blaze
Active member
Sunday 1/22: drive to Mount Chase Lodge, Shin Pond. Owners Rick and Sara set us up with dinner, rooms for the night, and a big breakfast Monday morning before we hit the trail. Rick will also drive us to the trailhead and shuttle our vehicles to Abol Bridge.
Monday 1/23: we ski from the winter parking lot past Matagamon Gate and Trout Brook Farm, to South Branch Pond, where we will spend the night in the bunkhouse. Great snow cover on the road. A sunny morning gives way to clouds in the afternoon. It rains overnight.
Tuesday 1/24: South Branch Pond to Russell Pond, where we'll stay the next three nights in the bunkhouse. Rain and warm temps make for wet snow, and a 3-6" layer of slush on the ponds. There's good ice under the slush. So we ski across, and most of us get soaking wet feet in the process. We switch to snowshoes not long after getting off the ice. The ranger's gone as far as he can in his snowmobile, but has not made it all the way to Russell Pond. So we have a difficult day trail breaking in deep, wet snow. The winter ski route is hard to find, since it's not fully broken out, and so at times we stick to the summer route, which is hillier. We arrive at Russell Pond wet and tired.
Wednesday 1/25: slack day at Russell Pond. A few of us hike over to check out the ice where Wassataquoik Stream Trail crosses Wassataquoik Stream (crossable without getting wet, thankfully). Along the way we find that the (only?) prior party took the Russell Pond Trail from Russell Pond to Roaring Brook. So, since we plan on taking the Wassataquoik Stream Trail, we'll be doing some trail breaking once again. After lunch, three of us hike the Caverly Overlook Trail to enjoy fine views of North Turner Mountain.
Thursday 1/26: day trips. Andy, Matt and John take on Mullen Mountain, 3,450'. They are successful in locating the abandoned trail up to Mullen Pond, and so keep bushwhacking to a minimum. Carmen and I head up to Davis Pond, one of my favorite destinations in the park, for lunch at the lean-to. A bluebird day above treeline, cool with a light breeze, with outstanding views back down the Northwest Basin. Trail breaking in crusty and increasingly deep snow is difficult on tired legs. Marshall heads over to Deep Pond and Six Ponds, for some exploration and photography.
Friday 1/27: it has snowed during the night and snow continues through the day. We move from Russell Pond to Roaring Brook via the Wassataquoik Stream Trail, as planned. The Wass. Stream crossing is iced over nicely, even more solid than when we checked it out on Wednesday. An unbroken, winding trail and continuing snow through the day make for arduous travel. Those without traces on their sleds make out much better here, because they're better able to negotiate the twists, turns, uneven ground and numerous drainages that cut the trail. Those with traces have a difficult time of it. Most of us maximize the loads on our backs, to reduce sled rollovers. The snow gives way to sleet, then freezing rain, and the last few to come in at Roaring Brook are wet and exhausted. But we have a fire going in the bunkhouse, and there is still wine, gin, mead and rum to revive our spirits!
Saturday 1/28: we ski out to Abol Bridge. Another sunny day that gives way to clouds, a bit breezy, and new snow on the road makes for slower sledding, until we meet up with BSP ranger Rob T, coming the other way on his snowmobile and dragging a grooming sled. Numerous snowmobiles have been over the tote road.
Gear: all parties used sleds, skis, and snowshoes. A few carried skins. I had kicker skins but never felt a need to put them on. Some people used ski boots only. I was glad to have both ski boots and hiking boots. I wish I had brought trekking poles in addition to my ski poles, which are on the long side for hiking, particularly in deep snow, and were even less useful after the baskets broke off!
A few photos -
on the road to South Branch Pond (Monday)
Upper South Branch Pond (Tuesday)
rock, ice, lichen (Wednesday)
Matt and Andy on the Caverly Overlook Trail (Wednesday)
Northwest Basin panoramic (Thursday)
glade on Roaring Brook Road (Saturday)
What else to drink at the end but Baxter Stowaway IPA? (Saturday)
Thanks to Carmen A, Matt H, Marshall M, John M, and especially to trip leader Andy W for putting together another outstanding Baxter winter adventure.
