Mt. Cabot Advice

[peakbagger]

A comment is that York Pond road tends to be real slippery this time of year, its easy to get going too fast in a rush to get to the trail head in the morning. Its a curvy and I have personally experienced hitting back ice on it more than a few times.

 

[IQuest]

Actually, no. That old Bunnell Notch Trail section is *really* grown-in these days. After heading up on the Bunnell Notch Trail and cresting the notch, if you know to go straight and plunge into the woods where the KRT turns right, in 50' or so, you *will* see a "The Mt. Cabot Trail is no longer maintained" sign that's identical to the sign where the Mt. Cabot Trail intersects the KRT -- but again, it's all very grown-in.

In fact, the very arrow you requested is now there! Even without the sign there though, RIGHT really is the only obvious direction to go.

How recent is my info? I just dragged in from Cabot an hour ago. I descended the old Bunnell Notch Trail section for about 0.1 mi, then cut N through the woods to rejoin the KRT and consummate today's Cabot mission. I decided I'd take a peak at the section in its entirety (redlining, you know...) once the snow's gone.

BISCUT, if you head up there before the next snow, you can follow my tracks -- but really, the trail and navigation were pretty straightforward. I bare booted the entire hike. The average snow depth is currently 3", with occasional 6-8" drifts. The ground under the snow was still wet and grippy until I hit the switchbacks on the summit "cone," where you need to be careful with your footing - black ice on many of the (slanted, of course) rocks under the snow. I was able to steer clear of it for the most part, and the microspikes stayed in the pack (but do bring them just in case!). I found the hike to be substantially more strenuous than it would be without the snow and ice, because you're never quite sure what you're going to get as you land your foot into the snow -- could be a rock, deep mud, a root, leaves, or a deep slot between two rocks -- which means a ton of extra isometrics for your quads/calves/hamstrings. Once the snow's fully in, things will be easier (except for that 'breaking trail' thing).

Alex

That is why I said "perhaps that is what Joe is showing in the photo". After a closer look at the photo I would say that he had already passed the old junction. My point was to state that if using an older map, that junction is no longer there.

 

[BISCUT]

Do also keep in mind that the temps at altitude will be 10-15 degrees colder than what's forecast for in town, due to the adiabatic cooling gradient. And of course, it's a good idea to pack gear and food for contingencies that could render you stationary for an extended period, vs. in motion and generating lots of heat.

Yes Sir, 2.8F per 1k elevation gain. I remember a few things from that "elective" class back in the undergrad days! To do life over(and if I wasn't a dude) I'd want to be a hot weather girl (with legit meteorologist credentials).

 

[alexmtn]

That is why I said "perhaps that is what Joe is showing in the photo". After a closer look at the photo I would say that he had already passed the old junction. My point was to state that if using an older map, that junction is no longer there.

Yes. My 28th map shows that Bunnell section. On a recent Cabot trip, I couldn't find the relevant junction and was consternated. That in fact was my motivation for examining that 'right turn only' point more closely on the follow-up visit - imho the section deserves to be redlined.

Alex

 

[MichaelJ]

It's far more important to make sure you find the real summit, and don't stop at either the cabin or the fire tower clearing adjacent. ;-)

 

[IQuest]

It's far more important to make sure you find the real summit, and don't stop at either the cabin or the fire tower clearing adjacent. ;-)

I was going to mention that. On a January visit we met a man on his way down that said he just bagged #47. At the fire tower clearing all foot prints stopped. We never saw him again to give him the bad news.

 

[IQuest]

imho the section deserves to be redlined.

Alex

May I ask why? Is there something special about this short segment? It's no longer maintained and probably not used since the Mt Cabot Tr is still nearby, although "unmaintained". And how come no one gives 2 licks about the western portion of the York Pond Tr?

 

[peakbagger]

I guess I will contribute to thread drift. As has been discussed many times in the past, the USFS has the legal right but not the motivation to open up access from the Lost Nations (west ) side of the forest to the currently unmaintained Mt Cabot and westerly York Pond Trail. As the access issue is driven by one individual and is also a potential property rights issue, their management approach to date has been to adopt the stance that its not worth "poking" at a sore subject as the potential backlash is more than the short term gains. One of the many approaches that the USFS can do that a typical landowner can not is adopt a long term approach, they know they can wait out any one individual and they are not subject to prescriptive rights (eminent domain). I do find that their signage does give an indication that they have not ceded the future reestablishment of the trails as they do not say they are closed but merely indicate they are "unmaintained" (with an implied Monty Python wink wink nod nod to those who elect to risk it). .

