are common to both lists, of course, so I kind of comingled the lists and came up with a game plan.
TUESDAY, Oct.5. CHAIN OF PONDS SNOW:
prominence: 2330'
NE2kp#29
NEFF#24
**New England Hundred Highest #70**
I left Massachusetts for the area of Coburn Gore, Maine with my sights on Chain of Ponds Snow Mt. This was a perfect start to my odyssey, as Snow is on three lists; New England Hundred Highest, in addition to the two prominence lists. And my expedition would start out on a "high" note as Snow would be the highest peak of the week at 3980; and also complete, at long last, my New England Hundred Highest.
I was a little concerned about hunting season as I drove down the Snow Mountain approach road through Penobscot Indian Territory. But I would wear orange and hope no one mistook me for a Big Moose. High up on the mountain I saw trees in a whitish cast. I wasn't surprised. A cold front had pushed through, and it was windy and quite cold even down low along the road.
I parked where directed, next to a pickup with a large rifle in the front seat. I wore layers beneath my orange, and set out between the two boulders, following the now narrower road toward Snow Pond. Yellow snowmobile arrows helped at forks and turnoffs. Near the pond, I kicked up a not-so-big Moose. I found the trail leaving the pond for the mountain (signed) with no problem. There was light snow underfoot above 3100 feet, and the uneventful climb brought me to the top where I found a decrepit old camp, discarded old propane cylinders, and a profusion of other detris. The tower stood tall and sturdy. The metal rungs on the ladder were coated with an inch of rime ice. I put on gloves and climbed to the cab. Fortunately a few window panes remained intact to partially block the wind. Where the panes were missing, the wind howled through creating a "brisk" bazillion below zero wind chill. The Bigelows were looking good down to the south, and way off east I could make out Katahdin! The air was that clear. But the trade off was the cold. I didn't dally on top.
My celebration consisted of scratching "100" in the ice on one of the panes and taking a picture; a low-key ceremony for sure. But this peak was a "three-fer" and a perfect transition to the new lists!
As I descended, thawing out from the winter above, I wondered how many peaks I could hit over my three-plus days. I decided to shoot for 6.
Back at the car with a TRT of 3:50, with the usual :25 on top...vertical ascent 2150.
I repaired to a "primitive" campsite off the King and Bartlett Road, not far from tomorrow's mountain. Logging slash from a nearby clearcut made wonderful firewood for the fire ring, but when it was tent time, the cheer of the fire was just a memory. The night was so cold I vowed to buy a new down sleeping bag ASAP! My "zero degree" synthetic bag was a big zero, for sure.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 6, a.m. KIBBY MOUNTAIN:
prominence: 2264'
NE2kp# 33
NEFF #26
I broke camp and headed for Kibby Mountain under clear sky. The car's heater was appreciated. PapaBear's desciption from last summer is right on. I would only add that there are two cairns marking the trail on the left, .35 miles up the new logging logging road off Gold Brook Road.
I began my hike at 8 a.m. At first the "trail" is like a path through Christmas. Straight and narrow, with a profusion of fir encroaching from both sides. Only the lights and ornaments were missing. The trail is so straight, flat and gradual, you could probably go up on a Segway. (you paying attention, Dean Kamen?)
Nearing the top, it finally got steeper and rockier and the Christmas trees were long gone. On the scrubby top stood a nice observation deck. The views were similar to Snow's, but with no rime ice or howling winds this morning, I enjoyed the outlook a lot more.
An uneventful descent brought me to my car in 1:55. Total vertical was 1200.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 6, pm. BOUNDARY BALD MOUNTAIN
prominence: 2002'
NE 2kp# 55
NEFF# 42
My next stop would be Boundary Bald. It was some distance away, over north of Jackman. Should I go south, then up through Bingham, Caratunk, and Jackman, or north through Quebec? Quebec, it turned out, was fewer miles and I had some loonies left over from a Toronto trip that would make good lunch money. So I headed north up a newly improved, repaved, gloriously scenic route 27.
The border crossing was a bit of a hassle, but they finally deigned to let me into their country and I went off rolling over long sweeping stretches of bucolic Quebec countryside. I spent my $8 Canadian in Lac Megantic and crossed back into the U.S., picking up U.S. 201 south.
It took me 108 miles from Kibby to the turn off from 201 (just north of The Falls rest area).
The gravel road, heading left (east) featured a small white "Bald Mt. Hiking Trail" visible from both directions on 201. How nice! I could've used a few signs like that on the other various logging roads I drove on over subsequent days! Additionally, forks and intersections heading to Boundary Bald had those same smallish white signs pointing the way.
At a final fork in the road, a Michigan SUV was parked. The sign pointed up the right fork here. My car is no SUV, and has little clearance, but I pressed on. The car bought me an additional 300 feet of vertical and .4 miles before I came to a small turnout where I parked (2200'). Just beyond, it turned out, the road was badly washed out. I headed out on foot at 1:20, again in orange, continuing up the road. Along the way I encountered the people from the SUV. They had hiked up the trail quite a ways, they said, but had to abort because the path got "very rocky." They would be the only hikers I encountered over my days in Maine. The rocky, washed out road gained another 400 feet. Then the trail itself appeared on the left; again clearly marked, "Bald Mt. Tower" with an arrow. The path has blue blazes and occasionally you'll find curious pink-stenciled 4x6 inch howling wolf markers on rocks.
The trail started out as a creek bed, then went through some wallows. After 500 feet of vertical, I abruptly hit the usual high mountain conifer forest at 3100. Now the path climbed up rocks and roots and over one damaged metal rung ladder. Various lengths of telephone wire lay in the duff from time to time. The trail finally emerged onto open rocks and traversed the ridge, in and out of scrub pine.
At the peak there's no longer a tower, just a heap of metal scrap off to the side. In its place stood a newly constructed log cabin building with solar panels. Interestingly, a red sign affixed to the side read:
(this building is) "protected by a series of concealed, motion-activated surveillance cameras. Photographs taken by the cameras are immediately transmitted to a security agency for disposition to law enforcement agencies."
Hmpphhh. Is there no escape? Hello Big Brother.
I enjoyed the immense views and set my sights on the huge distant lump of Big Spencer to the southeast. That would be tomorrow's destination.
After gazing out over half of Maine, I descended, thinking in retrospect I should've touched the building, generating a photo, proof that I had summitted! I got back to the car with a TRT of 2:50. Vertical was 1500.
Back on 201, I checked out the very scenic ribbon falls behind the Falls Rest area, and headed for Jackman. At Bishop's store there, I was poking around and happened upon a book, "North Woods Walks" by Christopher Keene. (The paperback was signed by the author!) I thumbed through it and learned: A) I could have saved 70 miles of driving by taking logging roads from Kibby east over to 201 in the Jackman area;
B) Coburn Mt. (on both of my lists) is the highest point between the Bigelows and Katahdin.
Mr. Keene had rudimentary directions for Coburn. It wasn't far from Jackman, so I decided it would be the next morning's mountain...Big Spencer perhaps in the afternoon.
I bought the book and retired to the adjacent Jackman Motel. No 4-star inn, not very quiet, it was nevertheless acceptible. Couldn't beat the price...$35 included all taxes. The room had a kitchen with stove, oven, microwave, refrigerator, and coffee maker and a nice breakfast table. The shower had ample hot water and the bed was very firm. The cable TV had the baseball games. The Yanks were playing, later the BoSox, so I settled in. Unfortunately I passed out by 10 pm, lulled to sleep by the constant roar of logging trucks heading down 201. I had to find the scores the next morning. Somehow the Sox managed to win without my cheering them on.
To be continued ...
JT
