buckyball1
New member
after the welcome break to climb Little Bigelow Monday...today was back to more serious pursuits...
I left Orrington around 2AM for Ashland and another trip into North Maine Woods -most hikes these days are long drives and planning/figuring out how to get near the peak is often as hard as the hike(or so it seems). Early start, because it was 150 miles one way to Ashland and I knew i'd put on at least 150 more dirt road miles in NMW. Consequently I need "stuff" to keep me awake/my mind occupied. As I headed north on Rt 95 to Exit 286 in the inky black and turned toward Smyrna Mills, i constantly scanned the road for "cows on stilts"-hit one, forget it. I was amused by an ad on a NYC talk radio station for a golf course on Long Island which promoted "carts with GPS"-yikes. The Bakers are one thing, a golf course...?
I stopped at 4 AM in the Irving at Smyrna Mills and the manager said "oh, bet you're the guy who called". I had phoned yesterday to see what time they opened (4AM) and she said "i'll be in at 2AM working on stock, so if you're here at 3, just knock on the window and i'll turn the pumps on"--Aroostook County-another world, always treats me very well. I passed through Masardis, then Ashland and in the American Realty Road (dirt of course); registered at 6 Mile gate. I had talked to Seven Islands (one of the timber management companies for the area) and knew there was no logging at all going on -mud season-good as i'd not have to worry about being run off the road by a logging truck (you'd be amazed) and bad because the always remote place would be totally void of people today. I headed in the Realty (pronounced "reality" by most)
BM Dry Town-2010'-I've been dreading this hike for a long time-could find nothing about the peak regardless to whom i spoke to. It is absolutely "nowhere"-check Delorme page 62-it's that bump SE of the "S" in "TR13 R10 WELS"-no joke. My planned hike point (i had 2 possible approaches planned) was about 28 miles in past 6 Mile Gate. This one took lots of planning using sat pics and hoping the older, unused logging roads were passable. I took Realty Rd to Big Machias Lake, swung north on 20 Mile Brook and finally threaded my way for about 6 miles on unmarked old log roads-some spots very iffy.
Three years ago, i'd never have attempted these roads, but now...am sure i'm a breakdown waiting to happen, but...The last few miles of road were "built up" in wet areas- one slide and into a deep ditch you go. About 4 miles from my "park" spot-good size hardwood across the road-had the chainsaw-saved my butt. I was able to reach my spot and started hiking 5 hours after i left home. You never know, but i felt i had already "solved" this one by getting close to it. I hit a lot of remote places, but this one screamed "you are alone"-both cool and scary
The hike itself was fun, no issues of note. A quick steep pitch though open hardwoods to start, then a long stretch of PUDs where compass, GPS or good sense of sun position was a must as there was little sense of up/down/summit direction. There was the obligatory 0.15 miles stretch of steep thick evergreens and then fairly open woods to a rolling top. I think BM Dry Town stands for "Bench Mark" and you can see it on some topos. I really wanted to find a disk, iron post or metal sign saying "bench mark was nearby" (as i did near Allagash last year), but a long, thorough search yielded no sign of anything or any human trace. This is the most time i spent looking since a fruitless 90 minute search last year on Jo Mary and i was bummed. I am guessing this was a point for a map survey, but know little re this stuff. Maybe Roy or Richard can help me out? If there was a disk it would be buried under inches of "duff" covering the area.--quick descent, 28 long miles back to the gate (saw nobody) and swing down Pinkham Rd toward
Peaked-2136'-this is NOT the "Peaked" near "Round" just off the Jack Mt road which a few of you have climbed (RS, PB S, others?), but another "Peaked" about 15 miles further in. Follow Pinkham to Jack Mt Rd, turn right, stay on Jack Mt road to just past Elbow Mt and turn onto Peaked Mt Pond Rd. There are huge piles of logs on these roads waiting to be transported-the thaw was so early this year that they didn't get the wood out. I could envision a tilting pile tumbling onto the road and then what good would that chainsaw do?
I turned down some side roads toward and around Upper Island Pond.There were mud bogs and beaver work on the road, but i managed to get through-barely- and parked a bit east of the mountain. I surveyed my planned route and thought-open and easy low down, bear up top, maybe cliffs and thick evergreen--sooo right- and so typical of many peaks in this region. Easy going on old overgrown logging roads down low save for tenacious brambles which added 25% to the drag factor. Then it got real steep, very thick and filled with blowdown the last 0.3 miles-plus some small cliffs. Lots of sideways slabbing to try to make upward progress. I was starting to "bonk " near the top (unusual for me)-too many hikes, too little recovery time, too little sleep and too old. I managed to plow the last 200 yards and wala, there was a nice open SW view rock/ledge that was the top--really unexpected. I ate a bunch of sugar/carbs, drank a lot of water and lay in the sun, The descent was much easier as i feel you can usually "see" much better going down steep, thick terrain and you have gravity--butt slid 20-30' a few places -also unusual for me.
