Silverfox
New member
East Royce is a wild and remote mountain in Evans Notch just over the border in Maine. I had done the East Royce Trail a couple of times and decided on the approach from Wild River on the Burnt Mill Brook Trail .
The ride through Evans Notch spectacular on the windy road..The gravel Wild River road in excellent shape..The Burnt Hill Brook Trail starts off on a fine trailbed heading up alongside the brook. Many cascades along the way had us pause and admire for a moment.. In places thick stands of hobblebush obscured the trailbed. Not much use on this trail I figure and it could use a good brushing out in places. A few small stream crossings were mossy and slippery but of no real concern. After a short steep stretch we reached the col between the 2 Royces and that is where everything changed..
This section of the Royce Trail is wet, slippery and muddy.. The term Yukka Mukka was used more than once..
What a great forest..think and dense and silent..large ledgey outcrops ring the trail which at this point is standing water with deep mud in many places..Lots of moose sign including the largest droppings I have ever seen..on one long muddy spot Karen slipped off a log..her pole first went in halfway..then the right foot up to the knee..in slow motion she slipped down,,fortunately onto the log steadied by her left hand which went in up to the elbow....nice..Finally we were through that stretch on to some dry trail which is little more than a herd path in places through thick spruce. We rejoiced in a short ledge walk which offered a fine view across the valley.
The climb up the East Royce Trail to the summit is rooty rocky and slippery..fortunately a short climb and soon we were rewarded with fine views in all directions..The cloud layer seemed at around 4000 feet so the Carters and Presis were in clouds but we were under them and the views into Maine and down the Chatham valley floor were excellent..
A few bugs at the summit but nothing really biting.. During the descent Karen's log claimed Mary with both feet with gaitor deep mud.. the rest of the trip down was enjoyable and uneventful.
Water sure is flowing down the Wild River..a swim hole I have used frequently near this trailhead was a churning cauldron.. The rapids downstream from the suspension bridge were pretty impressive as well..
Quite a sense of wilderness in the Evans Notch area.. we saw no one on the trail today..the signs of a lone hiker on the trail yesterday ..lots of moose sign..a fine though somewhat muddy day in the woods.. Ice cream at the Sherman Farm on the way home sealed the deal..
a few photos of the day at
www.overthehillhikers.blogspot.com
The ride through Evans Notch spectacular on the windy road..The gravel Wild River road in excellent shape..The Burnt Hill Brook Trail starts off on a fine trailbed heading up alongside the brook. Many cascades along the way had us pause and admire for a moment.. In places thick stands of hobblebush obscured the trailbed. Not much use on this trail I figure and it could use a good brushing out in places. A few small stream crossings were mossy and slippery but of no real concern. After a short steep stretch we reached the col between the 2 Royces and that is where everything changed..
This section of the Royce Trail is wet, slippery and muddy.. The term Yukka Mukka was used more than once..
What a great forest..think and dense and silent..large ledgey outcrops ring the trail which at this point is standing water with deep mud in many places..Lots of moose sign including the largest droppings I have ever seen..on one long muddy spot Karen slipped off a log..her pole first went in halfway..then the right foot up to the knee..in slow motion she slipped down,,fortunately onto the log steadied by her left hand which went in up to the elbow....nice..Finally we were through that stretch on to some dry trail which is little more than a herd path in places through thick spruce. We rejoiced in a short ledge walk which offered a fine view across the valley.
The climb up the East Royce Trail to the summit is rooty rocky and slippery..fortunately a short climb and soon we were rewarded with fine views in all directions..The cloud layer seemed at around 4000 feet so the Carters and Presis were in clouds but we were under them and the views into Maine and down the Chatham valley floor were excellent..
A few bugs at the summit but nothing really biting.. During the descent Karen's log claimed Mary with both feet with gaitor deep mud.. the rest of the trip down was enjoyable and uneventful.
Water sure is flowing down the Wild River..a swim hole I have used frequently near this trailhead was a churning cauldron.. The rapids downstream from the suspension bridge were pretty impressive as well..
Quite a sense of wilderness in the Evans Notch area.. we saw no one on the trail today..the signs of a lone hiker on the trail yesterday ..lots of moose sign..a fine though somewhat muddy day in the woods.. Ice cream at the Sherman Farm on the way home sealed the deal..
a few photos of the day at
www.overthehillhikers.blogspot.com
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