Hiking Jordan Cliffs Trail

Posted on February 1, 2010 by Michael

…is, frankly, frightening. At least there were parts that were just super-sketchy.

The trail, in Acadia National Park, looks right over Jordan Pond and the ocean once it gets up to the actual cliffs. From the pictures I was able to find, it looked like a pretty good trail: strenuous for the average day hiker, but probably relatively easy for myself and the people who went with me. Of course, winter hiking is entirely different from summer hiking.

Most of the trail could have been done more efficiently with snowshoes, but it wasn’t ridiculous until crampons were needed. Of course, only two of the three of us on this trip actually had crampons (another had some other shoe-things to help from slipping, but they weren’t designed for hiking – and they didn’t even fit over his boots, anyway). And, out of laziness and constant underestimation, I didn’t even bother putting mine on. I had some regrets once I reached the part of the trail with sharply angled rock and ice that dropped off directly down a couple hundred feet. Fortunately, I wasn’t blazing the trail (the other person without crampons took that initiative), so I had some places to put my feet after him. Regardless, it was one of the most dangerous trails I’ve crossed to date.

Since I was making sure I wouldn’t fall to a horrible death, I have no pictures of that part of the trail. But I think it’s possible to get a good idea of what it was like from these pictures.

Update: I didn’t get any pictures of that sketchy part of the trail, but my friend did.

Filed under: Hiking | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

Jordan Cliffs Trail

Posted on January 31, 2010 by Michael

In about 11 hours I will be hiking the Jordan Cliffs Trail in Acadia National Park. I don’t have anything substantial to say right now. I’m just pretty excited.

It looks like this but with snow.

Filed under: Hiking | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

The mountains of Maine

Posted on January 8, 2010 by Michael

Being that I’m 1) busy and it’s 2) winter, hiking is hard to come by. As such, I’m getting antsy. So here are a few pictures for your (but really my) viewing pleasure.

This first one is from the Cathedral Trail heading up Mount Katahdin. That’s looking at The Knife Edge, a relatively narrow 1 mile trail going from the peak (out of view on the right) to Pamola Peak (visible toward the left, just before the thicker cloud cover).

The Knife Edge

This one is on Little Spencer. Katahdin is actually easily visible while summiting here, though I do not believe it is the mountain in the distance. That’s me in this picture (taken by friend Matt Doyon). His brother got nervous when I was that close to the edge (which actually had plenty more rock below, just not visible from this angle), so naturally I had to play it up.

Atop Little Spencer

This next one is from Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. (I’m on the left.) We started around 2:30am to make it up for the sunrise over Bar Harbor, but alas we were thwarted by cloud cover. Going up, however, was fantastic because Bar Harbor is actually the only nearby town really and it isn’t very big (especially in the off-season). That meant low light pollution, giving us fantastic views of a clear night (but not morning) sky with a new moon. Again, photo by Matt.

Cadillac Mountain

This one is from Mount Blue in Mount Blue State Park. Again, Matt took the photo (my camera is just too bulky sometimes). This was my second winter hike (before Cadillac). We pretty much couldn’t have asked for a better day. Fresh, deep snow to make it a challenge, but not obscenely cold (except in the wind of the summit). And perfect sunshine all day.

Mount Blue

This final one is from the 100 Mile Wilderness, one of the toughest parts of the Appalachian Trail. I have no idea what mountain I was on nor what mountain I photographed. I do know that I at least have the excuse of trying to photograph an eagle here, hence the crooked horizon. This was taken right after the rainiest, wettest, perhaps most miserable day of my life. It was nothing but glory to have this much sunshine.

100 Mile Wilderness

Filed under: Hiking | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »