buckyball1
New member
My plan was for a relaxed Saturday drive to the North New Portland/Kingfield area to check out approaches for Gilman Pond Mt, Vose Mt and Black Hill. You may be familiar with Kingfield as it's "on the way" to Sugarloaf/Stratton region.
I had little planned in the woods--it's Saturday during deer season ...but I wanted to see if "locked gates" (Delorme) on several roads were in fact locked and how muddy the roads were after all the rain of the past few days. If the gates were locked and the roads muddy, there would be long approach walks to all three peaks this week.
I turned in the dirt road toward Black Hill off Rt 16 just east of NNPortland and found it to be really muddy. I suspect tomorrow's planned hike will be a long walk in from Rt16.
I then found the "Butler Pond Rd" off Rt 16 between NNPortland and Kingfield, my planned approach to Gilman unless i used a snowmobile? trail a bit further east. The yellow gate was clearly locked and there was a "surveillance camera" sign above it-yuck. However based on past experience, i went over to the gate and it was "dummy locked"-padlock left open. The road was not posted-should i go in? What if it was locked behind me?
I went to the Tranten's Too gas station (looks like same place as Maine Huts and Trails?) a bit north of Kingfield and had a nice chat with the owner. He told me the gate was "open", it was OK to go in and nobody would lock it behind me-also provided some helpful beta on possible way in/up Vose--good guy, buy gas from him-decent prices, cheaper than at home in Bangor/Brewer.
Of course i decided to try:
Gilman-1450' -- went back to and in the Butler Pond Rd (locals call it Indian Pond Rd-i see NO trace of a Butler Pond) for a few miles, parked in an old log clearing and headed "up"-maybe 0.9 miles and 700'+ straight line to the top. I was fortunate to be able to follow overgrow skid roads much of the way-moderately high vegetation, but very little slash and the ascent was a delight. The last few hundred yards to the summit went through evergreens and blowdown, but i soon reached the top. Several possible choices for "top" within about 150', but one open/ledgy spot was clearly the highest-no views anywhere near the top. Superb views of Abraham, Sugarloaf, Spaulding, etc + Indian Pond on descent.
Earlier in the day, I climbed another peak. Relatively small, moderate woods and slope, pretty ugly, no views and ? potential access issues-thus no TR
back for Vose and? Black tomorrow weather and body willing
jim
I had little planned in the woods--it's Saturday during deer season ...but I wanted to see if "locked gates" (Delorme) on several roads were in fact locked and how muddy the roads were after all the rain of the past few days. If the gates were locked and the roads muddy, there would be long approach walks to all three peaks this week.
I turned in the dirt road toward Black Hill off Rt 16 just east of NNPortland and found it to be really muddy. I suspect tomorrow's planned hike will be a long walk in from Rt16.
I then found the "Butler Pond Rd" off Rt 16 between NNPortland and Kingfield, my planned approach to Gilman unless i used a snowmobile? trail a bit further east. The yellow gate was clearly locked and there was a "surveillance camera" sign above it-yuck. However based on past experience, i went over to the gate and it was "dummy locked"-padlock left open. The road was not posted-should i go in? What if it was locked behind me?
I went to the Tranten's Too gas station (looks like same place as Maine Huts and Trails?) a bit north of Kingfield and had a nice chat with the owner. He told me the gate was "open", it was OK to go in and nobody would lock it behind me-also provided some helpful beta on possible way in/up Vose--good guy, buy gas from him-decent prices, cheaper than at home in Bangor/Brewer.
Of course i decided to try:
Gilman-1450' -- went back to and in the Butler Pond Rd (locals call it Indian Pond Rd-i see NO trace of a Butler Pond) for a few miles, parked in an old log clearing and headed "up"-maybe 0.9 miles and 700'+ straight line to the top. I was fortunate to be able to follow overgrow skid roads much of the way-moderately high vegetation, but very little slash and the ascent was a delight. The last few hundred yards to the summit went through evergreens and blowdown, but i soon reached the top. Several possible choices for "top" within about 150', but one open/ledgy spot was clearly the highest-no views anywhere near the top. Superb views of Abraham, Sugarloaf, Spaulding, etc + Indian Pond on descent.
Earlier in the day, I climbed another peak. Relatively small, moderate woods and slope, pretty ugly, no views and ? potential access issues-thus no TR
back for Vose and? Black tomorrow weather and body willing
jim
