buckyball1
New member
One of those crazy, race around days to grab a number of low elevation ME300 "P" peaks in a civilized area. It's amazing how different it feels hiking in "southern" ME near the NH border compared to Baxter, The Country or the Beaudry-like separate worlds. Summed up ...they would find my bones on any of today's hikes whereas most of the other places......
Out at 4, drive down to Portland and then over to Waterboro Center(via Rts 22,4,5)-it's amazing watching the traffic pour in toward Portland from the outlying "rural" areas at 630AM (i'd be terrible near Boston)-maybe 28 degrees, would be sunny, calm wind
Ossipee Hill-1055'-Drive up the McLucas road about 1.5 miles and take the Mountain Road up toward the "towers" (bit rough). I was looking to park at a yellow (open?) gate-access to the tower road. Where i expected the gate to be, i found a "new" silver gate, locked tight. Parked, walked up the very new gravel road to a communications tower and knew something was "wrong". (clearly all this done since last sat pics released) So i followed my nose "up" through easy woods to the summit which is on a large rock outcrop with views. I then 'whacked easily a few hundred yards to the old "tower area" where i found 2 communications towers and an older wooden fire tower (on the Historic Register). I climbed the steep wooden steps of the tower (steep enuff that my pack "dragged" on treads behind me coming down) for a 360 view and to watch the sun rise--neat. ..headed up Rt 5 thru Limerick, Cornish (getting familiar), and Hiram to East Brownfield for
Frost-1225'-a bit north of the village, i swung west toward a good sized commercial gravel pit. I chatted with the operators who were glad to let me park and told me laughingly " might consider going by the ridge; the way you're going is really steep". I said i knew that and indeed it was. There was a stretch of about 500 vertical foot rise in under 0.2 miles-actually had my hands down quite a bit--medium sized rock and tons of leaves. The top was easy to find- open with superb views of Stone Mt and the Burnt Meadow Ridge where Amicus and i were about a year ago. Slip sliding down the steep leaf covered rock slope made for a quick if treacherous descent. On the ride out, i was treated to a panorama of Pleasant Mt Ridge.... Rt 5 to Fryeburg, 302 east to the Menotomy Road and
Tom-1073'--forget any plans you made on how to ascend this one. Follow the Menotomy just past the cemetery and you'll see a sign for Trail to Mt Tom and a place to park. The ascent was a nice uphill stroll for about 1.3-1.4 miles to an open top with several view points and another perspective of the Pleasant Mt ridge. Coming down you could see the mountains from Fryeburg into Evans Notch. Back to Fryeburg, up Rt 5 to Lovell and east on Rt 93 to
Popple Hill-1168'-There seemed so many possible routes up and with none certain, i just parked on Rt 93 and with slate gray clouds rolling in and the wind gusting, i headed up on a straight line through moderate woods. It's been logged in here, but a good while ago and any "roads" are pretty well hidden-just go for the top. Went beeline for perhaps 0.7 miles and 700' to a flat top in woods (no views). There were of course several old "trails" radiating in other directions-like most peaks/hills around here. None of the wild feeling you get many places in Maine-suburban hiking
. I headed down on a different line and ran into a "trophy" second home not too far from the summit. Of course owners weren't there (never are) and I used the very long driveway (large, commercial grade sander parked in out building)to walk out to the road-great views toward Evans Notch-looks like rain/snow. I weave over to Rt 113 and up toward N Chatham and
Deer Hill-1367'-Not much to say here. This is a trailed peak. I went in the Deer Hill Rd, parked and took the Deer Hill trail up. Very mellow "sidewalk" trail down low and some nice views mostly south and east as you approach the summit-i was on auto pilot the whole way up-nice floating feeling . At the top (ehh) it was steel gray skies, windy and a few flakes falling--time to head home (about 3 1/4 more hours to drive).
Had fun-a long, active day with no real "intensity/worry", just have a good plan, hit your marks and hike like hell in 1hr+/- bursts --plenty of more serious stuff awaits for 2011.
jim
Out at 4, drive down to Portland and then over to Waterboro Center(via Rts 22,4,5)-it's amazing watching the traffic pour in toward Portland from the outlying "rural" areas at 630AM (i'd be terrible near Boston)-maybe 28 degrees, would be sunny, calm wind
Ossipee Hill-1055'-Drive up the McLucas road about 1.5 miles and take the Mountain Road up toward the "towers" (bit rough). I was looking to park at a yellow (open?) gate-access to the tower road. Where i expected the gate to be, i found a "new" silver gate, locked tight. Parked, walked up the very new gravel road to a communications tower and knew something was "wrong". (clearly all this done since last sat pics released) So i followed my nose "up" through easy woods to the summit which is on a large rock outcrop with views. I then 'whacked easily a few hundred yards to the old "tower area" where i found 2 communications towers and an older wooden fire tower (on the Historic Register). I climbed the steep wooden steps of the tower (steep enuff that my pack "dragged" on treads behind me coming down) for a 360 view and to watch the sun rise--neat. ..headed up Rt 5 thru Limerick, Cornish (getting familiar), and Hiram to East Brownfield for
Frost-1225'-a bit north of the village, i swung west toward a good sized commercial gravel pit. I chatted with the operators who were glad to let me park and told me laughingly " might consider going by the ridge; the way you're going is really steep". I said i knew that and indeed it was. There was a stretch of about 500 vertical foot rise in under 0.2 miles-actually had my hands down quite a bit--medium sized rock and tons of leaves. The top was easy to find- open with superb views of Stone Mt and the Burnt Meadow Ridge where Amicus and i were about a year ago. Slip sliding down the steep leaf covered rock slope made for a quick if treacherous descent. On the ride out, i was treated to a panorama of Pleasant Mt Ridge.... Rt 5 to Fryeburg, 302 east to the Menotomy Road and
Tom-1073'--forget any plans you made on how to ascend this one. Follow the Menotomy just past the cemetery and you'll see a sign for Trail to Mt Tom and a place to park. The ascent was a nice uphill stroll for about 1.3-1.4 miles to an open top with several view points and another perspective of the Pleasant Mt ridge. Coming down you could see the mountains from Fryeburg into Evans Notch. Back to Fryeburg, up Rt 5 to Lovell and east on Rt 93 to
Popple Hill-1168'-There seemed so many possible routes up and with none certain, i just parked on Rt 93 and with slate gray clouds rolling in and the wind gusting, i headed up on a straight line through moderate woods. It's been logged in here, but a good while ago and any "roads" are pretty well hidden-just go for the top. Went beeline for perhaps 0.7 miles and 700' to a flat top in woods (no views). There were of course several old "trails" radiating in other directions-like most peaks/hills around here. None of the wild feeling you get many places in Maine-suburban hiking
. I headed down on a different line and ran into a "trophy" second home not too far from the summit. Of course owners weren't there (never are) and I used the very long driveway (large, commercial grade sander parked in out building)to walk out to the road-great views toward Evans Notch-looks like rain/snow. I weave over to Rt 113 and up toward N Chatham andDeer Hill-1367'-Not much to say here. This is a trailed peak. I went in the Deer Hill Rd, parked and took the Deer Hill trail up. Very mellow "sidewalk" trail down low and some nice views mostly south and east as you approach the summit-i was on auto pilot the whole way up-nice floating feeling . At the top (ehh) it was steel gray skies, windy and a few flakes falling--time to head home (about 3 1/4 more hours to drive).
Had fun-a long, active day with no real "intensity/worry", just have a good plan, hit your marks and hike like hell in 1hr+/- bursts --plenty of more serious stuff awaits for 2011.
jim
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