Snowflea
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- Sep 5, 2003
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Route: Rattle River, Kenduskeag, Carter-Moriah, & Stony Brook Trails
Date: Friday, 2/28/14
Equipment: Snowshoes (car to car)
Conditions: Nicely hardpacked snowshoe track to Rattle River Shelter. Less consolidated but still broken out for the next mile. The upper ~1.5 miles of Rattle River Trail and 1.4 mile distance of Kenduskeag Trail to Mt. Moriah showed evidence of one or two lone snowshoe prints descending, but they were mostly drifted over. From Mt. Moriah to the car via Carter-Moriah and Stony Brook Trails was well packed. No icy areas.
Comments: I’ve always enjoyed the longer but relatively mellow jaunt up Mt. Moriah that the Rattle River-Kenduskeag route provides. However, compared to Carter-Moriah and Stony Brook Trails out of Gorham, this route is much less commonly used in winter, so we were prepared for a long morning of trail breaking. We discovered the lower portion of Rattle River Trail to be very well packed out (could easily bareboot this section), and it appeared that Rattle River Shelter was the site of a recent igloo-building class. Some impressive construction there!
Only one of Rattle River’s inviting pools was open (unfrozen) today, all others completely frozen over as were all the crossings and cascades. We did not stop to soak our feet this day.
The track was drifted and less broken out to the Kenduskeag Trail junction, but it appeared that at least one person had used this trail as a descent route from Moriah, probably last weekend. Following their indentations saved us from searching for the trail in a couple of confusing spots on the Kenduskeag. The trail breaking was not difficult and was welcome this cold, blustery day as it helped keep us warmer. The Kenduskeag Trail toward Shelburne Moriah was unbroken. Only 1.3 miles away, this lovely summit was tempting, but we stuck with the plan…
Upon reaching the Carter-Moriah Trail we discovered fresh snowshoe tracks coming in from the south. The CMT going toward Gorham looked drifted in, at least the little bit we could see before the summit of Moriah. From our vantage point at 4049 feet, the Presies looked downright brutal today with angry looking clouds hovering over Washington and the other high peaks. As usual, Moriah’s south ledges were fantastic, and we gazed longingly into the vast Wild River Valley. (Next winter, Moriah Brook Trail or bust!!)
On our way down Stony Brook, we encountered the owner of the fresh snowshoe tracks and enjoyed her company on the final couple of miles out. Thanks to Dee we saved a bit of mileage as we opted to take her route straight to Stony Brook Estates. Thanks Dee! Also thanks to Chris, Al and Percy for 'a pleasant walk' in the woods today.
Date: Friday, 2/28/14
Equipment: Snowshoes (car to car)
Conditions: Nicely hardpacked snowshoe track to Rattle River Shelter. Less consolidated but still broken out for the next mile. The upper ~1.5 miles of Rattle River Trail and 1.4 mile distance of Kenduskeag Trail to Mt. Moriah showed evidence of one or two lone snowshoe prints descending, but they were mostly drifted over. From Mt. Moriah to the car via Carter-Moriah and Stony Brook Trails was well packed. No icy areas.
Comments: I’ve always enjoyed the longer but relatively mellow jaunt up Mt. Moriah that the Rattle River-Kenduskeag route provides. However, compared to Carter-Moriah and Stony Brook Trails out of Gorham, this route is much less commonly used in winter, so we were prepared for a long morning of trail breaking. We discovered the lower portion of Rattle River Trail to be very well packed out (could easily bareboot this section), and it appeared that Rattle River Shelter was the site of a recent igloo-building class. Some impressive construction there!
Only one of Rattle River’s inviting pools was open (unfrozen) today, all others completely frozen over as were all the crossings and cascades. We did not stop to soak our feet this day.
The track was drifted and less broken out to the Kenduskeag Trail junction, but it appeared that at least one person had used this trail as a descent route from Moriah, probably last weekend. Following their indentations saved us from searching for the trail in a couple of confusing spots on the Kenduskeag. The trail breaking was not difficult and was welcome this cold, blustery day as it helped keep us warmer. The Kenduskeag Trail toward Shelburne Moriah was unbroken. Only 1.3 miles away, this lovely summit was tempting, but we stuck with the plan…
Upon reaching the Carter-Moriah Trail we discovered fresh snowshoe tracks coming in from the south. The CMT going toward Gorham looked drifted in, at least the little bit we could see before the summit of Moriah. From our vantage point at 4049 feet, the Presies looked downright brutal today with angry looking clouds hovering over Washington and the other high peaks. As usual, Moriah’s south ledges were fantastic, and we gazed longingly into the vast Wild River Valley. (Next winter, Moriah Brook Trail or bust!!)
On our way down Stony Brook, we encountered the owner of the fresh snowshoe tracks and enjoyed her company on the final couple of miles out. Thanks to Dee we saved a bit of mileage as we opted to take her route straight to Stony Brook Estates. Thanks Dee! Also thanks to Chris, Al and Percy for 'a pleasant walk' in the woods today.
