[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I climbed Maiden Cliff, Mount Megunticook, in Maine today. (pic heavy) back again, new pics 7-06-09 (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 4/5/2009 10:54:09 AM EDT
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New pics somewhere on page 2, updated 7-06-09
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– New pics added, 4-20-09, towards bottom of page 1 third time I've been back in 2 weeks, didn't have the camera on trip #2 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Spring has sprung and I've been itchy to start biking and hiking. Had the day off from work today, it finally stopped raining, and I did both. Today I rode to the back side of Camden Hills State Park. I didn't get some pictures I would have liked to of the cliff from the bottom, no good places to pull over, and I was in a bit of a hurry at that point. Here's what I've got though, and I would recommend clicking this link for more information, pictures, history, etc.. A lot of fascinating info about the cross. Easy hike. Some of the pictures are out of order, I don't have time to straighten them all out, sorry. On approach, note, this is not Maiden Cliff 
Ok, let's start walking uphill 
"Frozen in Time" 
These hollowed out trees seem to be a bit of a phenomenon up there, lightning I presume. Corrected, actually, a lot of bugs and "blister rust" 
Cairns 
Megunticook Lake 
The Cross 
The entire cross is covered with peoples initials and typical bullshit. What posesses people, I don't know. The cross is pretty tall, not to mention 800 feet above sea level. Yet people have climbed to the top of it to scratch their mark  
Her plaque 
I couldn't quite make out what this says. Weathered. 
Little cottage on an island, several of these, real nice area. 
The Atlantic over there in the distance 
Back to Megunticook Lake 
Classic example of a "spring hole". Have to use caution on the lakes, there is a spring under there, weak ice. 
A distant blueberry "barren". Maxed out the zoom feature for this one.
Note the Bald Eagle on the left side of this pic. I never figured myself for a bird-watcher, but there were several Eagles, and some really cool hawks I can't identify, all screeching and swooping, it was awesome. I couldn't take my eyes off them, and it was hard to turn my back on the view up there and head down. 
I know it's trivial, but I'm always interested in the rocks under my feet all over the state. Diverse, strange rocks all over, sparkly Ancient geological activities I suppose.
Woodpeckers destroyed this pine. Some of the holes were as big as my head 
I guess that's all the pictures I have to share today, anyways the pictures do the actual view no justice. I hope you enjoyed them. |
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savage_winchester, thanks for the report. I applaud your appreciation of everything around you on your hike. The raptors are moving through that area, and you got a nice display.
After many years of mountaineering, trekking mixed alpine terrain, and simple hiking, I have gradually reduced my companions down to the point where I have only one good friend left that I will go with, or I go solo. This is because I found myself on otherwise beautiful trips where the others in my group focused only on distance goals, and nothing else. When I hike, I observe (and often study) the geography, geology, flora, fauna, and historical land uses by people of that place. I spend more time looking at alpine plants, trees, insects, birds.... I find just about everything of interest. I believe it is a real gift in life to be both observant and appreciative of nature. |
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Quoted:
Looks like a great way to spend a day. I wish there were places like that around my area. 
Are you kidding me? West Virginia is awesome! I'm actually spending my vacation this year motorcycling down to WV and riding around the Appalachians, the Monangahela, etc. Couldn't you go explore an abandoned coal mine or something?
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Hey savage,
Nice Pics! I used to live in Camden and did that hike many times. If you go to the back of Camden Hills State park there is a back entrance to some carriage trails that is a nice 4 mile hike to the front of the park. Looks like the lake is finally starting to break up. |
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That's a nice hike, I do it about once a year, as I have a place in the area. The mansion on the hill on the other side of the lake in your picture of the cross with the lake in the background is owned by Don McClean of "American Pie" fame. Right. There's a ton of famous people with summer homes in the state. ie Martha Stewart and so forth. eta- let me know when you're in the area and I'll come hike Camden Hills State Park w/ you if you like |
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From there too, ayuh.
That place is wicked nice. If you're riding a bike, I could give you directions to all of the quaint light houses in that area. That is a sweet ride on a cool spring/summer morning. After the light house tour, I'd recommend a breakfast at Moody's Diner. If you haven't been there, you aren't a Mainer. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Looks like a great way to spend a day. I wish there were places like that around my area. Are you kidding me? West Virginia is awesome! I'm actually spending my vacation this year motorcycling down to WV and riding around the Appalachians, the Monangahela, etc. Couldn't you go explore an abandoned coal mine or something? I'm at the top of the northern panhandle. I guess i could explore the abandoned steel mills  |
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First location to catch the sunrise on the east coast I believe.......none the less many thanks for digging up some long lost but EXTREMELY pleasant memories!! Got to go home and dig up the pictures...and I do mean actual print type pictures lol. I remember to this day saying to my now wife how it would be cool to have one of those island camps one day...the hope still lives....it was revived today!!
RG |
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First location to catch the sunrise on the east coast I believe.......none the less many thanks for digging up some long lost but EXTREMELY pleasant memories!! Got to go home and dig up the pictures...and I do mean actual print type pictures lol. I remember to this day saying to my now wife how it would be cool to have one of those island camps one day...the hope still lives....it was revived today!! RG Actually, that goes to Washington County, ME, also known as Sunrise County. They first rays of the morning sun hit the USA somewhere between Eastport and Lubec (true Downeast Maine). Camden and Camden Hills State Park are quite a bit south down the coast. 
