Western Maine 4ks

[eddie]

Hi Dan and give my regards to Melissa also. I like your suggestion about the Crocker Cirque campsite. Were the roads hard to follow to Redington? Are there cairns or marks to follow?

Thank you all for your great repsonses and suggestions.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Hi Dan and give my regards to Melissa also. I like your suggestion about the Crocker Cirque campsite. Were the roads hard to follow to Redington? Are there cairns or marks to follow?

See my PM. By the way, your brother Bill got into "The Boulder Report" in the Spring 2010 Peeks.

 

[TEO]

Were the roads hard to follow to Redington? Are there cairns or marks to follow?

As of last summer, not at all. Indeed, I found it a rather pleasant walk and a very different, yet in its own way, very enjoyable, experience from the other Northeast 4k'ers.

Mr. Ellozy's description should get you to the summit with no trouble at all.

 

[roadtripper]

Post-hike swimming at Smalls Falls on Route 26.

 

[GBKDalton]

If you're backpacking, you should use the new MATC campsite between the Horn and Poplar Ridge rather than the shelter-it has absolutely no campsites except for the tiniest bivy sites that flood in rain. The log is must-read though.

Everyone is making me nostalgic here. In 2008 I was NOBO and walked out on the CVR after being blown over coming down Sugarloaf and crossing the Carrabassett on my hands and knees on a shaky plank in the pouring rain. All I have to say to you is that ignorance truly is bliss-after getting a good look at all those rotten bridges I don't think I'd dare drive a car out there. Make sure you have good clearance.

 

[marty]

Post-hike swimming at Smalls Falls on Route 26.

Dear Roadtripper (aka, Mr. Waterfalls),

Have you tried the Cascades just off route 4?

Here is a link to a map and location. It is off route 4 on a semicircle road that is just east and west of the Route 4 intersection with South Shore Drive (aka, the road to Rangeley Lake State Park). This is a very scenic and EASY little hike and several good swimming opportunities, too. The round trip is probably 1 1/2 miles, if that. Highly recommended: http://www.rlht.org/cascade-stream.shtml

Hope all is well, my friend.

Marty

 

[bikehikeskifish]

From the AMC rules:

It is acceptable to use bikes on logging roads that are:

• not part of an officially maintained trail and
• legally open to the general public for car/truck travel on the day of the trip and
• fairly easily passable to an average four-wheel-drive vehicle (not an ATV) without "heroic measures" such as winches. (If you think a jeep might not make it, then please walk.)

Is the CVR in the realm of "legal" for MTB use? I would still think so.

Tim

 

[TEO]

Saddleback and the horn via the ski slopes.

Although for some reason people are saying not to approach Sugarloaf via the ski slopes, I'm having a really hard time figuring out why especially seeing how you are doing a traverse. You would actually be taking the service road that's on the right of the mountain as you're looking at it. This service road goes all the way to the summit and by going this way to do your traverse you wouldn't be doing any back tracking like you would if you started out on the CVR.

Also make sure to park before the steel bridge on the CVR. The only way you are going to get much farther is if you have a tank. I

There are, in my mind, two reasons to do Saddleback & The Horn via the ski area: 1) to check out the ski area if that sort of thing interests you; 2) It's much quicker than the AT from Rt. 4, which allows you to hike more peaks that day, such as Redington &/or the Crockers. The downside is that you're hiking ski slopes which are neither designed for hiking, nor I would think, particularly interesting for the non-skier.

However, Sugarloaf is a much taller ski area than Saddleback, so you're spending more time hiking trails not designed for hiking and there are hiking trail & bushwhack alternatives that are quite interesting and require little more, if not less effort.

The AT from Sugarloaf to the Upper Branch of the Carrabassett is an outstanding trail and exploring Caribou Valley is much more interesting that hiking a ski slope.

Finally, unless CVR has eroded significantly since 7/11/09, the section from the steel bridge to the AT crossing is a relatively easy drive, unless you have a low clearance vehicle, such as a Honda Civic. Indeed, last summer, it was still drivable to the bridge 1.1 miles past the AT.

Frankly, I think that most people don't realize what kind of terrain their cars can actually handle, given the proper speed, handling, and amount of care.

 

[MichaelJ]

From the AMC rules:
Is the CVR in the realm of "legal" for MTB use? I would still think so.

