Katahdin and Hamlin Peak: Hiking Maine's Two Tallest Peaks

The forecast seemed like it would provide a window of nice weather just long enough to get in an alpine hike Sunday.  I got up at 4am and headed to Baxter State Park.  My destination for the day was Katahdin and Hamilin Peak, Maine's two tallest mountains.  The loop covering the two mountains is probably my favorite route to hike in New England.  The hike covers over 11 miles with nearly half of distance above treeline taking in perhaps the most stunning mountain scenery east of the Rockies.

The morning started without a cloud in the sky and looked promising for a good day.  The 90 minute drive to the park passes through a remote area that offers a good chance for seeing moose.  I was not let down.  I managed to pass a trio of moose along the road.  A short distance later another moose emerged from the roadside, the fourth one of the morning.  A good start to the day.

The only moose of the four I saw that was photogenic

Swamp Donkey aka Moose

I arrived at the trailhead at Roaring Brook about 640am.  To my surprise there was only a handful of cars.  This parking lot often fills to capacity on summer weekends and is closed to additional traffic when full.  I passed a few groups on the Chimney Pond Trail before reaching the trail to Hamlin Peak.

Hamlin Peak, despite its status as Maine's second highest peak, sees relatively few people.  I wouldn't see another person until I reached Katahdin, nearly 5 miles away.  Hamlin by itself is an attractive hike with much of the route traveling above treeline taking in alpine scenery.  The Hamlin Ridge Trail affords awesome views across the Great Basin to Katahdin and the Knife Edge as well as views into North Basin.  Once on the Hamlin Ridge,  you reach treeline quickly and your feet are usually walking on rock.

Looking into Great Basin from Hamlin Ridge

Looking back down Hamlin Ridge

From Hamlin's Peak, the hike heads to Katahdin.  The trail crosses a high alpine plateau called the Tableland.  The Tableland crosses boulder fields and alpine grasses and offers 360 degree views the entire route.  As I reached Katahdin, a group was departing and I had the peak to myself.  On a weekend in the summer, this is fairly uncommon.  Standing on Katahdin alone is quite a treat.  The view is unlike anything east of the Rockies.  Many large lakes dot the valleys.  The other peaks in Baxter State Park are close by as well as the mountains around Moosehead Lake and the 100 Mile Wilderness.  The most outstanding features are the view over the Great Basin and the Knife Edge.

Knife Edge and Katahdin from below Hamlin Peak

Rock strewn stretch nearing Katahdin's summit

Tableland and last miles of Appalachian Trail

Looking back to Hamlin

The Knife Edge is perhaps the most remarkable mountain terrain in the eastern US.  The Knife Edge runs from the summit of Katahdin to the summit of Pamola for just over a mile.  While it is somewhat overstated in some trail guides, it is still quite impressive rising to a narrow ridge towering over 2000 feet above the valley on either side, a few spots only as narrow as a few feet.  All the while, the entire Knife Edge remains well above treeline.  My route took me across the Knife Edge and provided dramatic scenery the entire way.  The pace is generally slow going across the Knife Edge but the most precipitous section is the Chimney.  The Chimney is a col between Pamola and Chimney Peaks that requires careful scrambling  to safely negotiate.
Upon reaching Pamola, the trail descends over three miles, some of it over loose rock, on the Helon Taylor Trail.  I passed several hiking groups along the Knife Edge.

Knife Edge from Katahdin summit

Knife Edge, Katahdin Lake in distance

Looking down Knife Edge

Knife Edge

Knife Edge

Knife Edge

Looking back Knife Edge toward Katahdin, pockets of snow remaining

The weather held out nicely for my day.  Although some cloud cover moved in, they remained quite high and didn't obstruct any of the great scenery despite a little bit of haze.  The weather was comfortable above treeline with my thermometer reading 52F on the summit of Katahdin.  It felt somewhat cooler with a steady breeze.  On the ridges I did encounter some black flies.  Descending Helon Taylor, they were quite numerous and pesty.  They covered the backs of my arms, neck, and had fun getting in my ears.  Luckily I wasn't bit too many times.