 

[alexmtn]

I guess I will contribute to thread drift. As has been discussed many times in the past, the USFS has the legal right but not the motivation to open up access from the Lost Nations (west ) side of the forest to the currently unmaintained Mt Cabot and westerly York Pond Trail. As the access issue is driven by one individual and is also a potential property rights issue, their management approach to date has been to adopt the stance that its not worth "poking" at a sore subject as the potential backlash is more than the short term gains. One of the many approaches that the USFS can do that a typical landowner can not is adopt a long term approach, they know they can wait out any one individual and they are not subject to prescriptive rights (eminent domain). I do find that their signage does give an indication that they have not ceded the future reestablishment of the trails as they do not say they are closed but merely indicate they are "unmaintained" (with an implied Monty Python wink wink nod nod to those who elect to risk it). .

I agree with this theory, although do note that the signs actually do not support the assertion. They don't read "UNMAINTAINED" or "NOT MAINTAINED". Rather, they say "NO LONGER MAINTAINED".

 

[alexmtn]

May I ask why? Is there something special about this short segment? It's no longer maintained and probably not used since the Mt Cabot Tr is still nearby, although "unmaintained". And how come no one gives 2 licks about the western portion of the York Pond Tr?

From my quick inspection, it actually is scenically and topographically interesting - but the reason I want it on my list is because my hiking does date back to the use of an open and vibrant Mt. Cabot Trail - and in that epoch, I didn't get around to exploring that nuance to the trail. So finally now I will...

The York Pond Trail wasn't a comparable part of my identity back then, but I'll probably want to include its western end on the grounds that it's part of the same imbroglio.

Alex

 

[alexmtn]

I was going to mention that. On a January visit we met a man on his way down that said he just bagged #47. At the fire tower clearing all foot prints stopped. We never saw him again to give him the bad news.

On the same theme, and in the same area, how many of us, while ascending, have run into a jubilant group descending from Mt. Waumbek -- "you know, the summit with the fireplace..."?

Alex

 

[jniehof]

On the same theme, and in the same area, how many of us, while ascending, have run into a jubilant group descending from Mt. Waumbek -- "you know, the summit with the fireplace..."?

And the view.

The conversations I've had on the ledges of Whiteface, too. "Nope, sorry, if you want to say you climbed this mountain, you have to go down a bit, then unnoticably up for a bit until you're back in an unremarkable bit of woods. Congratulations!"

 

[sdways01]

And the view.

The conversations I've had on the ledges of Whiteface, too. "Nope, sorry, if you want to say you climbed this mountain, you have to go down a bit, then unnoticably up for a bit until you're back in an unremarkable bit of woods. Congratulations!"

There is a view just past the summit of Waumbek though (only 200 feet or so). I met someone a couple weeks ago on the ledges of Whiteface that said she just finished her 48. I made sure she knew that wasn't the summit, which she did. The other couple there didn't know that though.

 

[DayTrip]

On the same theme, and in the same area, how many of us, while ascending, have run into a jubilant group descending from Mt. Waumbek -- "you know, the summit with the fireplace..."?

Alex

I almost made that mistake not paying attention. I did Waumbek that Memorial Day Weekend a year or two ago when it had 8" of snow in that freak storm. I stopped at that outlook for a little water and to switch hats and was in the process of turning around when a guy passed me and asked if I was stopping here or going on to Waumbek. Thank God he jolted my memory. If he hadn't said something I would no doubt have started back until I realized my error, and given the weather probably would have just scrapped the whole hike. That is a hike I am in no rush to do again. Very boring. I'll have to do it again for my winter 48 4k but it feels like I already did it in winter.

 

[Grey J]

This thread has officially drifted off course but since no one seems to mind . . . I liked the Starr King/Waumbek hike especially the section between the peaks. Sure its relatively easy but its not such a bad thing to have a few easy ones to fall back on if you're going to hike them all. I did 5 hikes in 6 days a couple of summers ago and it was good to have Waumbek on one of the middle days. Besides, I seem to remember our moderator once saying that Waumbek is actually an Indian word meaning "rainy day hike."

 

[BISCUT]

Ahhhhh the horrors of a job and responsibilities! I was planning on hitting this trail Friday but now I've found out I will have to work tomorrow! Next week I'm off Wed/Thur but I do all the cooking and lots of family flying in. So I'm stuck until the first week of Dec.

 

[peakbagger]

Don't stress on it, the weather this time of year tends to be iffy, give it a few weeks and it gets far more reliable. Generally a good indication is when the great lakes freeze up and lake effect snow gets put away for the winter.

 

[jniehof]

Generally a good indication is when the great lakes freeze up and lake effect snow gets put away for the winter.

Huh? Neither Superior nor Michigan ever froze up, nor did lake effect ever stop, when I lived near them. Maybe Erie and Ontario are different.

 

[surf88]

If anyone has gone up the old route from Heaths Gate lately and wouldnt mind sharing some beta on conditions, please PM me?

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Officially, it's closed. Please do not advertise anything other than that on VFTT. Thanks.


Tim