Keeping Secrets in the Western Mountains

If there were any reservations about moving from Aroostook County back to the homeland, they were silenced this weekend.

I miss all of my great friends up north, but having the opportunity to do what I did this weekend is one of the major reasons I relocated.

Perhaps I jumped the gun on my post-Quintuple Iron recovery by biking up to camp on friday. Halfway to Andover, I was cashed.
Got some food and coffee into me and chilled, in order to get myself back together for the last push.

Turns out that was exactly what I needed. I thoroughly enjoyed those last few miles, especially pedaling down East Andover Road, past the cow and buffalo farms, as the sun set behind the mountains.

Coasted into camp as dusk turned to dark, and had some Yuengling as I built the fire.

The next day, Nicole and I woke up to a nice coating of 3-4 inches of snow on the ground. After a big breakfast, we set out to see some of most beautiful terrain in Maine.
This area does not receive the attention that Baxter or Acadia does, and it is every bit as beautiful.. if not more because there aren't people behind or in front of you around every curve.

Hiking in this area is sure to be a solitary experience.

We blue-blazed on the Appalachian Trail, wearing Microspikes for traction on the snow-covered roots and rocks. The trail followed a stream as it continued into a notch between two sizeable mountains, so there were TONS of waterfalls to stop and admire.

There were numerous stream crossings, but we were never thwarted. At one point, we were forced to cross by straddling a downed tree!

All of the work in getting to the main attraction was worth it. Seemingly out of nowhere, we found ourselves in a basin with cliffs all around us. Snow weighed down the hundreds of pine trees, and a thundering of water pounding rocks was coming from somewhere...
Around a corner, a 70 foot waterfall cut into an amazing narrow gorge!
Grand.

After stopping to admire it, we hiked to the top of that fall, hurrying to the next one a quarter-mile away, excited to see the BIGGER of the two. It proved worth the extra mileage, but the camera could do no justice, as it was well-hidden by trees and rocks.

The hike out via Appalachian Trail was a great finish to a superb day: up and over the mountain, through the woods, and to the road!

If you would like info on this hike, shoot me an email, but I'm not interested in advertising the location to the entire planet.
The best kept secret in Maine should stay that way!

Thanks for reading!

krp