As I said, this is among my favorite hikes.  This was my fourth time doing this loop, fifth time on Hamlin, and 15th summit of Katahdin.  Not only is the scenery impressive but Katahdin is a particularly memorable mountain to me as it marked the end of my  jouney on my 2100 mile Appalachian Trail thru hike.

Brann's Mill Pond Revisited

I wrote about Brann's Mill Pond a couple weeks ago in "Paddling Local Waters."  I went again with Puma on Friday and wanted to post a couple pictures from that outing.

Goose with babies, click for better view

Puma paddling in Brann's Mill Pond inlet

Bald Eagle perched on island, nest was nearby, click for closer view

Gulf Hagas

I have been eager to do some hikes in the higher mountains in the area like Katahdin or the Presidentials but the weather hasn't been cooperative.  Yesterday brought heavy rain and showers fell throughout the day today.  I don't want to hike to the summits to have zero visibility in the clouds.  One of the best places to hike after heavy rain is somewhere with waterfalls.  The hike at Gulf Hagas passes numerous waterfalls in a relatively short distance.  I have done this hike several times before but with high water levels I expected the falls to be gushing, and they did not let me down.

Gulf Hagas is located just about in the dead center of Maine just off the Appalachian Trail.  It is a popular hiking destination in Maine and attracts quite a few people on a summer weekend.  Gulf Hagas is referred to as the "Grand Canyon of the East."  While it does flow through a canyon, that moniker is a tad overdramatic.    Go for the waterfalls alone and you won't be disappointed.

The most popular access point is from the Katahdin Ironworks (KI) Road.  To get to the Gulf, one must ford the Pleasant River.  This is a fairly wide crossing and after the heavy rain makes the ford potentially dangerous. There is also a tricky crossing of Gulf Hagas Brook that involves crossing over a downed tree or fording the very fast brook.  I decided to hike in from the upper end of the Gulf.  Both routes are over 8 miles of hiking with the route I chose being slightly longer but slightly quicker without the ford.

The hike begins on AMC trails leading to the Pleasant River Tote Road, an old logging path that is now a hiking trail.  I chose to hike clockwise so I would have the scenery build as I hiked.  The Tote Road is a fairly flat stretch of trail that tends to be boggy and has many long stretches of bog bridge.  After several miles I reached the Rim Trail and the start of the waterfalls.  

The first waterfall is Screw Auger Falls.  This consists of several drops.  Although the first drop is probably the highest, the second drop is the most scenic and a very popular subject of photographs.  Further downstream the brook continues to cascade over several more smaller pitches. In total there are at least a half dozen different drops in this area.  Several swimming holes invite hikers below several of these falls.

The upper falls of Screw Auger Falls, also the highest

Screw Auger Falls, the most popular of Gulf Hagas waterfalls (25 ft drop)

Another view of Screw Auger Falls

the lower falls of Screw Auger Falls

The third highest drop at Screw Auger Falls

Leaving Screw Auger Falls the trail climbs to the rim of the canyon.  Several lookouts take you to the edge of the canyon to capture views of several smaller drops and the walls of the canyon.  The next waterfall with a significant drop is Buttermilk Falls.  A short side trail drops to water level to the base of the rushing waterfall.  A deep hole below the falls makes for a nice spot to swim.  Just beyond the waterfall, you can look down upon the falls from above.

Buttermilk Falls (about 10 ft drop)

A fairly high but narrow unnamed falls near Buttermilk Falls (30 ft drop)

The trail continues following the canyon rim with several more views into the canyon before reaching Billings and Stair Falls.  Billing Falls seems to have the most volume of water passing over of any of the waterfalls on the hike.  There is no trail leading to the falls but the view from the trail looking down to the falls is impressive.  Shortly after Billings is Stair Falls which consists of a series of small drops resembling a set of stairs.  Above Stair Falls is the Head of the Gulf.  Puma and I had lunch at this spot overlooking Stair Falls when we hiked here a few years ago.  Above the falls is fairly deep and sandy and made for a nice spot for Puma and I to cool off.  The trail returns to the Tote Road just beyond the Head of the Gulf.  Once on the Tote Road I retraced my tracks back to the trailhead.

