4/5/12 Fitts Pond and Blackcap Mountain

Mix of sun and clouds, breezy, and cool. Blackcap is only 20 some miles away. We had done it this winter on a day that the trails were dangerously icy ( I still have sore shoulder from one of my falls) and wanted to do it under better conditions.

The hike starts near the Roosevelt Scout Camp's Fitts pond boat ramp.


This trail follows the pond quite closely



At an intersection you can continue around the pond or climb Blackcap. I could not find a map of the Blackcap Trail so have drawn in an approximation. It climbs fairly steeply in sections and is mostly wooded.


One of the first ledges that offers a view. After this the trail goes back into woods for a ways



Until you reach the open summit with it's many towers. This is something you encounter on many peaks in Maine.


If you continue south there is an old woods road that soon turns into a pleasant wooded trail that runs along the ridge for awhile


before you again encounter open ridges with views.




We stopped to share an apple and Kelley is being antisocial .

The trail the starts down and seems to double back, running along the side of the ridge and parallel to the trail above.

Eventually it brings you down to Fitts Pond again and we continued the loop around the pond and back to the main part of the scout camp.

Not a very pretty day except for brief periods but an interesting hike. Kelley did especially well. I had been a little bit concerned when she wasn't anxious to play with another dog yesterday but she did more leaping up and down obstacles ( rather than going around) than usual and seemed enthusiastic. 2 3/4 hours