McRat
New member
It’s been a few weeks since I got any non-local hiking in. When Brian suggested avoiding the monorail and mush and checking out Mount Pleasant, he freed us from thought and responsibility. A plan was made and we were set.
The weather was unseasonably warm as I headed north. Along route 16, all the trees are beginning to bud, giving a glow to the bare trees. By the time I arrived in Maine, I knew spring had sprung as the Jackson Pollack Memorial Insect Cemetery had formed on my windshield.
I had arrived at the Ledges Trail trailhead on time, but no one was there. I made a quick phone call and learned to always check my PMs for last minute changes. I drove back around the mountain and met up with Brian, Jen, and Steve at the South Ridge trail.
There was no snow in sight as we headed up the trail; just a few green sprigs along the trail. Pretty soon the ascent goes from easy to moderate for a few hundred vertical feet before easing up again for what becomes a genuinely pleasant ridgewalk.
Most of the time when we stopped for a break, there was an enjoyable breeze. When the breeze stopped we realized that the bucking fugs were back. While they were actually in much smaller numbers than I’ve dealt with in the past, the experience of having miniature taskmasters driving you along the trail was exactly as I remember.
Diplomatically, the insect community sent a butterfly ambassador to apologize in advance for the pound of flesh and blood his winged friends would require from us this year. He took a moment to hang out with us, before settling on Jen’s hat for a while.
Occasionally, we would see patches of snow off the trail, but the trail itself was snowfree and only had a few muddy sections. When we made it to the firetower, we hung out on the summit a while, eating, talking, being fools… it was fun.
I climbed the ladder to enjoy a slightly cloudy 360-degree view. As Steve noted, the design of the Maine fire tower ladders is one of the few opportunities to enjoy acrophobia and claustrophobia at the same time. As the wind rocked it ever slightly, my grip tightened and my faith in the safety of the ladder waned. I carefully descended and participated in a few ridiculous photos that I may eventually regret.
With some showers in the distance and darkening skies, we headed cheerfully back to the trailhead each with a souvenir deer tick – absolutely free.
We stopped off for a parting Moxie before leaving the great state of Maine and began the long drive out giving me some time to think about the trip.
Pleasant mountain lives up to its name. It wasn’t thrilling mountain or amazing mountain, but was a fine hill with enticing views of several mountain ranges in New Hampshire and a good walk with friends. From Boston, it’s a fairly long drive for a short hike, but if you find yourself in the area with some time to kill, it’s certainly a pleasant hike.
The weather was unseasonably warm as I headed north. Along route 16, all the trees are beginning to bud, giving a glow to the bare trees. By the time I arrived in Maine, I knew spring had sprung as the Jackson Pollack Memorial Insect Cemetery had formed on my windshield.
I had arrived at the Ledges Trail trailhead on time, but no one was there. I made a quick phone call and learned to always check my PMs for last minute changes. I drove back around the mountain and met up with Brian, Jen, and Steve at the South Ridge trail.
There was no snow in sight as we headed up the trail; just a few green sprigs along the trail. Pretty soon the ascent goes from easy to moderate for a few hundred vertical feet before easing up again for what becomes a genuinely pleasant ridgewalk.
Most of the time when we stopped for a break, there was an enjoyable breeze. When the breeze stopped we realized that the bucking fugs were back. While they were actually in much smaller numbers than I’ve dealt with in the past, the experience of having miniature taskmasters driving you along the trail was exactly as I remember.
Diplomatically, the insect community sent a butterfly ambassador to apologize in advance for the pound of flesh and blood his winged friends would require from us this year. He took a moment to hang out with us, before settling on Jen’s hat for a while.
Occasionally, we would see patches of snow off the trail, but the trail itself was snowfree and only had a few muddy sections. When we made it to the firetower, we hung out on the summit a while, eating, talking, being fools… it was fun.
I climbed the ladder to enjoy a slightly cloudy 360-degree view. As Steve noted, the design of the Maine fire tower ladders is one of the few opportunities to enjoy acrophobia and claustrophobia at the same time. As the wind rocked it ever slightly, my grip tightened and my faith in the safety of the ladder waned. I carefully descended and participated in a few ridiculous photos that I may eventually regret.
With some showers in the distance and darkening skies, we headed cheerfully back to the trailhead each with a souvenir deer tick – absolutely free.
We stopped off for a parting Moxie before leaving the great state of Maine and began the long drive out giving me some time to think about the trip.
Pleasant mountain lives up to its name. It wasn’t thrilling mountain or amazing mountain, but was a fine hill with enticing views of several mountain ranges in New Hampshire and a good walk with friends. From Boston, it’s a fairly long drive for a short hike, but if you find yourself in the area with some time to kill, it’s certainly a pleasant hike.