Photos
Monday 1/23: we ski from the winter parking lot past Matagamon Gate and Trout Brook Farm, to South Branch Pond, where we will spend the night in the bunkhouse. Great snow cover on the road. A sunny morning gives way to clouds in the afternoon. It rains overnight.
Tuesday 1/24: South Branch Pond to Russell Pond, where we'll stay the next three nights in the bunkhouse. Rain and warm temps make for wet snow, and a 3-6" layer of slush on the ponds. There's good ice under the slush. So we ski across, and most of us get soaking wet feet in the process. We switch to snowshoes not long after getting off the ice. The ranger's gone as far as he can in his snowmobile, but has not made it all the way to Russell Pond. So we have a difficult day trail breaking in deep, wet snow. The winter ski route is hard to find, since it's not fully broken out, and so at times we stick to the summer route, which is hillier. We arrive at Russell Pond wet and tired.
Wednesday 1/25: slack day at Russell Pond. A few of us hike over to check out the ice where Wassataquoik Stream Trail crosses Wassataquoik Stream (crossable without getting wet, thankfully). Along the way we find that the (only?) prior party took the Russell Pond Trail from Russell Pond to Roaring Brook. So, since we plan on taking the Wassataquoik Stream Trail, we'll be doing some trail breaking once again. After lunch, three of us hike the Caverly Overlook Trail to enjoy fine views of North Turner Mountain.
Thursday 1/26: day trips. Andy, Matt and John take on Mullen Mountain, 3,450'. They are successful in locating the abandoned trail up to Mullen Pond, and so keep bushwhacking to a minimum. Carmen and I head up to Davis Pond, one of my favorite destinations in the park, for lunch at the lean-to. A bluebird day above treeline, cool with a light breeze, with outstanding views back down the Northwest Basin. Trail breaking in crusty and increasingly deep snow is difficult on tired legs. Marshall heads over to Deep Pond and Six Ponds, for some exploration and photography.
Friday 1/27: it has snowed during the night and snow continues through the day. We move from Russell Pond to Roaring Brook via the Wassataquoik Stream Trail, as planned. The Wass. Stream crossing is iced over nicely, even more solid than when we checked it out on Wednesday. An unbroken, winding trail and continuing snow through the day make for arduous travel. Those without traces on their sleds make out much better here, because they're better able to negotiate the twists, turns, uneven ground and numerous drainages that cut the trail. Those with traces have a difficult time of it. Most of us maximize the loads on our backs, to reduce sled rollovers. The snow gives way to sleet, then freezing rain, and the last few to come in at Roaring Brook are wet and exhausted. But we have a fire going in the bunkhouse, and there is still wine, gin, mead and rum to revive our spirits!
Saturday 1/28: we ski out to Abol Bridge. Another sunny day that gives way to clouds, a bit breezy, and new snow on the road makes for slower sledding, until we meet up with BSP ranger Rob T, coming the other way on his snowmobile and dragging a grooming sled. Numerous snowmobiles have been over the tote road.
Gear: all parties used sleds, skis, and snowshoes. A few carried skins. I had kicker skins but never felt a need to put them on. Some people used ski boots only. I was glad to have both ski boots and hiking boots. I wish I had brought trekking poles in addition to my ski poles, which are on the long side for hiking, particularly in deep snow, and were even less useful after the baskets broke off!
A few photos -
on the road to South Branch Pond (Monday)
Upper South Branch Pond (Tuesday)
rock, ice, lichen (Wednesday)
Matt and Andy on the Caverly Overlook Trail (Wednesday)
Northwest Basin panoramic (Thursday)
glade on Roaring Brook Road (Saturday)
What else to drink at the end but Baxter Stowaway IPA? (Saturday)
Thanks to Carmen A, Matt H, Marshall M, John M, and especially to trip leader Andy W for putting together another outstanding Baxter winter adventure.
Photos
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