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Hikingbyisaac, Route 27, Carrabassett Valley, ME (2026)

03/19/2022

Last Katahdin summit this winter! We competed the usual route up Abol slide and down the summer trail. Temperatures were mid 30’s at the top and we encountered some rain on the way down. It was a total of about 18 miles over the 11 hour day.

01/09/2022

Another summit on Katahdin to start the new year, sunset was the best part!

12/05/2021

Katahdin (First winter climb of the season) - The park just opened for the winter season on December 1st and we decided to kick it off with a summit to Baxter State Park's highest peak. We were the first group to summit Katahdin this winter as the sign was completely covered in rime ice. We took a 5 mile bike ride to Abol Campground from Abol Bridge at 7:15AM, then took the 4.5-5 mile hike to Baxter Peak. Overall, the conditions weren't too bad and the weather was perfect. No snowshoes needed just Kahtoola's and an ice axe as there were quite a few ice patches. The tablelands and summit were practically wind free (5-10mph) which is extremely rare in December which meant an easier trek to the summit (and less pain). In total, it was about 10 miles of hiking and 10 miles of biking in about 9 hours or so.

11/21/2021

Acadia - It’s been a while since I’ve been out but Saturday was a perfect day to enjoy the last bits of fall before the snow comes. We went about 8 miles, taking Precipice over to Beehive, then down to sand beech. We then took a similar path back only instead of going down precipice we took the orange/black path back to the parking lot. Overall, a super nice day and trying to prepare for winter!

10/18/2021

Katahdin (Baxter and Hamlin) - This will probably be the last Katahdin hike of the Fall season and it was an interesting one for sure. Low 40 degree weather with 25-30 mile per hour winds while getting rained on made it one of the most adventurous hikes I've ever been on. We started up Helon Taylor in the clouds and fog which made the lookout on Pamola peak viewless. Then we headed over on Knife Edge which was extremely slippery while also dealing with heavy winds making a slow traverse to hit the highest peak in Baxter. While on the way, we ended up in between two cloud layers which was a first for me and is also really neat. Once we started down to Hamlin Peak, the rain started coming down much harder (rain gear came in handy), almost horizontally because of the wind which then created a rainbow on Hamlin Ridge. Overall, a 12 mile hike with almost 5000 ft of elevation gain.

10/14/2021

Pleasant Pond Mountain, Moxie Falls and Mosquito Mountain - Yesterday was a great day to go leaf peeping and it was some of the best foliage I've ever seen. I had been to both Pleasant Pond and Moxie Falls but Mosquito Mountain was new for me and I'll definitely be back. Both Mosquito and Pleasant Pond are next to each other and have very similar views but the overlook on Mosquito was absolutely spectacular. I hate that photos can't capture the beauty the mountain offers but it's more of a reason to see it for yourself. It felt like I was looking at a painting, the water was like glass, the trees looked as if they were on fire and there was no wind at a warm 70 degrees in the middle of October. It couldn't have been any better of a day. We all tried to enjoy the leaves and weather before the cold comes. Overall it was a 10 mile, 2800 ft elevation gain effort which was well worth every step.

10/03/2021

Mt. Katahdin (Pamola and Baxter Peak) - Yesterday was an amazing day to conquer Maine's highest mountain. Hope and I started early at around 7 on Helon Taylor Trail to take us to Pamola Peak. Pamola is 4919 ft high which gave us a brilliant view of Knife Edge and Baxter Peak which was in the clouds. After going over the chimney section we followed Knife Edge for a mile until making it to Baxter Peak. After taking pictures, we followed Saddle Trail down to Chimney Pond and finished the 3.3 mile trail walk back to Roaring Brook Campground. The weather stayed nice most of the day staying in the 40s but when we got over 5000 ft, the temps dropped to the mid 20s with wind chill which left some ice and snow. Another added bonus was the beautiful foliage. Overall, another great Baxter trip in the books.

Elevation Gain - 4330 ft
Total Distance - 11.85 miles

09/20/2021

Mt. Abraham (Carrabassett Valley) - Yesterday I went on my first Maine Outing Club trip and it was an amazing time. We decided to leave campus around 6AM to beat the rain in the afternoon which we pretty much did. The first 2.5 miles is pretty much a trail walk to hit the base of the mountain but once you hit the elevation, it increases very rapidly. The hike up is about 4.25 miles and you gain most of the 3000 ft elevation gain in the last mile. I was lucky enough to hit this 4K last fall and the Fire Warden's trail is a staple hike in Carrabassett. The last quarter mile or so is a rock scramble to the top which adds an extra flare to 360 degree views that the summit offers. I am glad I was able to spend the day with the MOC and I look forward to future hikes with them!

09/12/2021

Champlain Mountain via Precipice Trail (Acadia National Park) - After all these years of hiking in Acadia I was finally able to hike the Precipice Trail and summit Champlain. From late spring through mid-August the trail is closed due to Peregrine Falcon nesting which was the usual time I was in Acadia. So Hope and I made a special trip to hike the 2.6 mile loop which is labeled as strenuous. There were many rungs, ladders and hand-holds on the side of the cliffs which made it one of the more interesting hikes I've ever done. We took the park's suggestion of coming down the North Ridge Trail as it isn't very safe to go down the Precipice. For someone who is moderately scared of heights, it wasn't as bad as I expected. If you ever are in Acadia during late summer into fall, this is a must do because it's quick, exciting and you have beautiful views of the ocean the entire time.

09/05/2021

Mt. Chase - We took a bit of a different route to summit Mt. Chase, let's just say that we didn't use a trail. We left from camp on Upper Shin Pond around 8 AM, and followed the sun (east) through the heavily forested Maine woods until we made it to the summit. We didn't follow roads or man made trails, we followed a moose path and where we believed the summit was. After looking at the map before we left, we knew we had to go east but a bit south as well. What was supposed to be 2 miles away geographically took us a little over 4 miles. On our way back we took roads and cleared paths which was a longer distance but took us less time. It was a great learning experience to find your bearings in the woods and the right directions. Overall, we did 10 miles with about 2200 ft of elevation gain. It was super fun "getting lost" in the woods!

08/28/2021

Bigelow Preserve (Camping at Avery Col) - Hope and I took the Fire Warden's Trail (~ 6 miles / 2700 ft elevation gain) up to Avery Col campsites with the weather being cool (65-70) but not too windy. The last mile is always the toughest as it's just rock stairs and I'm also not used to having a heavy pack on (I'm definitely not an ultralight camper). We made it to the Col with plenty of time to set up camp, summit both peaks, and then eat dinner. I got to break out my new JetBoil which boils water at an extremely fast rate (it took like a minute) and also got to use the new tent I bought. We then decided to summit West Peak again to see the sunset and it was incredible! It was a little cold at night but the layers came in handy. I've always been told camping on Bigelow is amazing and that was no lie.

Hikingbyisaac

03/19/2022

01/09/2022

12/05/2021

11/21/2021

10/18/2021

10/14/2021

10/03/2021

09/20/2021

09/12/2021

09/05/2021

08/28/2021

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