Bigelow Range - Avery Peak part 1

[chinooktrail]

This past weekend I had the pleasure of going to the Bigelow Range on a Backpack Trip with Mad Townie. This is a special place to both of us.

We met up at the road to the trailhead for the Fire Warden’s Trail, and I was running a bit late… Soon we were reacquainted, geared up and had the sled packed and bungeed and we were on the trail, well, at least the road to the trailhead.

We plodded along talking up a storm about all subjects great and small. But the conversation must have been quite entertaining to us both, since we blew by the trailhead, blew past the power lines and just kept going along the snowmobile trails for quite some time before we both realized we had made some sort of mistake.

Townie flagged down a snowmobile and asked the nice man a few questions, and then we headed back and got onto the trail, just a little later than planned!

Once on the trail the conversation was less and the snowshoes went on. Instead of crossing the outlet for the pond we chose to cross over the pond itself then head back to the trail. From here on we broke trail the entire way. And since Townie weighs about ten pounds more than me, he ended up breaking the trail again, after I had broken through in front of him! Talk about a lot of work.

After a while the sled became more work that it was worth, and Townie stashed it on the side of the trail and threw his pack on his back. Off we went again. After a short while Townie made the mistake of calculating how much weight he was carrying on his back, never ever a good thing to do to yourself while backpacking!

The day was a beautiful one, winds up high, severe clear blue skies and not a fluffy white cloud in sight. The temps were great too, cool enough to wear several layers and if you got too warm, just slow down for a spell and your core cooled off nicely. Perfect weather for a couple of ‘Mainers’!

Even thought we were breaking trail the entire way, it was fairly obvious where it was, and I don’t think we were too far off it at any point. Townie pointed out to me at one part of the trail where we were looking for a blaze that since it was a Fire Warden’s Trail, more than likely it went in a fairly straight line. Getting from point A to point B being the main objective, a straight line is the fastest route. I had never thought about certain trails being built for another purpose than hiking, but it made perfect sense.

We arrived at the Moosefalls Campsite and were not exactly surprised we had the whole place to ourselves. We stamped out a nice spot for the tent and another for our ‘dining room’ and got to work setting up home for the night. Always an interesting and um, learning experience with a new tent!

After a wonderful dinner and conversation we turned in and got some rest. We got snowed on all night long. The skies were perfectly clear and there were billions and billions of stars, but we had our own little blizzard in the tent. Once morning came I was served ‘breakfast in sleeping bag’, and when I sat up I noticed a little tag inside the tent for the first time. WARNING: a few things were mentioned, including ‘you must adequately ventilate tent at all times, suffocation and death could occur. At which time I looked up, saw the three closed vents in the top of the tent and the one larger one at the back of the tent, all covered in a thick layer of frost from our breathing. Ok Christine, live and learn…

 

[chinooktrail]

part 2

Once breakfast was finished and the camp was secured we took as little as we thought we could in our packs and headed up the trail to the col. The weather was not as spectacular as Saturday, but still pretty darned close to perfect! Less sun, but less wind as well, a fair trade in my estimation! This section of the trail is a bit steep, well, ok, not a bit, more like freakin steep! We were both laughing about how we looked like the climbers in the Denali tape Matt’s had shown us recently, one step, breath, another step, breath… like we oxygen deprived.

Once in the col we dropped our packs and headed for Avery Peak. The trail quickly turned into one that seemed like it was built by smurfs. We were feeling like giants walking in the tops of the trees for a while. Once it breaks out of the forest wow! The views just open up and you feel like you can see all the way to Canada! Well, ok, it is right there, but you know what I mean. The views truly are stellar, and in every direction.

We quickly made it up to the summit and celebrated my 67th with a few photos and a big hug! Thanks so much to Townie for sharing this very special peak with me and this very special accomplishment. My own journey to this range started some 30 years ago, and has been a place I needed to return to since for many reasons, but that is a whole different trip report… The winds were making their presence known, so we didn’t dilly dally too long. West peak was looming over in the distance, looking as beautiful as ever.

I may have mentioned the trail was steep, well, it seemed even steeper on the way down, since I couldn’t seem to stay upright and kept falling on my butt and sliding on the back of my snowshoes for most of the way down. I have to say, it wasn’t exactly unenjoyable!

Soon we were back at camp, breaking down and packing up and getting ready to head back into the big wide world. The heavy packs were not made any lighter by all the food we consumed for some unknown reason, they seemed like evil elves had stashed rocks in them actually… Darn those evil trail elves.

All too soon we were back at the cars and having a celebrator beer at a local watering hole and saying our goodbyes.

Thanks so much to Townie for making this trip so special for me in so many ways, you are a gentleman and wonderful person to spend time with.

 

[hikes-with-him]

Thanks for the TR...

The Bigelows are our favorite range (thus far). We LOVE to do "the loop". I could see in my mind each section you were describing and I was smiling quite a bit about your "steep" comments of the trail above the campground...hubby and I have often talked about how much "fun" that firewarden's trail would be, unbroken, in the winter

As we have considered doing this hike this winter...two questions: 1. Where do you park? How long a trip is it to the trailhead (without your scenic "side trip" past the powerlines)?

 

[chinooktrail]

Hi there, yup, it is a great place to be!

I have been working on the TR from ~ 30 years ago, when I was a kid...

You park just off of Route 16, as though you are headed to the summer trailhead. There is a tiny plowed area, big enough for maybe 3 vehicles. There is a little cash box for donations for the plowing as well.

It 'should' take maybe 1/2 hour on the snowmobile tracks to the first turnoff. There is a large board there that looks like it should have information on it, but it is empty at the moment, or at least last weekend it was.

have a great trip if you go!

 

[donna]

Great TR. Congratuations on your 67th...great mountain for sure.

 

[MichaelJ]

Wonderful - congratulations on your #67 and on a great hike, too!

 

[sli74]

Congrats !!! Great Trip Report, BTW. This trip is high on my "to do" list.

sli74

 

[una_dogger]

Awesome!

Congratz, Christine!

 

[Mad Townie]

And since Townie weighs about ten pounds more than me, he ended up breaking the trail again, after I had broken through in front of him! Talk about a lot of work.

Christine, my PACK weighed about 10 pounds more than you! Then you add about 6 pounds worth of boots, a couple hundred pounds worth of person . . . well, like you said, performing the calculations isn't a particularly smart thing to do while hiking.

Excellent TR, and it was a pleasure hiking with you and sharing your #67. I really have nothing to add, except that the FW Trail is much steeper than it was in 1981 and there are a LOT more snowmobile trails down on the flats than there used to be. And I still prefer double-walled tents.

Imzadi, I'm not really sure what they call the "trailhead." It used to be at the pond outlet stream, but now the parking area (summer) is back a ways, and you walk a good bit toward the mountain before you see trailhead-type signs. From 16 (or 27, depending on personal preference) it's about 2 miles to the outlet stream--unless you really enjoy snowmobile trails.

Oh, a few photos here. My summit shots were messed up by a diagonal streak of ice across the lens, probably caused by keeping the camera in my chest pocket where it was in a pretty humid environment.

 

[chinooktrail]

Thanks for posting some pix Townie. I will try to post some, well, if I can figure out how to do that...

 

[MEB]

Way to go Christine!!! Looks like you guys a great weekend

-MEB

 

[Darl58]

Congrats Christine!!

Nice Tr! I haven't been there yet,....

 

[prino]

Nice Report! I've driven past the Bigelows so many times on the way to Baxter and also Acadia and every time I see that range I drool and say I have to climb them...... One Day!

 

[Mad Townie]

Prino, you owe it to yourself to get there. It's a wonderful place!