View Full Version : Old Railroad bed near Orbeton stream
I am getting ready to do saddleback to saddleback jr. and I am looking for access roads after sadleback jr. I know about perham stream railroad bed
and It is passible by auto but that is 1.5 - 2 miles up hill from Orbeton stream and I do not know if the land is rugged or not, besides after saddleback, the horn and saddleback jr I will Probably be worn out so im not looking forward to that 2 mile hike up hill and im wondering if the old railroad bed near oberton stream is accessable and how to find it if you have any information please reply. THANK YOU :)
neighbor dave
03-16-2006, 16:19
heard you can get perty far up thar wid a car. don't fergit poplar ridge while yer in thar!!
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=4980904&e=385816&s=50&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
neighbor dave
03-16-2006, 16:21
careful though, we wuz on caribou valley rd last weekend and it gits perty muddy when it warms up. this time of year you'll have yer hands full gittin' in thar ! gotta wait till after mud season i'd say!:welcome
RJK, when are you planning to hike Saddleback? I went up there April 1st one year and over to Sugarloaf. Might need snowshoes if you go that early...with cleats. We found snow 3-4 ft. deep after JR on the north slope of the ridges...where the AT runs. It may not be that deep right now but there is alot of ice most everywhere. Oberton stream road gets you within
a mile or so from the trail in season. MUD season is here and lasts ? This could be a problem depending on when you plan on to hike?
woodsy
neighbor dave
03-16-2006, 16:51
there's snow up thar, an iffin it's warm it's like hikin' in mashed taters. snowshoes will do you no good!! trust me i know from my experience last week!! i'm shur woodsy knows too!!
neighbor dave, we both know conditions can change rapidly up there. This morning them mashed taters where crusted over like glacier. Call it a mixed bag till May i say.
neighbor dave
03-16-2006, 17:55
neighbor dave, we both know conditions can change rapidly up there. This morning them mashed taters where crusted over like glacier. Call it a mixed bag till May i say.
10-4:sun
talk ta woodsy, he's knows!!!
I maintain a section on Saddleback above Piazza Rock. I have found it impassable in the spring due to high water and rotting snow. Some friends just went Saddleback to Caribou Road a month ago and with solid snow and ice the only real bad time they had was crossing Oberton Stream One of my maintainer friends tells me he gets very close to the trail on the Oberton road which is the old RR bed, However, this time of year don't even consider it. Wait til after mud season when the woods dry out. No Maine dirt road, especially wilderness roads is anything a sane person wants to drive over at this time of year.
Although, I did the hike southbound, the descent to Orbeton Stream from Perham Stream was about 700 feet. The trail was a pleasant stretch mostly paralleling Sluice Brook and gradual. Although you may be tired, I don't think you will find it too bad. Plus many places along the way you can dunk yourself or cool your tootsies if you choose to. When I crossed the railbed, it was too narrow for an auto to make it across the AT, I don't know how much further down in either direction you would have to go to get road access for a car.