I would agree, though *personally* I would switch to walking no further than the junction near the pond outlet, based on the swampy condition I recollect in one big spot between there and the big right uphill turn, which was deep and likely vehicle-impassable, thus illegitimate to take a bike "off road" around. Also, there's a good narrow stretch before even getting to the pond, and while you could probably still drive it with a consumer 4WD (thus meeting the rule), you'd scratch it up pretty nasty.

 

[Bill and Sheep]

There are, in my mind, two reasons to do Saddleback & The Horn via the ski area: 1) to check out the ski area if that sort of thing interests you; 2) It's much quicker than the AT from Rt. 4, which allows you to hike more peaks that day, such as Redington &/or the Crockers. The downside is that you're hiking ski slopes which are neither designed for hiking, nor I would think, particularly interesting for the non-skier.

I agree with this. I think the AT approach to Saddleback is a particularly nice approach. I wouldn't recommend missing out on that part of the hike unless you really had severe time constraints.

 

[TDawg]

I agree with this. I think the AT approach to Saddleback is a particularly nice approach. I wouldn't recommend missing out on that part of the hike unless you really had severe time constraints.

I agree. Piazza Rock is interesting, Eddy Pond was very nice, and the climb up was fun. But if day hiking, an out and back to Horn is fairly long (~14mi.)

Also, if staying at Crocker Cirque campsite (good choice, it's beautiful on a good night,) why not approach Redington from the S. Crocker summit instead of going back down the AT and up CVR. The herd path was pretty obvious from the summit down to the large clearing. From there, head uphill to the height of land where I got on a legit trail to the summit.

I was hardly experienced in off trail route-finding at the time and had no trouble finding Redington and getting back via this route. I wouldn't even call it a bushwhack, really. Nothing wrong with the road route, you'd just be backtracking a bit and adding mileage it looks like. Redington and Crockers from Crocker Cirque site is a pretty doable plan, I think.

If you do stay at Crocker Cirque, make sure to head uphill from the tent platforms to the clearing up there (there was a short path.) Great place to hang out and watch the sun set over the ridge. (Below)

 

[rup]

Peakbagger

Can you expand somewhat on your mentioned road to the Bigalows??

Using Google Maps, I see 2 roads leaving Rt 16 near the airport: Huston Brook Rd, which goes in the direction of Stratton Pond, and Carriage Rd, which eventually joins E. Flagstaff Rd near Long Falls Dam Rd.

Is this the one?? Not sure how it gets you closer to the Mt than Straton Pond.

That hike to the 'staircase' below the 2 peaks was LONG.

 

[TDawg]

Can you expand somewhat on your mentioned road to the Bigalows??

....and Carriage Rd, which eventually joins E. Flagstaff Rd near Long Falls Dam Rd.

Carriage Road is the one, open thanks to the Penobscot Indian Nation, it starts right at the airport. If traversing, it makes spotting a car WAYYYY shorter. Otherwise, Long Falls Dam Rd. starts down in New Portland I believe, which is a good haul. The road was in good shape last October when I went through, only a few areas of potholes.

If day hiking, Safford Brook Tr. (off East Flagstaff Rd.) and Bigelow Range Trail gets you up to Avery Peak in 4.2 and West in 4.9 miles which I think is a lil' bit shorter than Fire Wardens for an out-and-back. I've never been up the SBT though, we went over Little Bigelow to Safford Notch Tentsite. The views from "Old Man's Head" and the spur trail below that off the BRT were pretty cool. Fantastic mountain range those Bigelows!!

 

[Raymond]

We always ate supper at The Red Onion, but maybe that’s one of the places others here don’t like.

Moosely Bagels was open pretty early for breakfast. Can’t imagine anyone not liking it.

If anyone reading this is thinking of staying in Stratton, we were told in 2002 that none of the places there has air conditioning. We stayed at the Spillover Motel the second week of September and it was uncomfortably warm; had to run the bathroom vent all night just to try to pull air through the windows. But the place did offer a continental breakfast which was sufficient.

Oh yeah — you may as well go for the Hundred-Highest mountains while you’re there. Just head toward Oquossoc and take the Morton Cutoff.

 

[rup]

We stayed at a friend's condo at Sugarloaf. Noted that the Hotel at the chairlift was giving away rooms at low rates. The a/c was great in there - it was a hot week. Except for a few golfers in the summer, the crowd was thin.

Didn't try the Red Onion.