Western Maine Mountains
Hut Hike
Hiking Trip Details
- Location: Western Maine
- Length: 8 days
- Grade: Moderate to strenuous
- Accommodations: B&B’s, inns, and backcountry huts
- Group size: 5 – 12
- Dates: July 31 – August 7 and August 15 – 22, 2010
- Land Cost (US$): $1,950
Hiking Trip Summary
After 23 years of guiding hiking and walking trips in some of Europe’s most beautiful areas, we are turning to our own backyard to explore the unspoiled beauty of Maine’s Western Mountains. Here, we will hike through some of Maine’s old growth forests and among some of Maine’s highest peaks, including those of Bigelow, Sugarloaf and Crocker, all over 4,000 feet. Hiking sections of the Appalachian Trail as it crosses the Bigelows, we will have expansive views of Katahdin to the north and Mount Washington to the west. This area, also home to many lakes and rivers, is situated along the Northern Forest canoe trail, a continuous canoe trail that traces the Native American travel routes from New York State all the way to the Canadian border in northern Maine.
We will be exploring this wilderness area with the help of a newly formed organization, the Maine Huts and Trails, now in its fourth year of operation with two backcountry huts open and completed.
Their mission:
“Maine Huts and Trails was founded by Mainers who share a vision for preserving our state’s naturally beautiful remote areas. To that end we will build and operate a 180-mile recreational corridor from the Mahoosucs to Moosehead. The corridor will include a network of huts, trails and waterway corridors. This unique resource will preserve some of Western Maine’s best backcountry for the purposes of conservation and environmentally sensitive economic development, and ensure public access for generations to come.”
We are looking forward to this new area of exploration, offering some of Maine’s most spectacular scenery.
Itinerary
Day 1: Group pick up at Maine’s Portland International Jetport. Transfer to the Carrabassett Valley, about a 3 hours drive. If time permits, we will take an easy walk. Welcome dinner and orientation.
Day 2: A day hike, Burnt Mountain: With a rocky summit that is above the tree line, Burnt Mountain (1,775’), has striking 360-degree views. The trail begins near Brackett brook, climbing through a forest of mixed hardwood and conifer trees. As we emerge from the forest and approach the rocky open summit, we are greeted by fantastic views of the Bigelow range, Sugarloaf and Crocker Cirque. We will circle back to our Inn.
Day 3: Appalachian Trail to Cranberry Peak: After a short transfer, we will hike a section of the Appalachian Trail as it begins its ascent of the Bigelow Range. After about 2 and one-half miles, we will reach the Range Trail and begin heading west, towards the village of Stratton. After passing Cranberry Pond, a beautiful tarn nestled in the mountains and formed by a glacier, we continue climbing to reach our highest point of 3,213 feet. From here, after admiring the view, we begin to descend, steeply at first, into Stratton. We will meet the pontoon boat that will take us the length of Flagstaff Lake to the hut. The damming of the Dead River formed Flagstaff Lake, in the shadow of the Bigelows. As we travel to the hut, we will learn about the history of the area and the village from our captain, arriving in time for dinner.
Day 4: Day walk/hike: We have a couple of choices today. One is heading south from the hut where we can join the Appalachian Trail as it heads north towards Katahdin. Once reaching Carry Pond, we will follow the shore and circle back to the hut in time to enjoy the view from the deck. The area of the Carry Ponds, also known as the Arnold Trail, was where Benedict Arnold, in October of 1775, marched his men on their treacherous way to face the British in Quebec.
Our other option today is to walk to Grand Falls by hiking along a newly constructed trail. The trail leaves the hut and hugs the shore of the lake then follows along the Dead River. The falls are about 5 miles. This is a relatively level walk. Distance: 9 miles
You may also choose to relax at the hut, use one of their canoes, or read a book on their screened porch.