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Quoted:
Looks like a nice hike. I am assuming it was still pretty brisk out. It was low 40's yesterday. It's 53 in Augusta now. I'm blasting off to do it again right now. May rain later this afternoon, I hope not. Well, I just got back. It was right chilly on the coast. I rode around Hope and some of the same area I did yesterday, and through Camden, but didn't climb. brrr. It's 46 and sprinkling. I only got a little damp, but that was close. |
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What can you hunt there? whitetail deer, anything lawful and in season I suppose. definitely not tourists Quoted:
From there too, ayuh. That place is wicked nice. If you're riding a bike, I could give you directions to all of the quaint light houses in that area. That is a sweet ride on a cool spring/summer morning. After the light house tour, I'd recommend a breakfast at Moody's Diner. If you haven't been there, you aren't a Mainer. Ayuh. I frequent a number of the lesser known lighthouse in Mid-Coast area, and downEast. One of my favorites is Owl's Head. http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=769612 , not far south from Rockland. On the rare occasion I can convince a young lady to ride with me, I'll usually head down there to try to squeeze a little romance out of her. Seldom wins me any favors though. I love Moody's. The smothered beef is decent, I've been favoring their Reuben sandwiches lately, though I wish they'd make their own french fries, the fries kind of suck. 
I try to eat there when I'm in the area, Hell, one of my brothers even proposed to his now-wife in Moodys Diner. 
About blasphemy to recommend eating anywhere but Moody's if you're in the Waldoboro area, but not far from there on Rte 1 is Bullwinkes. Their BBQ pulled- pork seriously kicks ass. |
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cool photos, what's a maying party though? I can't seem to figure that out, even with teh google. Someone let me know when you figure it out. Quoted:
Yeah, and what are the cairns for? I saw a bunch of them on the way up Mt. Washington in NH. Cairns are pretty much a low-impact way to mark a trail, or sometimes a summit. They withstand the brutal elements of winter. The peak of Mt Washington in Presidential Range is about as brutal a place I've ever visited. Cairns info, wikipedia Cairns are really common on the AT and other trail systems in the mountains, I don't know, but I presume all over the world. |
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If I recall correctly, a maying party is an English term for a spring picnic (hence May + Party).
Here is a picture of a maying party from 1894: 
Here is an excerpt from a story about Lincoln... Years ago a lot of young folks, boys and girls, out in Illinois, got up a Maying party. They took their dinners and went down to a place where they had to cross the Sangamon river on an old scow. They got over all right and had a good picnic.
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You had the nicest day. I've never been up there, I'll have to check it out sometime.
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If I recall correctly, a maying party is an English term for a spring picnic (hence May + Party). Here is a picture of a maying party from 1894: http://www.vintagemaineimages.com/media/images/625/75/8969.JPG Here is an excerpt from a story about Lincoln... Years ago a lot of young folks, boys and girls, out in Illinois, got up a Maying party. They took their dinners and went down to a place where they had to cross the Sangamon river on an old scow. They got over all right and had a good picnic.
I saw that pic when I was trying to figure out the term. That one was over in Skowvegas as I refer to it. (skowhegan) |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
First location to catch the sunrise on the east coast I believe.......none the less many thanks for digging up some long lost but EXTREMELY pleasant memories!! Got to go home and dig up the pictures...and I do mean actual print type pictures lol. I remember to this day saying to my now wife how it would be cool to have one of those island camps one day...the hope still lives....it was revived today!! RG Actually, that goes to Washington County, ME, also known as Sunrise County. They first rays of the morning sun hit the USA somewhere between Eastport and Lubec (true Downeast Maine). Camden and Camden Hills State Park are quite a bit south down the coast.
Right. I love that area. Lubec and Easport are probably less than a mile from each other by sea. I think it's probably almost 30 miles by road. My understanding is that the two towns have long feuded over which is further East.  
My personal belief is that it depends on whether it's high or low- tide, but I've never heard anyone else make this claim. |
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You go up pretty high for down time, huh? 
Thanks for sharing. Who was taking pics? Yeah, I've been recovering from having all my wisdom teeth out Thursday. I'm kind of a baby
That's not me rappelling the cliff, just pics of others I took from the base. I am pretty active mountain climbing, hiking the AT, any mountain with a view, stuff like that. I'm always up for a challenge, but I've never learned how to do anything that technical. I would absolutely love to though. Maybe someday. Well, I admit I've gotten into some pretty hairy areas without trails on some backwoodsy mountains, but nothing like the folks in those pics are doing. I would want to do it with the proper gear/ training. eta- I'm sure they are, I meant myself. |
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Neat pics.
Have you tried Bald Mountain or Ragged Mountain? Both are just a couple miles south of Megunticook. Bald Mtn. is a quick 1/2 hour hike up, and Ragged Mountain a bit more like 45 mins up, as you have to walk around a lake on level ground from the parking lot for 15 mins or so before you get to the hike up. You could do both in less than 3 hrs. |
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Neat pics. Have you tried Bald Mountain or Ragged Mountain? Both are just a couple miles south of Megunticook. Bald Mtn. is a quick 1/2 hour hike up, and Ragged Mountain a bit more like 45 mins up, as you have to walk around a lake on level ground from the parking lot for 15 mins or so before you get to the hike up. You could do both in less than 3 hrs. Yes, both. I may or may not have done a little trailblazing of my own on Ragged years ago 
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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I climbed Maiden Cliff, Mount Megunticook, in Maine today. (pic heavy) back again, new pics 7-06-09 (Page 1 of 2)
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