4/26/10 - Frohock Mountain

                                

                                                                                           

One goal of this hike was to find the trail to Garey Mountain. It is mentioned in the AMC "Maine Mountain Guide" (though it is not on their map or the one above). We have done several hikes in the area without seeing it.

We started from the parking area on 173 and walked the Ski Lodge Trail to the Frohock Mtn. Trail. This trail is fairly steep until the point where it splits. We went left looking carefully for blazes but found none and continued on to the Frohock summit ( and a brief side path to Derry Mtn.) and a break for apple and water. Both Derry and Frohock are wooded and give only glimpses of the ocean through the trees.

                                                                      

We backtracked to the fork and searched from the trail toward Bald Rock but again found nothing and continued on to a point near the shelters for lunch with a view.

                                                                          

We returned the way we had come. Unlike the hike we did yesterday there were Trillium and Violets in bloom ( I screwed up the pictures) and the temperatures were warmer. 3 hours

4/25/10 - Little Moose

Little Moose is a unit of Maine Public Reserved Lands and also a mountain in that unit. Though only about 70 miles north of Bangor there is a climate difference.
                                                                      
Though at home there are wild flowers in bloom here it still looked like winter and we even found several patches of snow. We also saw many many piles of fresh moose droppings but no moose.

Big Moose Pond and a real swim for Kelley.

From Big Moose Pond we took the Loop Trail which climbs up to the ridge above the ponds

                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
And was more challenging than the relatively flat first part of the hike. The exposed roots, leaves, and pine needles were wet and slippery.

But offered some very nice views

                                                                  

                                                                    

                                     
                                   

                                                                             

The trail then drops back down to Little Moose Pond

                                                                 

        
                                                                    

                                                                                

And then back to Big Moose Pond where (at the end) there is an old concrete structure that Kelley could not walk across so she swam around it

                                                                         
Almost back to the car the hike ends with an uphill climb including these slate steps

                                                                        

It had been cool with a mix of sun and clouds but a very satisfying hike. 2 -3/4 hours

4/23/10 - Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust

                                                                                        

This hike was suggested by Scott and was a good one. Thank you Scott. For more information about GPMCT go here: http://greatpondtrust.org/

We had hiked the Great Pond Mountain(before we started the blog) but were not aware of this other section. A mix of clouds and hazy sun with rain forecast but not materializing. We started from the parking area on Rte.1 ,walking a short distance to the Esker Path

Which we took to the Hillside Trail and had this view of Great Pond Mountain

                                                                       
The Hill Path took us up Oak Hill and gave us this view

                                                                   
Then down the E. Ridge Path to the Flag Hill Trail and up that hill for more nice views

                                                                        

                                                                         

                                                                                            
We returned down that trail and on to the Hillside Trail which is a mix of woodland paths and old roads

                                                                

On to the Valley Road and back to our car. 3 -1/2 hours

Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Mary joined us on this beautiful day. We first did the Carter Meadow Road loop trail. About .3 miles from the County road is an old cabin that marks the beginning and end of the loop ( though not shown on this map) and near the middle is an observation platform. There were some wet sections but it was mostly in pretty good shape and a very pleasant walk. New leaves are just starting to come out on the trees.

                                                                      

                                                                               
From the observation platform

                                                                               
We then went up the road a short distance and did the Oak Point Trail which was also pleasant. Just before we finished Kelley had a dip in Birch Stream.

                                                                             

4/21/10 Acadia -Three Peaks

A beautiful day to try a trail (Parkman Mountain) that had defeated us in the past. We started from the Noumbega parking area on Rte. 198. A short distance on the Hadlock Brook takes you the Parkman Mountain Trail which had several difficult spots for Kelley but she managed to find ways around all but one where she accepted a boost from me. Kelley continues to learn and I was quite proud of her. Though fairy arduous the trail is beautiful and a joy to climb.

                                                                                

                                                                             

                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                                                             
Nearing the summit

                                                                                              
From Parkman

                                                                                
We continued on the trail which dropped quickly to the Grandgent Trail on which we climbed to Gilmore Peak

                                                                                  
Parkman seen from the Grandgent Trail

                                                                          
 From Gilmore Peak

Kelley on Gilmore

                                                                  

We dropped down from Gilmore to the Maple Springs area and continued on up to the top Of Sargent where we met some nice people and then continued on the Sargent Mtn. Trail to the Maple Spring Trail and back down toward where we had started. Maple Spring Trail is also quite nice and is described in an earlier entry.

Carriage road bridge over Maple Spring Trail

                                                                    


We followed Maple Spring to Hadlock Brook and that back to our car. We had done a fairly strenuous hike and were both tired but happy. 3 -3/4 hours

4/17/10 Amphitheater Trail and Cedar Swamp Mtn.

Gray and 40's but not bad once you got moving. We started from the parking area near the Brown Mtn. Gatehouse. We first tried to find the connector to the Asticou Trail that we couldn't find in winter when there were a couple of feet of snow. We still couldn't find it and took the carriage roads to the Sargent S. Ridge Trail to the Asticou and that back to another carriage road to the Amphitheater Trail. I didn't remember this end of the Amphitheater and it was quite a nice trail. It starts out along the stream reasonably flat but meanders and then gets rockier and steeper. There were a few challenging spots for Kelley but she was especially inventive today and solved them all herself.








looking across to the ridge up Penobscot Mountain


As you near Birch Spring the trail becomes open granite





but then drops down to the spring and a particularly hard climb for Kelley ( where she showed great courage by jumping a gap she had not attempted before) to Sargent S. Ridge Trail and Cedar Swamp Mountain just off that trail.


We continued down the Sargent. Mtn. Trail to the carriage roads and followed them back to our car. 3 - 1/4 hours