buckyball1
New member
Back from hibernation to resume pursuing my oddball ME list. I've been chomping at the bit with the light snow load and the recent warm weather, but the snow hangs a bit longer up here and the long dirt road access I need for most of my peaks is pretty iffy this time of year.
I hoped to start hiking 2 weeks ago, but a series of calls to ME Forest Service personnel, foresters for large commercial outfits (a great source of info) and random people in areas i want to hike (most don't think i'm too crazy
), convinced me that i'd be in deep snow on higher peaks or bury the Forester in mud on the road in to lower mountains.
Hunt (1530') -a bit east of Baxter and west of Stacyville. I've approached this area for a long slog to Deasey using the Stacyville Rd from the Millinocket side (about 18 miles to reach Sandbank Stream-bridge out) and found the road very tough in the area near Trout Ponds (Quimby land). I had hoped to get in this time from the Stacyville side, but a flurry of phone calls found the road gated and locked for mud season 7 miles from my proposed start point -ouch.
A forester for a large land owner suggested i use the Huber and Roberts Mtn roads starting at the turn for the Dolby log yard and Huber chip plant off Rt 11 between E Millinocket and Millinocket. I was able to drive about 18 miles on decent dirt road (first moose sightings of the year-3) to where I parked last year on the Stacyville Rd -the Dolby log yard is a monster and pretty neat. I found the 2 mile road walk i planned to the base of Hunt was actually driveable and parked about a mile from the peak. The going was easy using old logging roads and fairly open woods. Of course i hit a few steeps/cliffs/evergreen bands just below the summit, but NO complaints. No trace of snow
The top was peek-a-boo open (average views); I found a USGS plaque and the four sets of anchor bolts for what might have been a small tower (gone long ago). If so, why so close to Deasey tower? Perhaps the "tower" guys (Bdc?)can help me here? Easy return to car and back the way i came. I did detour to where 2 years ago i clamored down and up the remains of the old bridge over Sandback Stream and as i had been told, found a new bridge in place. When the road from Stacyville opens, you can now drive across both the Penobscot and SStream.
Drove thru Millinocket (really struggling with plant closure) and out the Golden Road. If you've never seen Katahdin, etc from this angle, do it-stunning views. I've become all too jaded by doing so many hikes/peaks, but i never tire of the this, a very special place. I planned to drive about 22 miles out the Golden Rd (about 4 miles past ABOL bridge) and take a logging road to get me near ......
PT 1780 (1790'-west of Katahdin, just off the Golden Rd. The approach to Hunt was easier than expected so of course this one was harder. I had planned to drive in on what sat pics showed to be a "good" logging road to within about a mile of "1780" (i did see some odd "bars" in sunny portions of the pics). No way-the road was seriously "rocked" and appeared to have been readied to repel a tank division. I parked on the Golden Rd and headed in the 2.3 mile "road walk" to my proposed start point. I'm sure it's because of state regs, but all the culverts have been pulled from the road and lots of water diversion ditches dug resulting in an obstacle course the likes of which i've never seen on a road. The "gullies" range from 18/24" to about 4-4 1/2 feet deep including steep rock banks on one/both sides-most were impossible to skirt. There were over 70 (i kid you not-some not more than 35-40' apart??) of these in the first mile and while they decreased in frequency and depth in mile 2+, i'm guessing there were 120? of these--made for a rigorous road walk.
The views of Baxter SP from the ascent and from clear areas near the top were frequent and as nice as i've ever seen-panorama all the way around-from Helon Taylor, Katahdin, trail along high ridge to NW basin, OJI slides, Coe, Brother, Doubletop, etc.You could easily trace the Hunt Trail and ABOL slide and the Tableland looked like a gently sloping pool table with the glittering snow. I'm guessing you know i love this place.
I was able to use old log roads most of the way up "1780"-there are some huge landings and it's been logged right to the top in past years. Patchy snow was easily avoided snow above 1100'. Near the top, i hit a few large bogs (always get wet in these when you're tired) and then some blowdown and rotten unavoidable snow patches as deep as 2-3' (left my good snow gaiters in the car and had snow filled boots).
The top is flattish and while viewless is a nice semi-open woods. The exact top is a guess, but i touched them all and am sure the one i had originally "spotted" was correct.
