2/7/16 Little Long Pond

With the new snow ( on a Sunday)  the question was where to hike. We did not want to compete with snowmobilers or skiers and we didn't want untrod trails. I thought we could find something here.

A beautiful sunny day, snow, mid 30's, and no wind. We started form the upper parking lot as there were no spots near the gate. This could have been a problem because when snowy the Friends Path is often not used, but today it had been.

At the pond we found the West Trail had not been used and the west side carriage road didn't look good either. We crossed the end of the pond to the east side.

The pond with long shadows from the trees.

The carriage road on the east side had a nice packed path for walkers and tracks for skiers.

I can never isolate this tree the way I would like.

Plant in snow for today.

When we got to the cobblestone bridge we found that most people had turned around there. Both the carriage roads and the stream trail looked difficult so we turned around too,.

A view of Jordan Stream from the bridge.

Another tree I liked. You can see that it clouded up along the way.

Kelley found some water near the end of the pond

Starting to clear

The other side of the pond

Back up the Friends Path- wished I had brought a pole from the trunk.

Back on level ground.

Small stream near the parking lot.

A really nice hike on a beautiful day. Kelley was enthusiastic and did well. We met lots of dogs and their owners, including a couple and their dog we see regularly at City Forest - this, of course, pleased Kelley. 2  1/2 hours but a fair amount of that time was chatting with the people we met along the way. 

2/5/16 DeMeritt Forest

Snowing when we got up so didn't want to spend time driving - hoping to be able to get up the driveway when we got home - we picked the nearby forest.

Starting on Logan Rd. - no one had been on it yet this morning.

The small stream Kelley usually enters had lots of ice around it, which she doesn't like and so didn't go in. But she soon found some other water

The Blue Trail turned out to be quite wet.

and the White as well

An unwet section of the Yellow

Snowy tree

Leading the way

When we crossed the stream on the way back Kelley went down to check it out again.

The same ice but this time she found a way in.

A very pretty time in the woods with the snow continuing and sticking to the trees , as it was just below freezing. Kelley had both snow and water so she was happy and did well. We also met no one, having the place to ourselves- very peaceful.  1  1/2 hours 

2/2/16 Dover-Foxcroft

Twenty degrees colder than yesterday but nice sun. No map because I don't have one for where we ended up going.

Last night Kelley seemed a bit stiff so I planned a short easy hike on the rail-trail from Dover-Foxcroft. We have little snow left so I thought there would be no snowmobilers and the walking would be easy.

We crossed the river

and found there was a lot more snow than we had but it was well packed and easy walking

Kelley wanted to take a side trail again - the last one we took led us to someone's house and I hoped this would not.

Started with some pretty woods

After a bit I thought we had gone far enough for Kelley but when I turned around she sat and wanted to continue - so we did.

We then came to a large open area which ran next to a long dirt airstrip.

 and then back into the woods

until another open area by the town and a farm.

Just past the section we came to an area where the trail split into several directions. Never having done this trail it seemed like a good time to turn back while we still knew how to get back. Kelley again stopped and did not want to go back. So....

She seemed to prefer the trail that followed a utility easement so we started down that. I knew an easement crossed the rail-trail and thought maybe this was the same easement and we would hit the rail-trail and take that back. When we came to a road I gave up and turned back - this time Kelley agreed.

Part way back we met a local man and his husky and he said I was right about the easement but that before it reached the rail-trail it crossed a marshy area we would not have liked to cross. After a pleasant chat about our dogs and trails we headed on back.

Another section of trail on the way back

Weed of the day

Not the planned hike but interesting and new. No snowmobiles or people other than the one man we met. I was pleased that Kelley wanted to keep going- she has not shown that behavior in some time and she did well. 2 hours

Tomorrow's forecast is for snow, sleet,freezing rain , and then rain and wind - good rest day.

2/1/16 Perch Pond

Forties when we got up- strange weather continues along with uncertainty about trail conditions. Perch Pond is not a long drive - last winter we usually couldn't get in the parking lot or off the road.

From the north trail parking you can take either a trail in the woods or a parallel  old woods road. The road looked to have had more traffic so we chose that.

We found the beaver pond frozen

 This trail had some bike tracks

Perch Pond was also frozen - this is a spot where Kelley can usually get in.

A fishing shanty - I would not trust that ice.

 Back on the trail I accidently broke through some ice  and then took out enough for Kelley to, at least, get wet.

Returning we took the woods trail to the parking lot because there was a tiny stream that might be flowing - it was

Bog bridges on that trail

This hike was mostly a bit of a slog for me - one section of trail had had no use. A bit easier for Kelley - when the surface didn't support her she stepped in my tracks. Still it was pretty in the woods and peaceful as we met no one. Kelley did well in spit of less than ideal conditions. 1  1/2 hours

1/31/16 Eliot Mt. and Harbor Brook

Upper twenties. clouds and sun, and no wind. Once again, we did not know what the trails would be like.

We started from Rte. 3 at the Eliot Mt. trailhead and the trail had had some use and was in pretty good shape.

The new trail that starts part way up had less use and more ice. Kelley did not want to use these steps

 But failing to find a way around she eventually came down and we continued on our way.

We found the brook had lots of ice and low water.

 Many of the places Kelley usually gets in the water had ice blocking her way but she found some spots.

Parts of the trail are very close to the stream

A small hole in the ice

The trail was really icy in spots and at a higher point I slid down the bank , thankfully short of the water.

Kelley found more spots to get in the water

 An interesting hike that Kelley liked except for that one spot in the trail. We met a woman and a couple on the Eliot Mt. Trail - we rarely meet anyone - and that made Kelley happy. Parts of the trail were very slippery and I was glad I had brought along a pole I had saved from a previous hike - should have put on my ice grippers.
1  1/2 hours