Day 5: Little Bigelow along the Appalachian Trail: We begin the day with a short boat transfer to Round Barn, on the other side of the lake, where we begin hiking on the Safford Brook trail. Following the brook, we climb gradually at first, then more steeply until we reach the junction of the Appalachian Trail at 2,250 feet. From here, we continue climbing to the summit of Little Bigelow. Crossing the ridge, possibly joining some “thru hikers” we will descend at the end of the Bigelow Range and walk back to the lakeshore where we meet the boat to transfer to the Flagstaff hut.
Day 6: Flagstaff hut to Popular Stream hut: Leaving Flagstaff hut after a hearty breakfast, we follow the trail as it hugs the shoreline of the lake. We’ll be surrounded by a great expanse of Maine wilderness, 36,000 acres of public land including seven mountain summits. Our views today will be of forests, mountains, lake, and possibly moose. Much of this wilderness is part of the Bigelow Wilderness Preserve that was created in 1976 to protect the area from the development of a new ski area.
Day 7: Popular Stream hut to Carrabassett Valley: Leaving the hut after breakfast, we’ll visit the Popular Stream Falls before walking out the gentle trail. After two miles, we will join the Narrow Gauge pathway along the Carrabassett River, with a chance to cool off in the river in the many swimming holes along the way. We continue walking to our B & B where we will enjoy our farewell dinner.
Day 8: The trip will end after breakfast with a transfer back to the Portland Airport.
Additional Information
Included
All accommodations, all breakfasts, all dinners, all boat and van transfers as per itinerary,
group transfer from and to the Portland International Jetport, guides, lots of great hiking and memories
Not Included
Lunches, optional/individual transfers or excursions, items not on set dinner menu, beverages, tips to guides, insurance. Allow roughly $150 in additional costs.
Luggage
This hike is not vehicle supported. Some days you will only need to carry a day pack, however there will be a few days when you will need to carry a moderate sized pack with only the clothing and accessories you will need for the duration of hike. (See our Sample Packing List.) With advances in synthetic clothing and other travel gear, it’s possible to keep your pack weight to 20 lbs. or les,s including lunch and water.
Any extra luggage or belongings not needed on the hike will be transferred to our last night’s inn in the Carrabassett Valley.
Accommodations and Facilities
During the trip we will be spending 2 nights at a B&B set in the countryside of Kingfield Maine, our meals will be made from local ingredients, our breakfast eggs from the chickens in the yard. The rooms have with shared baths. With beckoning views from the dining room of distant mountains, this is a great place to start our hike. Our last night will be spent in a comfortable Inn in Carrabassett Valley, with rooms with private baths.
Four nights will be spent in huts, a backcountry “lodge” that offers simple overnight accommodations for outdoor enthusiasts. The huts provide a hearty dinner and breakfast, bunks with soft foam mattresses, a fleece blanket, heat, lights powered by solar and hydro power, drinking water, hot showers, and composting toilets. Lunches are available for an additional fee.
The atmosphere is friendly and jovial as people, mostly hikers, gather to spend the night.
Travel
It is easiest to fly to Portland Maine where we will rendezvous on the first for a group transfer to our B&B in the Carrabassett Valley. This transfer is included in the cost of the trip. It is also possible to fly to Boston, Massachusetts or Manchester, New Hampshire and transfer to the Portland area by bus, train, shuttle or rental car.
Who would like this trip?
Our Western Maine Mountains Hut Hike is a great trip for anyone interested in hiking the Appalachian mountains of Maine and experiencing a ‘European hut” style vacation close to home. Both huts used in this itinerary are newly built huts and situated in beautiful peaceful natural settings, where we may get the opportunity to see Maine wildlife. The hiking in this area is varied, with some narrow wooded trails; some open vistas and wide relatively level trails. On our boat transfer to Flagstaff hut, give us the opportunity to learn about the history of the lake and the town it flooded. As Mainers love to say, this 8-day trips will give you a taste of, “the way life should be”!
Meeting point
We will meet as a group on Day 1 at the Portland International Jetport in Portland, Maine.
Ending Point
The trip will end on the last day with morning transfer back to Portland International Jetport.
For a more detailed itinerary that includes elevation gain, loss and distance, or to register please call.