When i reached the car, i just reveled in the sun for a bit. This is a cool place which almost no hikers/climbers visit--way too far away, no 3ks (but some decent top to bottom height as they are prominence peaks and NO people-- wild, empty and lonely if you like that.
superb, rewarding day and 2 "worrisome" peaks crossed off my list.
jim
I left Orrington around 2AM for Ashland and another trip into North Maine Woods -most hikes these days are long drives and planning/figuring out how to get near the peak is often as hard as the hike(or so it seems). Early start, because it was 150 miles one way to Ashland and I knew i'd put on at least 150 more dirt road miles in NMW. Consequently I need "stuff" to keep me awake/my mind occupied. As I headed north on Rt 95 to Exit 286 in the inky black and turned toward Smyrna Mills, i constantly scanned the road for "cows on stilts"-hit one, forget it. I was amused by an ad on a NYC talk radio station for a golf course on Long Island which promoted "carts with GPS"-yikes. The Bakers are one thing, a golf course...?
I stopped at 4 AM in the Irving at Smyrna Mills and the manager said "oh, bet you're the guy who called". I had phoned yesterday to see what time they opened (4AM) and she said "i'll be in at 2AM working on stock, so if you're here at 3, just knock on the window and i'll turn the pumps on"--Aroostook County-another world, always treats me very well. I passed through Masardis, then Ashland and in the American Realty Road (dirt of course); registered at 6 Mile gate. I had talked to Seven Islands (one of the timber management companies for the area) and knew there was no logging at all going on -mud season-good as i'd not have to worry about being run off the road by a logging truck (you'd be amazed) and bad because the always remote place would be totally void of people today. I headed in the Realty (pronounced "reality" by most)
BM Dry Town-2010'-I've been dreading this hike for a long time-could find nothing about the peak regardless to whom i spoke to. It is absolutely "nowhere"-check Delorme page 62-it's that bump SE of the "S" in "TR13 R10 WELS"-no joke. My planned hike point (i had 2 possible approaches planned) was about 28 miles in past 6 Mile Gate. This one took lots of planning using sat pics and hoping the older, unused logging roads were passable. I took Realty Rd to Big Machias Lake, swung north on 20 Mile Brook and finally threaded my way for about 6 miles on unmarked old log roads-some spots very iffy.
Three years ago, i'd never have attempted these roads, but now...am sure i'm a breakdown waiting to happen, but...The last few miles of road were "built up" in wet areas- one slide and into a deep ditch you go. About 4 miles from my "park" spot-good size hardwood across the road-had the chainsaw-saved my butt. I was able to reach my spot and started hiking 5 hours after i left home. You never know, but i felt i had already "solved" this one by getting close to it. I hit a lot of remote places, but this one screamed "you are alone"-both cool and scary
The hike itself was fun, no issues of note. A quick steep pitch though open hardwoods to start, then a long stretch of PUDs where compass, GPS or good sense of sun position was a must as there was little sense of up/down/summit direction. There was the obligatory 0.15 miles stretch of steep thick evergreens and then fairly open woods to a rolling top. I think BM Dry Town stands for "Bench Mark" and you can see it on some topos. I really wanted to find a disk, iron post or metal sign saying "bench mark was nearby" (as i did near Allagash last year), but a long, thorough search yielded no sign of anything or any human trace. This is the most time i spent looking since a fruitless 90 minute search last year on Jo Mary and i was bummed. I am guessing this was a point for a map survey, but know little re this stuff. Maybe Roy or Richard can help me out? If there was a disk it would be buried under inches of "duff" covering the area.--quick descent, 28 long miles back to the gate (saw nobody) and swing down Pinkham Rd toward
Peaked-2136'-this is NOT the "Peaked" near "Round" just off the Jack Mt road which a few of you have climbed (RS, PB S, others?), but another "Peaked" about 15 miles further in. Follow Pinkham to Jack Mt Rd, turn right, stay on Jack Mt road to just past Elbow Mt and turn onto Peaked Mt Pond Rd. There are huge piles of logs on these roads waiting to be transported-the thaw was so early this year that they didn't get the wood out. I could envision a tilting pile tumbling onto the road and then what good would that chainsaw do?
I turned down some side roads toward and around Upper Island Pond.There were mud bogs and beaver work on the road, but i managed to get through-barely- and parked a bit east of the mountain. I surveyed my planned route and thought-open and easy low down, bear up top, maybe cliffs and thick evergreen--sooo right- and so typical of many peaks in this region. Easy going on old overgrown logging roads down low save for tenacious brambles which added 25% to the drag factor. Then it got real steep, very thick and filled with blowdown the last 0.3 miles-plus some small cliffs. Lots of sideways slabbing to try to make upward progress. I was starting to "bonk " near the top (unusual for me)-too many hikes, too little recovery time, too little sleep and too old
. I managed to plow the last 200 yards and wala, there was a nice open SW view rock/ledge that was the top--really unexpected. I ate a bunch of sugar/carbs, drank a lot of water and lay in the sun, The descent was much easier as i feel you can usually "see" much better going down steep, thick terrain and you have gravity--butt slid 20-30' a few places -also unusual for me.When i reached the car, i just reveled in the sun for a bit. This is a cool place which almost no hikers/climbers visit--way too far away, no 3ks (but some decent top to bottom height as they are prominence peaks and NO people-- wild, empty and lonely if you like that.
superb, rewarding day and 2 "worrisome" peaks crossed off my list.
jim
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