Maine Winter AT Adventure

[LoneStranger]

Hooked up with my buddy Whispers for three days of epic snow stomping in the Mahoosucs. Good thing I brought a partner because we were breaking trail in deep powder the entire two days it took us to get to the top of West Baldpate. Not sure I'd have made it alone. Didn't shoot a lot of video, but this should give you a little look into what winter backpacking looks like up here.

[Wolf - 23000]

Very Cool. Can you share what kind of camera you used? When I did my sole January winter hike of Maine in 2005, my cell phone was dead in less than 20 minutes. I just left it behind for the duration of the trip. I was able to take some still photos with the camera I had but no videos.

It does not look like as much snow on the trees, from what I remember. I called it my snow shower as I would push through large patches of snow in the trees. The snow would fall covering me. I also remember that stretch was very difficult to navigate. It is different when everything is not covered in the white stuff - following white blazes in the snow is a challenge.

Wolf

[LoneStranger]

I'm still using an older GoPro7 Black. You have to keep electronics and batteries warm. If things get cold and stop working you can usually warm them up and they will work again. Batteries that seem dead will come back to life once the electrons can flow again ;) I was hiking with the camera in a thigh pocket so it was plenty warm because that climb was a beast!

This was a medium amount of snow for Western Maine. Enough that our faces were in the trees in many spots, but not so much that the trees on the summit disappear. I have been up there some years when just the tips of a few trees are sticking out. No place to hide from the wind then. We knocked the snow off the trees with our poles because there were big lumps you didn't want landing on your head.

[Wolf - 23000]

Thank you for the information. I was not sure how a GoPro would handle it - I did my winter adventure before they were created. Yea, I know about batteries needing to keep them warm but did have good success with Energizer lithium batteries. I used a Sony camera with 3.1 pixels that used AA batteries. It did really well for itself once I put the Energizer batteries inside. Even in the brutal cold, it kept going the entire month I was out there - only having to replace the batteries once. I know you need to keep them close to your body when hiking or place them in the sleeping bag with you. Well, there is only so many things you can keep next to your body or in your sleeping bag, normal it was water or some snacks that had priority.

lol. I know all about the lumps of snow coming down on your head. If you are trying to make any kind of distance in a reasonable time, you just push through with it. It like hiking in the rain. My snow showers. At first you try not to get your feet all wet, then you just don't even bother trying to stay dry. By the end of the day, I was beat. Good times.

Wolf

[peakbagger]

It has been a weird winter up north for the last few seasons. Only one or two super cols stretches that did not last long. I live just west of there and we didnt get a lot of snow early in the season to develop a snow pack. One big storm but a lot of warm weather until a couple of weeks ago so the snow pack finally built up in the woods but no where near the "good old days". I was out in shirt sleeves a few days in Randolph NH just north of the Northern presidentials two and half weeks ago. It has gone back to winter recently but long days with sun are definitely creating spring snow conditions. We are supposed to get another storm on Tuesday to freshen things up.

The warm up of the gulf of Maine has shifted the snow belt in the area over the long term. The heavy snow band has shifted east from the whites over to the Western Maine stretch of the AT, it happens frequently these days where the big snow totals are in the Andover/Rumford are compared to the Whites although Conway usually gets bit extra.

As for winter camping, I have the skills and the gear but lack the motivation these days.

[trekkinghigher]

Thanks for sharing!! The snowshoeing has been great this winter, but a ton of work. I'm not looking forward to the monorails this spring ;)

[LoneStranger]

Thanks for sharing!! The snowshoeing has been great this winter, but a ton of work. I'm not looking forward to the monorails this spring ;)

I've seen Grafton Notch with much deeper snow by several feet, but this was a lot of powder. Usually, even if unbroken, it settles and sinters into something more solid. It was really hard to dig in and get traction because the powder was so loose under the crust.

My plans have me on the NH AT in very early June and I'd already assumed I'd be carrying my spikes for the first two weeks. After this latest dump I am wondering if I'll need to bring snowshoes :p

[k2basecamp]

I have a cabin on the GLT, and do the trail annually let me know if you want some campany��

[LoneStranger]

I have a cabin on the GLT, and do the trail annually let me know if you want some campany��

I try to do at least half a loop every year, but I have so many trails I want to hit every year now that it is getting hard to keep up. Might try to squeeze in some time there in May to get tuned up for the June/July hike if the snow melts, but I have to clear my Cohos Trail sections that month too. If you hike slow maybe we could get together up there though :) I will keep you in mind when making plans.

You are a very lucky person to have a cabin in that area. Not sure I would ever leave if I had one!

[LazyLightning]

^I thought I recognized you in that video from some of your Cohos videos. You were the one that had a moose chase you down the street (I believe now the old route)?
I can't wait to get up and do the Cohos Trail, I was really happy to read about the new reroute cause I was kind of hoping for that before I got to it. The trail seems to keep improving just hopefully doesn't get ruined my ignorant hikers not following the rules as I know that is a big concern there. Sorry went off topic, cool videos, I'm jealous.

[LoneStranger]

^I thought I recognized you in that video from some of your Cohos videos. You were the one that had a moose chase you down the street (I believe now the old route)?
I can't wait to get up and do the Cohos Trail, I was really happy to read about the new reroute cause I was kind of hoping for that before I got to it. The trail seems to keep improving just hopefully doesn't get ruined my ignorant hikers not following the rules as I know that is a big concern there. Sorry went off topic, cool videos, I'm jealous.

I only have that beard in the Winter, same with the giant winter pack, so I don't look the same as the rest of the year. Yes, that was me being chased by the angry moose. I wish I had video or pics from that. Thought I had the camera running before the chase started, but turned out not. Then when I turned the camera on and it came out onto the road behind me I moved so fast he was just a blur in a couple of frames. I could only hear him before that, crashing through the brush and trees near the road. Was already nervous but when I actually saw him I got really excited heh. He was a big boy!! Thankfully he just sneered at me and let me live to tell the tale :)

That new section of trail is indeed a much easier and nicer hike between L Francis and Coleman, but misses out on Rudy's and Grandview. Both routes are considered as being official in terms of a thru hike, but blazing is no longer maintained on the old route.

Had to test out the new route so hiked it both ways last Fall. It still has some road walk on the Deadwater loop, but they are trying to negotiate another trail section to get rid of that too. This is what it looks like so far...

[Sarcasm the elf]

Thanks for posting! This is one of the first years in memory when I didn't get a chance to go on a winter trip, so I appreciate you helping me hike vicariously.