Blue Blazing Jo-Mary Road in 100 Mile Wilderness

[dessertrat]

I plan on doing this 100 miles next week, but may be a bit pressed for time to get back to work at the end of the trip. Does anyone know if Jo-Mary road saves time? I am thinking of where it goes past Wadleigh Pond, bypassing the Nahmakanta lake area. It looks shorter on the map. Hope I don't offend any purists. . . has anyone done this?

[Kirby]

Are you hoping to start or end there? The road is quite well maintained for a logging road, so you will have little trouble getting onto it. Just clarify where you would like to start and end, with that information people on this site will be able to better serve your needs. The more specific the better.

Cheers,
Kirby

[Just a Hiker]

Hey there Dessertrat,

I am not 100% sure what you are trying to do, but you will definately cross Jo-Mary Road; however, hitching a ride to Rt. 11 may take awhile unless you make prior arrangements. You can hike it, but it's a long walk to the road. You may want to contact a couple of the local shuttlers if you want to end your hike at Jo-Mary Road. Have a good hike!

Just Jim

[Lone Wolf]

he's talkin about walkin the roads past nahmakanta lake to re-join the trail

[Just a Hiker]

he's talkin about walkin the roads past nahmakanta lake to re-join the trail

I understand now, but according to NICKTHEGREEK, E-6's and below must be dumbazzes anyway.

Just Jim

[weary]

I plan on doing this 100 miles next week, but may be a bit pressed for time to get back to work at the end of the trip. Does anyone know if Jo-Mary road saves time? I am thinking of where it goes past Wadleigh Pond, bypassing the Nahmakanta lake area. It looks shorter on the map. Hope I don't offend any purists. . . has anyone done this?

Entering or leaving the wilderness via the Jo Mary Camp ground road cuts off half the so called wilderness. Following the maze of roads that intersect the trail in the wilderness, rather than the AT will certainly shorten the 100 miles.

But be forewarned. These are private logging roads, mostly without any signage useful for finding destinations. They are also dusty and unscenic, mostly, and maintained only when a logging operation happens to be underway. Think of them as a maze of roads with few, if any, signs.

My advice would be to find roads that access the trail that allow you to hike a convenient distance. If these make it impossible for you to do the entire wilderness, then chalk that up as a benefit that will entice you back some later year.

Logging roads in Maine are designed strictly for wood crews. They rarely provide pleasant hiking experiences, or easy to find shortcuts.

Weary

[Appalachian Tater]

Sounds like he just wants to take one section that intersects the A.T. twice to cut off that section of A.T. to save time and distance. Sounds like a good idea, if it's shorter on the map. Likely it's a lot easier (flatter, straighter, more even surface) than the trail, so you could go twice as fast.

You're only a blue-blazer in the pejorative sense if you pretend not to be.

[emerald]

I don't have the newest gazetteer or guide book. Compare the distances. If they're at all close, the road should be faster.

I'd rather get up earlier and/or hike later to see the A.T. route. It might be safer and a long time before you'd get back there again too.

For what it's worth, the A.T. did go near Wadleigh Pond at one time and there was a lean-to there by that name.

[Twofiddy]

has anyone done this?

The guy that you need to speak to about this is BUSH PILOT.

Before there was an AT Trail through the hundred mile wilderness, there was a route that followed many of the roads. When he hikes, he still hikes some of the roadways because it is easier walking he says. Personally I think that it is just a trip down memory lane (or log road) for him, but I bet that he could answer your questions. In 2004 I spent 2 weeks up there and he advised me on several different routes to take near Gulf Hagas and other areas. We did mostly single night outings out of the Jeep to cover miles and see some scenery.

One the for sure, if you hike on an active road stay the hell off to the side. I dont think those roads are real state highways, rather private roads, because the log trucks that take the logs out on those roads would not pass a DOT inspection on there best day after $5000 worth of work, and by a normal persons standard, THEY DRIVE LIKE MANIACS. One place were we parked to hike from, when we came back the next day, my green jeep was now totally brown in color, from the dust and splash off the trucks.

I'd get a hold of BUSH PILOT though, he knows the old roads up there very well. If he is not use, try SHAW JR, since he lived there and did alot of shuttling, he should know to.

Twofiddy