View of canyon walls

Billings Falls (16 ft drop)

Billings Falls and canyon above

Stair Falls (5 ft at highest drop)

Unnamed falls on side stream across Stair Falls (10-15 ft drop)

The hike of Gulf Hagas is moderately difficult.  The seasoned hiker should have little difficulty but it could be strenuous for the casual visitor, especially if fording the Pleasant River.  Even though the trail doesn't have significant elevation gain, the area tends to be wet longer than most areas making for treacherous footing over slate and never-ending roots.  Lots of small ups and downs over wet roots can be tiring.  With the recent rain the trail was exceptionally slippery with areas of slate being as slick as ice.  It rained on an off as I hiked and that kept the people to a minimum.  The recent rain also made for magnificent conditions of the falls.

Little Moose and the Tale of Two Beavers

Wednesday turned out to be a picture perfect day so Puma and I decided to take advantage of the nice day.  We decided on a hike at Little Moose Mountain near Moosehead Lake.  We have done this hike together several times and the trip never disappoints us.

Little Moose Mountain sits just a few miles from Moosehead Lake and the town of Greenville on state land called Little Moose Public Reserved Land.  The mountain was originally called Little Squaw Mountain until the term "Squaw" was deemed offensive by the state of Maine and all such named places were renamed "Moose."  Being so close to town makes it one of the more popular hikes on the many trails in the Moosehead Lake region.  There are several trails on the mountain but the most popular is the Loop Trail that makes a circuit around some small ponds with designated campsites and several rock outcroppings with excellent views. 

Campsite on shore of Little Moose Pond

We chose to do the Loop Trail in the clockwise direction.  This direction allows for a buildup of the views with the best view near the end of the loop.  From the trailhead we reached a junction for the first of several campsites.  Soon we reached the outlet of Big Moose Pond.  There is a view of the ridgeline that the Loop Trail later traverses.  The trail passes the shore of Little Moose Pond passing two campsites.  The trail stays low passing over large section of bog bridge to avoid swampy areas.  The trail soon ascends to the top of the ridge where it passes over several humps.  There are several rock outcropping with good views, the last one being the best.

Looking across Little Moose Pond 

Section of bog bridges

The view from the final outcropping is one of the finest in the Moosehead Lake Region.  You overlook both Big and Little Moose Ponds directly below the outcroppings.  Beyond the ponds sits Big Moose Mountain, towering well over 1000 feet higher than the outcropping.  Moosehead Lake spreads out to the north with all of the mountains in the region visible including Kineo, Lily Bay Mountains, and mountains in the 100 Mile Wilderness.  To the south stands Moxie and Moxie Bald Mountains.  There was not a cloud in the sky and the view was as good as it gets.

Big Moose Pond and its feeder pond with Big Moose Mountain in background

Little and Big Spencer Mountains over Moosehead Lake

Lily Bay Mountains and mountains in 100 Mile Wilderness

From this outcropping we had an extra treat.  Several hundred feet below the rocks sits Big Moose Pond and a smaller pond that flows into it.  In the smaller pond Puma spotted movement.  Upon closer look she realized it was a beaver.  I had binoculars with me and you could see the beaver clearly.  As it swam it approached more movement which was a second beaver.  We watched them for several minutes.  One swam toward the center of the pond while the other moved to land where we could see it moving through the grasses. Soon they both disappeared.  Although we saw no moose, there was plenty of "nuggets" along the trail as well as some tracks. 

The dark spot in middle of lake is the beaver.  Clicking on picture makes it a little clearer.  Unfortunately from the top of a mountain I couldn't get a clearer shot.

There are many hikes in the Moosehead Lake Region.  The Little Moose Loop Trail is one of the easier hikes in the area and provides some of the best views in the area only minutes from town.  Puma and I are never let down when we visit this area.  

Kayaking Local Waters

The weather in Maine has been all over the place the past month.  The beginning of May was absolutely gorgeous with a couple week run of clear skies and comfortable temps.  That was followed by rain and rain  showers for 16 out of the next 18 days and over 6 inches of rain in that period.  Last weekend saw steady rain with a temp in the low 40s on Saturday afternoon.  This week turned hot and humid with yesterday passing 90.  All the rain raised the water levels in the rivers.  With the hot temperatures this week and rivers running at good levels, I headed out in kayak.

