buckyball1
New member
As opposed to a slight sense of dread that has surrounded a few recent forays, I was looking forward to today's hike as I've checked this little peak from the Barrell Ridge several times over the years and thought -"views from those ledges must be great"
I drove up Rt 95, got off at Sherman/Patten exit, headed past Shin Pond and into Baxter via the Matagamon (north) gate--full sun and 36 degrees. The tote road is finally open all the way around and i parked at the start of the Fowler Brook Trail for
Billfish 1890'-so zoned i forgot to include the peak name it in original TR
I've never been in this way, but it's a very nice trail that takes you to Lower Fowler and Middle Fowler Ponds. Either of these would be excellent destinations-beautiful lakes, surrounded by Barrell Ridge, Bald, Billfish, N Traveler and Traveler itself a bit further away. There are several excellent walk in campsites and a feeling of peace and isolation--saw 2 loon families on M Fowler.
I left the trail east of Middle Fowler Pond and headed up Billfish. From looking at the peak from a distance and reviewing pics/topos, i knew the upper part would be steep and have lots of cliffs and small older slides. I took a SE line from the top of Middle Fowler and decided to avoid the more open cliffs/slides i knew were prevalent reaching down SW of the summitThe first half of the whack was moderately steep open woods (got rockier with ascent) and then as expected the climb got much steeper. I was able to skirt a sizable set of cliffs about 1/2 way up and another smaller batch near the top. The woods remained open almost all the way to the top--fun hiking and route finding.
The top is open rock giving way to thick evergreen woods right where the actual summit is. The views to the SW and S are stunningly good; you can almost touch the open rock on Bald, have excellent views of cliffs on Barrell and see the E side of North Traveler and N side of Traveler, views i seldom get of peaks i've climbed often. If you push through the woods, you can also get excellent views the other direction to Matagamon Lake (E and NE)
If you read my little TRs, you know i often seem to get "cute" with routes when descending and usually regret it-no exception today. I swung more to the south to descend over the ledges, cliffs, slides (all starting to grow in) and soon found my self in places too steep to descend safely, getting more angled and slippery by the step-a slide/fall here would have been ugly
. I stopped twice, gathered myself and climbed back up a few hundred feet so i could slab further north and come down nearer my ascent route (don't you just hate "slabbing"?)
Back near original line, easy descent, some time spent basking in sun beside Middle Fowler, quick scoot out to car.
this was a keeper hike whether to Middle Fowler or for a nice 'whack/top view from Billfish
jim
I drove up Rt 95, got off at Sherman/Patten exit, headed past Shin Pond and into Baxter via the Matagamon (north) gate--full sun and 36 degrees. The tote road is finally open all the way around and i parked at the start of the Fowler Brook Trail for
Billfish 1890'-so zoned i forgot to include the peak name it in original TR
I've never been in this way, but it's a very nice trail that takes you to Lower Fowler and Middle Fowler Ponds. Either of these would be excellent destinations-beautiful lakes, surrounded by Barrell Ridge, Bald, Billfish, N Traveler and Traveler itself a bit further away. There are several excellent walk in campsites and a feeling of peace and isolation--saw 2 loon families on M Fowler.
I left the trail east of Middle Fowler Pond and headed up Billfish. From looking at the peak from a distance and reviewing pics/topos, i knew the upper part would be steep and have lots of cliffs and small older slides. I took a SE line from the top of Middle Fowler and decided to avoid the more open cliffs/slides i knew were prevalent reaching down SW of the summitThe first half of the whack was moderately steep open woods (got rockier with ascent) and then as expected the climb got much steeper. I was able to skirt a sizable set of cliffs about 1/2 way up and another smaller batch near the top. The woods remained open almost all the way to the top--fun hiking and route finding.
The top is open rock giving way to thick evergreen woods right where the actual summit is. The views to the SW and S are stunningly good; you can almost touch the open rock on Bald, have excellent views of cliffs on Barrell and see the E side of North Traveler and N side of Traveler, views i seldom get of peaks i've climbed often. If you push through the woods, you can also get excellent views the other direction to Matagamon Lake (E and NE)
If you read my little TRs, you know i often seem to get "cute" with routes when descending and usually regret it-no exception today. I swung more to the south to descend over the ledges, cliffs, slides (all starting to grow in) and soon found my self in places too steep to descend safely, getting more angled and slippery by the step-a slide/fall here would have been ugly
. I stopped twice, gathered myself and climbed back up a few hundred feet so i could slab further north and come down nearer my ascent route (don't you just hate "slabbing"?)Back near original line, easy descent, some time spent basking in sun beside Middle Fowler, quick scoot out to car.
this was a keeper hike whether to Middle Fowler or for a nice 'whack/top view from Billfish
jim
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