buckyball1
New member
I headed back up to Kingfield early this morning-cloudy, 30ish, windy- the promised sun never shown a beam all day. Chatted with my friend from "Trauten's" again. He owns the nice supermarket, the gas station/convenience store and rents the building to Maine Huts and Trails
Vose 2021'- turned onto Maple St east of the bridge in Kingfield, left at the first fork and left again at the sign for "Eagle Ridge Estates"-yet another new, higher end housing development on the side of a mountain. I drove back some dirt roads past "Lot # whatever" signs and a few unfinished houses-not sure if construction continues or stalled for lack of demand. I parked where the road deteriorated and was chained off. It was about 1 1/2 miles and 1100' ascent crow flies to the summit from there.
The route up was fairly easy-log road, then ubiquitous overgrown skidder roads followed by a 'whack through moderate hardwoods on the upper part of the mountain. The ground was covered with a thin coat of ice making a few places a bit tricky, especially some slash which was slipperier than a greased pig. A few tenths Before the top, there were sizable ledges and a cliff band large enough to be seen on sat pics followed by alternating patches of evergreens and hardwood.
The "north" summit bump had a cairn (small clearing, no view), but the top was the "south" bump (large clearing, no view) also with cairn. Quick descent, at times sliding on the slope/leaves, with the same excellent view as yesterday's descent of Gilman -Abraham, Sugarlaof, Black Nubble, Owl's Head, etc....then it was back thru North New Portland and just east of the village was a dirt road (off Rt 16) leading toward
Black Hill 1330'-the road was so muddy when i checked it yesterday, that i decided to park near Rt 16 and walk in-made the hike 3+ miles, 1000'+ up one way, but looked like easy walking early. The road was actually passable, but there was a locked gate less than 1/2 mile in. I planned to follow a dirt road up and to the south of Black and then 'whack "up" from the SE side--nice easy road walk, passed several hunting camps. When i got to my ascent point, i decided to follow the road further to Black's east side-'whacked straight up thru moderate woods. The only "obstacle" was lots of mossy rocks all covered with a thick layer of wet leaves.
The top had several open areas (no views)-one of the smaller ones was the high point-had a very large cairn for such a dinky hill. The cairn was clearly "constructed" rather than just rocks piled up over years--stones well laid, maybe 8' high and lost very little of it's base diameter as the cairn rose-would need 3, maybe 4 people to encircle it holding hands--odd place for this-wish i had a camera. Slow on early part of the descent because of steep, slippery section, then the nice road walk out--cake
productive 2 days when i had thought to just explore approaches-being a no-snow guy,i may be done til May?
jim
Vose 2021'- turned onto Maple St east of the bridge in Kingfield, left at the first fork and left again at the sign for "Eagle Ridge Estates"-yet another new, higher end housing development on the side of a mountain. I drove back some dirt roads past "Lot # whatever" signs and a few unfinished houses-not sure if construction continues or stalled for lack of demand. I parked where the road deteriorated and was chained off. It was about 1 1/2 miles and 1100' ascent crow flies to the summit from there.
The route up was fairly easy-log road, then ubiquitous overgrown skidder roads followed by a 'whack through moderate hardwoods on the upper part of the mountain. The ground was covered with a thin coat of ice making a few places a bit tricky, especially some slash which was slipperier than a greased pig. A few tenths Before the top, there were sizable ledges and a cliff band large enough to be seen on sat pics followed by alternating patches of evergreens and hardwood.
The "north" summit bump had a cairn (small clearing, no view), but the top was the "south" bump (large clearing, no view) also with cairn. Quick descent, at times sliding on the slope/leaves, with the same excellent view as yesterday's descent of Gilman -Abraham, Sugarlaof, Black Nubble, Owl's Head, etc....then it was back thru North New Portland and just east of the village was a dirt road (off Rt 16) leading toward
Black Hill 1330'-the road was so muddy when i checked it yesterday, that i decided to park near Rt 16 and walk in-made the hike 3+ miles, 1000'+ up one way, but looked like easy walking early. The road was actually passable, but there was a locked gate less than 1/2 mile in. I planned to follow a dirt road up and to the south of Black and then 'whack "up" from the SE side--nice easy road walk, passed several hunting camps. When i got to my ascent point, i decided to follow the road further to Black's east side-'whacked straight up thru moderate woods. The only "obstacle" was lots of mossy rocks all covered with a thick layer of wet leaves.
The top had several open areas (no views)-one of the smaller ones was the high point-had a very large cairn for such a dinky hill. The cairn was clearly "constructed" rather than just rocks piled up over years--stones well laid, maybe 8' high and lost very little of it's base diameter as the cairn rose-would need 3, maybe 4 people to encircle it holding hands--odd place for this-wish i had a camera. Slow on early part of the descent because of steep, slippery section, then the nice road walk out--cake
productive 2 days when i had thought to just explore approaches-being a no-snow guy,i may be done til May?
jim
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