White Cap & Kennebago Divide bushwhack -- 8/6/05

[Double Bow]

I'm almost hesitant to post this TR in light of the recent discussion about bushwhacking but, I'm a writer and writing TRs is a good exercise for me and I know that some people find my reports entertaining, so...

My original plans for the 6th fell apart faster than Vanilla Ice's comeback and so I was very happy to see the post Onestep had put up about doing these two NEHHs. Since I was going to be doing the Moriahs the day before, it wouldn't be quite so far to travel for these remote peaks. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up!

I met up with Onestep in Mexico, ME at 8am and we left my car and drove up to the Rangely area. Never having been up there, I was blown away by the fantastic views of the lakes and the ME 4Ks. What a gorgeous area!!

In about an hour, we turned off and started following a series of logging roads. I was very glad that Onestep pretty much knew which way to go. The road had been recently graded so it was in really good shape for much of the way. We saw where the bridge was out for the route coming from the east and thought about how others had to start their hike there. We continued on and managed to get really far in on the logging road. I was impressed and glad with the distance we saved.

Eventually, we reached a metal culvert which we could not pass over so, we parked. After .1mi, we found that even if we had gotten over the culvert, there was a large ditch that couldn't be driven over. Walking on the logging road for quite aways, we saw it slowly become more and more overgrown. However, it was still a decernable pathway when we reached the saddle between the two mountains though the col itself was less decernable.

Not seeing the herd path to White Cap at first, we backtracked a little to where we thought it might have been and BINGO! There it was. We passed under a blowdown and into the very open woods. The herd path was very good and before we knew it, we were at the cannister. This was Onestep's 80somthingth and my 60somethingth. Looking in the cannister, we found that we were the first one's there in a week and at that time there was only one person. We were very happy with the ease of getting there and with actually having views! We took some pics and had a snack before heading back to the logging road.

Back on the road, we had more of a challenge trying to determine where to begin bushwacking toward Kennebago Divide. Consulting the map, compass, and anecdotal advise, we reached a point on the road, took a site bearing and went. I lead the charge and moved through the brush trying to bounce from one ferny area to another and minimize the risk of eye injury (it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye). Eventually, we gained a ridge and found a heard path that we were able to take to the summit. No views awaited us there (we did have some on the ridge) but, we found the canister without issue and took more pics and ate again.

On the way back, we tried to follow the herd path again but were unable to. we knew the general direction we needed to go and so we went. Some of the stuff was pretty thick and we also passed through a steep wet section that ended in a muddy part and then a field of brush. Eventually, we made it back to the logging road now only a very short distance to the car! I had steared us pretty well as the car was what we were aiming for without any compass bearing!! We laughed about it and had a great ride out along the way seeing a partridge, wild turkeys, rabbits, and a moose!

This was a fun and exciting day and I was very happy to have made a new friend. Thanks onestep, for posting your trip and having me along! We'll have to 'whack together again sometime!

 

[onestep]

I had a great time, glad you came along!

Onestep

 

[Jean]

Harryk, Nathalie and myself are heading that way this weekend.
I was looking at the Delorme Gazeteer trying to work a way to bypass the Wiggle Brook road from the east.
Did you guys follow Burnt Mountain road from the Morton Cutoff all the way to Wiggle Brook Rd and then heading north on Bear Brook road? This looks like a looooooooong drive from route 16.
Is there a shorter/faster way? I don't see any other road west of Canada Road and you don't want to use that one and end up on the wrong side of the river.

 

[audrey]

Jean,

Ending up on the wrong side of the river isn't so bad. The extra walking is flat and easy. Some people will do anything to save a few steps even when they nearly destroy their cars in the process. I know I'm in the minority, but lurching along, bottoming out, risking culverts and bad bridges isn't my idea of fun. I prefer to park and walk, but I'm always outvoted.

 

[dms]

Audrey I am with you, after all the idea is to hike, not drive! Without mentioning names, I witnessed over a short period of time, two Toyota 4 Runners get totally trashed, all to save what usually amounted to much less than a mile.

 

[onestep]

Jean

We tried to access the Lincoln Pond road last May and it was a MESS! Lot's of potholes and ruts. I turned around in my Ford Taurus.

Because of that, this trip I took my friends Jeep Cherokee. We got futher than I would have in my Taurus, but not by much! "They" really have done a LOT of road work up there. The roads are freshly graded and "raked". The raking leaves lots of exposed loose rock, some softball sized, but really no big deal. Once traffic travels it a bit everything will smooth out.

We took a right from the Morton Cutoff road onto the Lincoln Pond Road and followed that untill we crossed the bridge over the Kennebago river. We then turned around and headed back a tenth of a mile or so and took the first right we came to. This leads up the W side of Little Kennebago Lake. That road was in good shape too. Just follow the main road. If i remember correctly, go left at the first Y and right at the next one. You'll finally come to a T intersection, turn right. Go straight untill the road ends at the site of the old "Wiggle Bridge" (no longer there). To continue on, turn around and take your first right (Bear Brook road). A short ways up this road you'll come to rough area where they cut a new logging road that heads uphill and to the left. You want to bear right there. You should be able to get through there with no problem if you take your time. The road then gets better and you'll be able to continue on it for another mile or so.

This may sound confusing but it really isn't. We used the Maine Gazetteer to navigate with.

Go for it!

Onestep

 

[Jean]

Onestep,
Thanks for the directions. I must have an old version of the Gazeteer cause the road you describe after leaving Lincoln Pond Rd stops at the Little Kennebago Lake on my map.

Audrey,
I know what you mean. I don't want to damage the Element so we'll decide depending on road conditions Saturday morning.
I looked at a recent trip report from Papa Bear and he says it's an extra 3 miles one way walking bear Brood rd if you park at Canada rd. Since we're also doing Elephant on Sunday I want to make it as easy as possible.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Double Bow]

We didn't have to drive over anything too chancy in the Jeep Cherokee. In an Element, you should easily be able to make it as far as we did. The road is in really good shape. Have fun!

 

[Papa Bear]

I looked at a recent trip report from Papa Bear and he says it's an extra 3 miles one way walking bear Brood rd if you park at Canada rd. Since we're also doing Elephant on Sunday I want to make it as easy as possible.

Thanks for the input.

Wait a minute Jean:

We walked across the damaged bridge. Now the bridge is gone entirely so you would have to ford the Kennebago River which might be tough.

So I suggest you not go up to that point, but follow Onestep's route on the west side of Little Kennebago Lake, and you'll be on the "right" side (west side) of the river. His route is pretty clearly shown on the new (2004) DeLorme Atlas. It's all double-dashed roads except the portion along the Lake, which Onestep says is not bad. BTW, the new atlas does not indicate that the bridge (between Canada Road and Bear Brook Road) is gone, so that's a mistake.

The older (2001) Atlas showed a washout where the west side road crossed Wiggle Brook but that has been fixed, and the upper section of that road is upgraded from single-dashed to double-dashed.

 

[onestep]

His route is pretty clearly shown on the new (2004) DeLorme Atlas. It's all double-dashed roads except the portion along the Lake, which Onestep says is not bad.

The whole road on the west side of Little Kennebago Lake should now be considered "double-dashed". They have done a lot of road work on that section to support new logging operations in the area.

Onestep

 

[Jean]

Well, that settles it then. West side it is. Thanks for the update.