70 - Mt. Snow (Chain of Ponds) - 3960 Ft

STATE: ME
DESTINATION: Mt Snow (Chain of Ponds)
ELEVATION: 3960 Ft
TRAIL: Jeep / ATV trail - Fire Wardens trail
DISTANCE: 3.15 Mi
ELEVATION GAIN: 2110 Ft
HIKING TIME: 3 Hr 30 Min round trip
SEASON: Late Spring
DATE: 6/12/2010
WEATHER: 55 Degrees, overcast skies

MAP: (Snow - Chain of Ponds)

DESCRIPTION: Access roads were marked pointing the way to Snow Fire tower however the road stopped and there weren't any signs or a kiosk confirming I was in the right place.  Continued along the jeep / ATV road 0.1 miles to a junction where the trail bears left over a wooden bridge.  Trail is wide but extrememly muddy all the way to the pond.  The firewardens trail head is a wooden sign with only an arrow marking the way.  Trail is overgrown with a plethora of downed trees.  Easy to follow.
 

TRAIL DISTANCES:

Parking - Snow Mtn Pond = 1.8 miles
Snow Mtn pond - Summit = 1.3 miles

Round trip - 6.3 miles
 

HIKING TIMES: 90 minute ascent, 60 minute descent

NOTES / COMMENTS:  Fire tower has fallen off the metal stand which remains at the summit.  Limited views from the summit unless you desired to climb the rickety ladder (I didn't).  A few outlooks along the trail offered great views. 

 

91 - East Kennebago - 3791 Ft

STATE: ME
DESTINATION: East Kennbago
ELEVATION: 3791 Ft
TRAIL: Jeep trail to boundary line / bushwhack
DISTANCE: ~ 4 miles Round trip
ELEVATION GAIN: 1619 Ft
HIKING TIME: 1 Hr 45 minutes
SEASON: Late Spring
DATE: 6/12/2010
WEATHER: 75 deg, overcast, humid
MAP: (E Kennebago)

DESCRIPTION: I parked at the red dot on the map above. The road continued however contained washouts and downed trees that I wasn't comfortable driving a AWD Subaru through. I followed the route marked in yellow walking the washed out remains of the 4x4 jeep road as it got more and more overgrown to the town border where I could follow a clearcut border line to the height of land then bushwhack approximately 0.35 miles directly to the summit.  The trip was relatively uneventful and went as good as could be expected. The bushwhack was rougher and steeper than I anticipated and the mountain was peppered with downed trees anywhere making a straight line path very difficult to follow. The standing spruce wasn't too thick and I could plow through with little difficulty landing on the summit ridge much to the surprise of a cow moose and her calf. In my moose filled excitement I almost missed the summit canister right next to me.

TRAIL DISTANCES: Trails? What trails?

HIKING TIMES: 1 Hr up, 45 Min descent

NOTES / COMMENTS: My chosen route appeared to be the typical approach to East Kennebago and I didn't expect to lose the trail amongst the downed trees.  I was thankful to have my GPSr handy with breadcrumbs marked every few hundred feet.