On Wednesday, Puma and I headed for the local river, the Piscataquis.  We ran the same section that I wrote about in April- First Kayak Trip of the Season. This time it was much warmer, no ice floating or wet suits needed.  We saw more than half a dozen bald eagles, several flying and several more perched on trees along the banks of the river.  

On Sunday I paddled Brann's Mill Pond.  Brann's Mill Pond is relatively small by Maine standards, 300 acres or so, and is located about 15 minutes from my house.  Despite its small size, it offer miles of shoreline to paddle.  While there are a few camps on its shores, most of its shoreline is wild and natural.  There are several small islands that would make for a nice place to have lunch.  One of the islands has a fire ring although I don't know if it is privately owned or if camping is allowed.  There are large areas of shoreline that contains marshland as well as large areas of aquatic plants.  Throughout the morning I continually saw fish jumping and saw quite a few fish swimming in the shallower areas.

Perhaps the most scenic part of the pond is its inlet.  I was able to paddle a mile or so upstream into the inlet of the pond.  The narrow brook slowly snakes through wild and secluded marshland.  Much of the way through the brook I passed water lilies in bloom.  Although I didn't see any beaver, there were several signs of their presence including a couple of lodges and an old dam.  The only wildlife I saw was a deer that struggled through the marsh and numerous red winged blackbirds.  Eventually the brook narrows and reaches some riffles that can no longer be paddled upstream.  Surprisingly, the marshy area was free of bugs.  Only nonthreatening mayflies were abundant.

Taking time to explore the inlet brook marshland, pass around most of the islands, and paddle most of the shoreline took me about two and a half hours at a leisurely pace.  For a hot weekend day I didn't see too much traffic.  There was one powerboat, a canoe, and a few other kayaks.

Paddling up the inlet brook of Brann's Mill Pond

Paddling through marshland on Brann's Mill Pond inlet brook

Aquatic plants

Canadian Goose in Brann's Mill Pond

Beaver Dam 

Barren Mountain Hike

Several weeks passed since my last hike so I was eager to hit the trail.  One of the closest mountains to my house with worthwhile views is Barren Mountain.  I usually hike here a few times a year.  It is the first peak along the Appalachian Trail heading north in the 100 Mile Wilderness.  At less than 2700 feet in elevation, it's not a terribly high mountain.  However, the climb to the summit is fairly rugged along the AT and requires around 2000 feet of climbing and the hike is about an 8 mile roundtrip.  Despite it's low elevation, there is some nice scenery on the hike.

Despite a forecast for clear skies, clouds prevailed Sunday morning.  As the J Man and I arrived at the trailhead, much of the mountain was obscured by clouds.  On the way to the summit the trail passes several rocky ledges which offer good views to the south.  Barren Slide and Barren Ledges were both in the clouds so we struck out on the views there.  About two miles beyond Barren Ledges is the actual summit.  On the summit is the remains of an old fire tower.  The cabin is no longer on the tower but the frame still stands.  While the summit is partially open, it is possible to climb a few rungs of the tower to get a 360 degree view.  (Use great caution climbing as the structural integrity may be questionable)  Upon reaching the summit the trail broke out of the clouds providing some interesting views looking over an area of undercast. (a layer of clouds beneath the summit)  To the south was a sea of clouds below the summit.  In the distance, only the Bigelow Range, Coburn Mountain, and Big Squaw Mountain poked above the clouds.  To the north, the valley along Katahdin Iron Works Road was clear with the peaks of the Lily Bay and White Cap Ranges visible above the shroud of clouds.  Undercast clouds are neat to experience.  It gives you a "on top of the world" feeling.  It provided unique views from a summit that I have been to many times.  The hike returns back to the trailhead on the AT.  The views at the slide and ledges were still obscured when we passed them on the return trip.  By the time we reached the trailhead, the morning clouds burned off and the mountain was in the clear.  It was a little disappointing that weather didn't cooperate but without the clouds we would have missed out on the beauty of the undercast clouds on the summit.

