 
|
|
Logs Adventure Log Old Trip Reports Old Reports Pin Maps Pin Map Galleries Best Pictures Gallery Lists All Lists Future Hikes Whatever Home |
Mt Abraham Maine 3-16-07
Ever have a hike that turned out to be better than you ever thought? This is one of them. After slogging all week in Maine through wet, sticky, nasty, horrid, did I mention wet? Snow I was greeted with this Gem. The night before the temps dropped to 10 degrees thus FREEZING THE SLUSHY SNOW which was rained on all day the day before. This made for an awesomely hard crust which was for all intensive purposes bareboot-able on the packed trail. To make things even better, -- and the was an absolute shock to me, people had driven on the road much past where it was plowed. I was able to drive in nearly 2 miles (to a turn around) without bottoming out or anything. This shaved over 2 hours off my hike which I was more than happy to do with the impending doomsday snowstorm brewing for the afternoon. So I hit the trail at 7:05am, walking on the nice hard surface that used to be a snowmobile trail. I made summer-like time up to the trailhead. I walked in on the trail only to notice the surface was very bareboot-able so I was able to avoid my snowshoes. I postholed a few times, mainly near the cabin (2.8 miles from trailhead). The trail was long and flat and for all intensive purposes not very exciting, except for the occasional giant piles of Moose Dukes on the side of the trail (as described in another TR from a few days before) After poking around the cabin a bit, I donned the snowshoes, for the crampon powers, and the fact that the foot pressure points would be smaller so I would be more likely to punch through. At this point the trail began its steep ascent up too the giant screefield. I saw yet another cash cow of Moose dukes EVERYWHERE. Oh man, there were so many pellets of digest bark all over! After zipping up the trail at a -remarkable compared to the last 5 days- pace I reached the screefield where I ditched the snowshoes and barebooted the rest of the way. Few obstacles existed except the occasional leg eating drift. There was no ice on the rocks.. It was like climbing Mt Washington above the tree line except the rocks were a bit looser. Eventually I reached the summit after passing several "false summits" where I thought I was on top. The top was windy unlike the rest of the hike so I did not linger long. The views were awesome. The descent was a bit slower -- snow which makes for good ascents makes for less than great descents (cant snowshoe glide on hard snow!). I encountered several snowmobiles on the logging roads, most of which were surprised to see me. I reached my car without seeing a single snowflake (my goal was to beat the storm). Actually, I didn't see snow until I got to Portland Maine! GREAT hike, amazing views! I am so glad I was able to shave that 3.6 miles off my hike by driving in. That was a VERY good surprise! Click Here for the Hike Map
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
