Hiking around Weld and Center Hill

Byron Notch
Click on photos to enlarge. 

 We can almost smell spring here in Maine. On Sunday, we slipped over the Weld to check on the camp. I followed foot tracks over to Burt's Point and, naturally enough, I heard Uncle Fred had been over earlier to check on the place prior to heading south with Pam. 

Center Hill was in prime shape for snowmobiling, sliding, and hiking. I ran into about a dozen people enjoying the blue skies and moderate temperatures (about 32 degrees F). And yes, there are too many pictures of Bryon Notch... I was trying different settings on my iPhone. Look at these on a computer or laptop; then, you'll get the full effect.  

Sliding hill just beneath Center Hill parking. 

This may be the back side of Saddleback Mountain (right) 

and the Horn (Left). Not 100% sure. Now, because of the 

cone shaped mountain on the right, I think it's Sugarloaf. 

I'm useless. 

Byron Notch

Byron Notch

Byron Notch

Mt Blue

Byron Notch 

Wild dog on Center Hill Summit... 

Wild dog on Center Hill Summit... 

Wild dog rolling on Center Hill Summit... 

Saddleback and the Horn?

Gee, Byron Notch? 

  

Whitecap after the deep freeze... Hike #35

Looking toward Sunday River and The White Mountains.
Click on photos to enlarge

On Tuesday, the temperature hit –20 to –30 degrees F with the wind. We drove to the post office and it took me hours to warm up! Today, we were at 32 degrees F. A 50 degree difference, give or take. March in Maine... On Rumford's Whitecap today, the wind blew, but it was not remotely as cold as yesterday. I used microspikes, and they worked perfectly on the firm trail with small spots of ice. Above tree line, the trail stayed firm with small drifts here and there. It felt great to be out on the mountain. 

Bailey's Cairn

Wind-blown fur. 

Heading home. 

  

Wet Snow on Joe Pond Trails.... #32

Just Happy to be Out

What drove me crazy about yesterday's hike on the Joe Pond trails? The wet snow? No. The packing of wet snow beneath my microspikes? Nope. That wet feeling an hour in as the water seeps through my coat onto my skin? Not at all. Twenty minutes into the hike I found myself humming, then singing, "The Twelve Days of Christmas." The damn song wouldn't leave my brain. And if you know me, I'm not really a Christmas guy unless I have kids here. But! We got in 4 miles and enjoyed the wintry weather on the mountain behind the house even with that annoying sound track in the background.  

 

Shitty hike............... #30

 

I rarely have bad hikes. Even if it's hot & humid or bitter cold, I love the trail. Yesterday, not so much. Even Bailey seemed off except for running into 4 other other hikers who enjoyed his trail-side greeting. Here's what I wrote on my AllTrails report: 

Whiner report: Firm trail with 2-3" of wet snow that clings to both microspikes and snowshoes. Center trail is firm, but outside of that you're in post-hole city. The tread on my hiking boots is worn down, so I slipped around on the steeps--hiking poles would have helped... add in a cracked toenail and well... slog up, slip down. In any event, nice to be out. HYO... &#!%$* .... H. (Sorry about this whiny report.)

After the hike... "Do I still get a treat?"

On the second switchback 

(When a trail zig-zags back-and-forth up a very steep section of terrain.) 

Second stream crossing where I abandoned the hike. 

 

Whitecap to Bailey's Cairn (Hike #28)

Looking toward Sunday River, The White Mountains, and The Mahoosuc Range
Remember to click photos to enlarge.  

RUMFORD WHITECAP: We hiked up Orange Trail to Yellow and crossed over to what I call the Western Summit [regular Whitecap hikers will know that the Western Summit isn't really a summit at all]. From the trailhead until I got out of the trees, I wore microspikes and stayed center trail to avoid post-holing. No issues. FYI: Bailey wore uncut claws. On Yellow, the snow was windblown and softer; we still avoided postholes, but hiking proved a hair trickier balancing center trail. Backcountry skiers had skied down the hiking trail above treeline, so in places it was difficult to spot the hard-packed snow of the hiking trail. I'm not complaining! The skiers and snowshoers have kept the trail well packed allowing me to hike without snowshoes for a decade. Hikers: With warmer weather coming midweek, I'm wondering how much the snow will soften. Think about snowshoes if you're heading beyond treeline. As always, HYOH.

Ice Cairn marking the trailhead

Note Mt Abram in Lockmills

Where Orange meets Yellow

Signage

Only place I've post-holed all winter--went through 2-3 times

Note the snowshowers

Snowshowers

The treat machine. 

Just nice. 

Mt Abram

Bailey's Cairn from a distance