A typical section of rocky trail along AT

Smooth section of AT in spruce forest approaching Barren Mtn

Looking at the White Cap Range poking out of the undercast

A sea of clouds with Big Squaw (Moose) and Coburn Mtn. peaking out in the distance (Click for larger view)

Moose Mayhem on Mountain Bike Ride and Sasquatch!

The weather this weekend was gorgeous and I wanted to get out on another ride on the mountain bike.  I headed to Barnard, Maine and started at the same spot as my ride last weekend.  This time I headed a different direction to ride a favorite route of mine in the area.  This ride follows mostly logging roads that are closed to all motorized vehicles.  It travels through land owned by Roxanne Quimby, founder of Burt's Bees, then passes through land owned by the AMC (Appalachian Mountain Club), then goes on an ATV/snowmobile trail before finishing the last several miles back on the Quimby land.

This ride is truly a wilderness experience.  The ride travels along and around the mountains in the 100 Mile Wilderness.  There is usually wildlife to be seen and several views of the mountains of the Whitecap and Barren-Chairback Ranges. Even with a map, the logging roads and trails can be difficult to navigate.  The best way to learn the complex system of routes is to find someone with local knowledge of the area, then explore on your own.  As my last post showed, even with some knowledge of the area, it's easy to take the wrong path. The terrain is rolling with a few long climbs and descents but rarely technical.  The loop I ride is 38 miles and I didn't see anyone else.  In fact except for a couple of camps near the Katahdin Iron Works area, there is little signs of civilization.

My route starts out on a logging road that used to be used regularly.  Now it closed to all motorized traffic.  After about 8 miles the road is trenched to make it unpassable to any ATVs or Snowmobiles and probably horses.  I very well may be the one of literally a few people that venture to this point each year.  Another old logging road takes me a couple miles to an dilapidated old camp and to a very rough old ATV trail that ends in a field.  A short bushwack through the field brings me to another series of logging roads that is now on AMC property.  The right combination of roads brings me to the Katahdin Iron Works road (popular road with hikers in the area) before immediately hitting a ATV/Snowmobile trail along the Pleasant River.  A few miles along the rivers brings me back to an old logging road back on Quimby land and eventually back to where I started.

While the riding was alright, the highlight of this ride was the moose activity.  I saw four moose on the ride.  A loner about 12 miles from the start.  Another smallish loner about 8 miles later.  Finally about 5 miles from the end I saw a pair of moose.  The first was browsing along the path.  After a few pictures, it grew tired of my presence and disappeared into the woods.  The second was laying down along the edge of the logging road.  I startled it and it jumped up no more than 10 yards in front of me.  In the process it startled me.  Again it lingered long enough for a few pictures before heading off into the woods.  

The last two moose were the most amusing of the sightings.  I was descending a steep section that crosses railroad tracks. (Same tracks in my last post)  I had some speed as I crossed the tracks but noticed movement several hundred feet down the track.  I looked over and noticed two moose walking side by side on the middle of the tracks.  I startled them but they didn't move.  I stopped to watch them from behind scrub along the trail.  Slowly they continued down the tracks after they realized I wasn't a threat.  They past me no more than 25 yards away.  I was able to snap a few photos before they got completely out of sight now off the tracks.  I actually see more moose while mountain biking than I do hiking and four isn't even the most I have seen in a single ride.

The most amazing part of the ride though was a Sasquatch and two-headed moose sighting.  I know you will be skeptical of my pictures.  You can choose not to believe me and my pictures.  But it's more fun to think you are actually looking at a Sasquatch and a two-headed moose.

First moose

First moose running away

Second moose- a small one

                                                                 

Second moose

Second moose, notice the shedding of winter coat

Moose 3

Moose 4

Moose 3 and 4

Moose 3 and 4 running away

Click for bigger view, Two-headed moose on railroad tracks (or is it just moose 3 and 4 side by side?)

A Sasquatch with its back to me along trail

Taking picture as I ride away from charging Sasquatch, I know it's blurry but what respectable Sasquatch photo isn't blurry