12/31/10 Out Back

There is a utility easement behind our house which is used in winter by snowmobilers who pack the snow and make for nice footing. It goes south for about a mile and ends next to a small park. Going north it connects to many miles of trails. Not as dramatic as Acadia but pleasant and we don't have to get in the car. We went north this morning ( when these pictures were taken) and the south this afternoon.

12/30/10 Kebo Mountain Area

Mixed sun and clouds but warmer. We had not been to Acadia since the big snow and not knowing trail conditions, chose this area because there are several options available. The loop road had been used by snowmobiles and so provided good footing. We took that the short distance to the Hemlock Road which is really a path.


Kelley was, of course, happy to be out in all that snow though she stuck mostly to the trail. Hikers had preceded us but the snow beside the trail was still fairly deep and a bit of a slog.


Lichen of the day.




From Hemlock we took the Jesup Path. Though it's not very evident in this picture the boardwalk through this section ( often quite wet) has been completed.



We continued on the Jesup, after the boardwalk section, to the Tarn.




From there it was back to the Hemlock Rd., to the Hemlock Trail, to the Kebo Mtn. Trail. This trail was a little trickier. A snowshoer had preceded us but blazes were not evident and he seemed to have wandered a bit. We decide to just follow his tracks in hopes of finding the actual trail and eventually we again found blazes and the trail. This trail had the deepest snow and with only one hiker preceding us was a bit more work.


Kelley wanted to reach the actual summit cairn and did.


We proceeded down the other side of Kebo and back to the loop road. Having more time and a little more energy we went on to do the section of the Jesup we had not done and circled back again on the Hemlock and then back to our car. A nice hike - 3 hours.

12/29/10 Back to Walden Parke

Still cold but the wind was down so it was more comfortable. Kelley was very excited and did a lot of running up and down the trail. Luckily someone had preceded us on a snowmobile and packed the deep snow for easier walking.

12/26/10 Norumbega Mountain

We drove in on the Hadlock Pond Rd. and parked by the pond and walked over to the trailheads.





The plan was to take the Golf Course Trail up to the Norumbega Trail. We had done this in summer and were able to follow the trail to the golf course and near the golf course met a woman with a German Shepherd ( we had met her the other day on the carriage roads)and her friend with a lab. Kelley was very happy to play with these two dogs. But today we searched and were unable to find the trail leading up to the Norumbega Trail and so we backtracked to the start of the Norumbega Trail. No one had been on this trail since the last snow fall and we saw no one today. As we climbed the snow became significantly deeper even though we only rose a few hundred feet. Having unbroken snow, quiet, and the beautiful trail made this a really nice hike even though we had to pick our ( my) way around patches of ice. Maybe too many pics of the trail but I couldn't resist. It was like being on top of the world and having it all to yourselves.














3-1/4 hours

Lower Hadlock last summer

12/25/10 Harbor Brook and Elliot Mtn.

Sunny but cold and windy so we decided on a woods loop that would have us mostly protected from the wind. We started at the Harbor Brook trailhead off Rte.3. The snow was light which was good as this trail closely follows the stream, at times cutting into the side of the bank.


Ice on Harbor Brook


We turned left on the Asticou Trail


And followed it to the map house where we picked up the Elliot Mountain Trail.


This area is a little confusing as there are several other trails not shown on the map and not maintained by the park but eventually you find signs which point the way. This is our first time, I think, to do this trail in winter and it was beautiful. There had been no one else on the trails since the last snowfall except for the short piece between the map house and Sargent S. ridge.






We followed the trail back to the road and that back to where we had parked. A nice hike. 2-3/4 hours

12/24/10 Kenduskeag Stream Trail

A short walk today. This trail starts not far from home and runs for 2-1/2 miles to downtown and the Penobscot River.It closely follows the Kenduskeag Stream and is a pleasant walk. Kelley usually gets into the water several times but did not today as the water was high and moving rapidly which she does not care for. She did, however, find lots of spots to sniff and explore and liked the snow which had received little traffic.We stopped downtown before we reached the river and returned to the parking lot where we had started.




This reminder of another season was on the path.

12/23/10 City Forest

We woke up to wet sticky snow and after clearing two driveways decided we didn't want a long drive and went to nearby City Forest which is next to Walden that we visited yesterday. We followed the East Trail from the parking lot to the old railroad bed and started north. It looked like you could walk farther than in the past until my foot went through the ice and we turned around. We followed the rail bed in the other direction until we came to the loop trail at Walden and then turned around again and returned back to the forest. We took the Main Road to Shannon Dr. and that back to our car. A nice 1-1/2 hour walk.

I thought the snow sticking to the sides of the trees was a little unusual.


It really was a winter wonderland today. Kelly was excited by the fresh snow and the numerous opportunities to get into the water. We only saw two other people so it was peaceful and quiet.

12/22/10 Walden Parke Preserve

A gray day with rain and snow predicted but quiet on our walk ( the snow came later in the day). We again stayed close to home - Walden is only 4 miles away.We parked at the end of Tamarack Trail and walked over to the snowmobile trail. I found lots of interesting lichens and Kelley found lots of things that interested her. She was only a little impatient with the picture taking.










The snowmobile trail swings into the woods and then along some other power lines to the old Veazie Railroad Bed which we took south a little past the gate (open) and then turned back.





Kelley likes the water no mater the season.


We walked back to the loop trail and took it back to where we had started.




Some weeds under the ice.


A pleasant 2 hour walk.