2/23/10 Bald Peak,Parkman Mtn., and Gilmore Peak

In spite of a gray dreary day with a bit of snow,a little rain,some fog,and no sun we had a good hike. We started from the Norumbega parking area and took the Hadlock Brook Trail (flat and easy) to the Bald Peak Trail. Kelley was excited to be in the woods and with no people around was off leash. When she loses sight of me she often comes bounding back.


Bald Peak Trail starts in woods but quickly rises into the open with some nice views.



This is Upper Hadlock Pond ( across from where we parked) seen from the trail

As you near the Bald Peak summit it becomes very rocky

Parkman Mountain seen from Bald Peak.

Parkman is only a short distance from Bald but there is a quite steep drop to a notch between them that Kelley did not care for when we did this trail last summer. Surprisingly it was easier for her in the snow.

Bald Peak from Parkman Mtn.

It was a bit windy at the top but Kelley seems to enjoy putting her nose into the wind

From Parkman we took the Grandgent Trail to Gilmore Peak. Another steep drop and for some reason more snow.



The snow became even deeper as we climbed out of the notch and up to Gilmore. Here Kelley patiently waits for me as I trudge through the snow

A view from the trail


And the summit
Kelley enjoying a carrot snack at the summit before we began looking for the trail down to Maple Spring Trail. It appears no one has gone this way recently and after walking around the summit we cannot find the trail( not the first time I have had trouble finding this trail) and we decide to bushwhack down. Kelley looks at me as if questioning the route (deep snow, brush, fallen trees) but follows my lead as we work our way down.


We found the Maple Spring Trail-very pretty but rocky and icy and we had to find ways around a couple of spots- and took that back to the Hadlock Brook trail and to the car.

A carriage road bridge the trail passes under

2/21/10 Camden

A gray sort of day until about 3 hours into the hike when the sun came out but mild temperatures. We started from Route 52 on the Carriage Road Trail ( some icy spots but nothing life threatening like the other day)and took that to the Mt. Battie auto road and walked the short distance to the summit.From there we walked down to the Tableland Trail to the Jack Williams and across to the Ridge Trail ( both had mostly good footing and pretty woods with some ledge views). Back on the Tablelands to the Carriage Trail back to the car. Kelley found some water to get into which excited her and along the way had met several people and a small dog which made her happy. 6 1/4 hours

Camden from Mt Battie

Mary and Kelley-the Observation Tower on Battie

Lunch View-Jack Williams Trail

Another View from Jack Williams

Ridge Trail Near Megunticook

Looking Down Near Ocean Lookout

2/19/10 An Adventure

Sunny but windy. Mary joined us again but was having a bit of trouble with her ankle so we decided to do a mostly flat and easy hike. We parked by the Kebo St. entrance (closed)and walked on the loop road to the Jesup Path and that to the nature center area and the Tarn. As we explored the area Kelley spotted the trail called Kurt Diederich's Climb and wanted to take it and Mary agreed so off we went. This trail is fairly steep but much of it consists of stone steps which make the climbing fairly easy. This trail intersects with the Schiff Path ( formerly Dorr East Face Trail)and continues on to the summit of Dorr . This trail also had fairly good footing except near the top where there were large open icy areas which we needed to work around. It was very windy at the top and we did not linger. We came back down the Schiff to the Emery Path and had some dangerous icy patches to get across ( at one point I actually thought we might slide off the mountain from the narrow ice slicked trail). After passing the intersection with the Holmans Path we came to a steep icy section that we decided was too dangerous and back tracked to the Holmans. This is a fairly recently reopened trail we had not been on before. There was one steep icy section that Kelley and I bushwhacked around and Mary slid down luge style on her butt getting temporarily stuck under a rock but mostly the trail was not too hard. This trail ends near the nature center and we walked to the Strath Eden Trail ( a welcome pleasant walk in the woods) back to the loop road and then to our car. Kelley found some open water to get into and lay down and this had her excited and running down the road ahead of us. 5 3/4 hours


Kurt Diederich's Climb







Mary and Kelley - Dorr Summit

Schiff Path

Homans Path



Strath Eden Trail

2/18/10 Bowl and Champlain Trails

The day started out gray and dreary but by the time we were on the trails it had turned mostly sunny with fairly mild temperatures. Mary joined us today and Kelley was happy she was with us. We started on the Bowl Trail from near Sand Beach and took that to the Champlain Mtn. Trail at the Bowl. This trail is fairly gradual but has a few spots that are difficult for Kelley. She was able to find her own way around these spots and she became excited and obviously pleased with herself when she did so. This trail has a lot of spectacular views and with those and the mild temperatures and sun made for a beautiful hike. We ran out of time before reaching the summit and returned the way we had come. 3 hours


The Bowl

Champlain From The Bowl

Champlain Mountain Trail








The Bowl From Champlain Trail

2/16/10 Norumbega Mountain

When we left home there was a winter storm advisory but the day turned out to be a beauty- sunny, 30's, little wind. We started at the Norumbega parking area on Route 3 but instead of going up directly on the Goat Trail, which I don't care for, we took the Lower Norumbaga ( mostly flat but rocky and icy in spots) across to Hadlock Ponds Trail ( more icy patches) and that past Lower Hadlock Pond to the Norumbega Mountain Trail (some ice but more snow and quite pretty today) and climbed from the south. When we reached the summit we looked around a bit but then returned the way we had come. We didn't see anyone during the hike so Kelley got to be off leash almost the whole hike. 3 3/4 hours


Norumbega Mountain Trail







Norumbega Summit



Lunch View Lower Hadlock Pond

2/13/10 Penobscot Mountain

A beautiful - day-mid 30's, brilliant blue skies, and little wind ( except at the summit).We started at Jordan Pond and took the Asticou trail for about 30 minutes to the Penobscot Mtn. Trail. This is an old trail that has been reopened and provides a more gradual ascent than the older trail (now called the Spring Trail) which has a section Kelley can't negotiate. The Asticou had been used recently and provided very good footing. Someone had preceded us on the Penobscot also so this trail was easier then anticipated with only a few small sections of deep snow and the ice near the top was easily avoided.The first part of the hike is through lovely woods and then opens out to long vistas. Kelley was very happy to be at Acadia and though I had started the morning a little blue was soon also in good spirits. It is almost impossible not to have your spirits lifted by these surroundings. Even though only a short distance from roads and "civilization" it is easy to forget those facts and feel that one is alone at the top of the world. We saw no people and heard only the wind.We returned the way we had come. 3 1/4 hours