On the way down i stopped to examine the 5-6 antlers without moose attached i'd seen on the ascent-one was huge and very heavy (stunk like dead animal)
Just when i reached the car, patter of light rain
Baxter is still closed to traffic
great day
jim
I hoped to start hiking 2 weeks ago, but a series of calls to ME Forest Service personnel, foresters for large commercial outfits (a great source of info) and random people in areas i want to hike (most don't think i'm too crazy
), convinced me that i'd be in deep snow on higher peaks or bury the Forester in mud on the road in to lower mountains.Hunt (1530') -a bit east of Baxter and west of Stacyville. I've approached this area for a long slog to Deasey using the Stacyville Rd from the Millinocket side (about 18 miles to reach Sandbank Stream-bridge out) and found the road very tough in the area near Trout Ponds (Quimby land). I had hoped to get in this time from the Stacyville side, but a flurry of phone calls found the road gated and locked for mud season 7 miles from my proposed start point -ouch.
A forester for a large land owner suggested i use the Huber and Roberts Mtn roads starting at the turn for the Dolby log yard and Huber chip plant off Rt 11 between E Millinocket and Millinocket. I was able to drive about 18 miles on decent dirt road (first moose sightings of the year-3) to where I parked last year on the Stacyville Rd -the Dolby log yard is a monster and pretty neat. I found the 2 mile road walk i planned to the base of Hunt was actually driveable and parked about a mile from the peak. The going was easy using old logging roads and fairly open woods. Of course i hit a few steeps/cliffs/evergreen bands just below the summit, but NO complaints. No trace of snow
The top was peek-a-boo open (average views); I found a USGS plaque and the four sets of anchor bolts for what might have been a small tower (gone long ago). If so, why so close to Deasey tower? Perhaps the "tower" guys (Bdc?)can help me here? Easy return to car and back the way i came. I did detour to where 2 years ago i clamored down and up the remains of the old bridge over Sandback Stream and as i had been told, found a new bridge in place. When the road from Stacyville opens, you can now drive across both the Penobscot and SStream.
Drove thru Millinocket (really struggling with plant closure) and out the Golden Road. If you've never seen Katahdin, etc from this angle, do it-stunning views. I've become all too jaded by doing so many hikes/peaks, but i never tire of the this, a very special place. I planned to drive about 22 miles out the Golden Rd (about 4 miles past ABOL bridge) and take a logging road to get me near ......
PT 1780 (1790'
-west of Katahdin, just off the Golden Rd. The approach to Hunt was easier than expected so of course this one was harder. I had planned to drive in on what sat pics showed to be a "good" logging road to within about a mile of "1780" (i did see some odd "bars" in sunny portions of the pics). No way-the road was seriously "rocked" and appeared to have been readied to repel a tank division. I parked on the Golden Rd and headed in the 2.3 mile "road walk" to my proposed start point. I'm sure it's because of state regs, but all the culverts have been pulled from the road and lots of water diversion ditches dug resulting in an obstacle course the likes of which i've never seen on a road. The "gullies" range from 18/24" to about 4-4 1/2 feet deep including steep rock banks on one/both sides-most were impossible to skirt. There were over 70 (i kid you not-some not more than 35-40' apart??) of these in the first mile and while they decreased in frequency and depth in mile 2+, i'm guessing there were 120? of these--made for a rigorous road walk.The views of Baxter SP from the ascent and from clear areas near the top were frequent and as nice as i've ever seen-panorama all the way around-from Helon Taylor, Katahdin, trail along high ridge to NW basin, OJI slides, Coe, Brother, Doubletop, etc.You could easily trace the Hunt Trail and ABOL slide and the Tableland looked like a gently sloping pool table with the glittering snow. I'm guessing you know i love this place.
I was able to use old log roads most of the way up "1780"-there are some huge landings and it's been logged right to the top in past years. Patchy snow was easily avoided snow above 1100'. Near the top, i hit a few large bogs (always get wet in these when you're tired) and then some blowdown and rotten unavoidable snow patches as deep as 2-3' (left my good snow gaiters in the car and had snow filled boots).
The top is flattish and while viewless is a nice semi-open woods. The exact top is a guess, but i touched them all and am sure the one i had originally "spotted" was correct.
On the way down i stopped to examine the 5-6 antlers without moose attached i'd seen on the ascent-one was huge and very heavy (stunk like dead animal)
Just when i reached the car, patter of light rain
Baxter is still closed to traffic
great day
jim
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