East Sleeper (3,840 ft) 6-25-16

Distance: 13.4 mi.
Elevation: 2,580 ft (overall) 2,738 ft (total)
Time: 3:46 (East Sleeper) 7:10 (Total)
Trails: Downes Brook Trail, Kate Sleeper Trail, East Sleeper Spur

For today's hike, my plan was to head up to East Sleeper via the Downes Brook Trail and Kate Sleeper Trail. If I was still feeling good then, I'd head over to the Tripyramids and down Sabbaday Brook Trail. I knew this route would have plenty of brook crossings, so I had planed to wait until a time in the summer like now where the water levels would be low.

The trail starts off nice and gentle. It heads up one of many old logging routes in the white mountains. This keeps things pretty straight and without many major inclines or declines. As you get further up the trail, the route narrows down a bit, but stays easy to follow. The first crossing of the day would be considered the most difficult in my opinion. Today it was a simple hop over, but I can see where there wouldn't be many routes across as the water gets higher.

The first river crossing

The trail stayed nice until reaching the boundary of the Sandwich Range Wilderness. From here on up, the blow downs haven't been cleaned up as much. Wilderness rules regulate more strictly what trail maintenance can be done. All but two of the blow downs today were easy to step over. Two of thumb included a bit of climbing over or sitting on them and swinging your legs over. These could be a bit more troublesome to shorter hikers.

Entering Sandwich Range Wilderness

As you ascend, you keep crossing the river and working your way up through the valley on either side of the brook. There really isn't much of difficulty though here, it's just long with many crossings. Higher up, the trail does get a bit steeper and stays on the side hill more than flat ground down near the water. Getting closer to the ridge, I caught up with another group of hikers and ended up keeping a similar pace.

Crossing #6

The Kate Sleeper Trail has a small incline for a large section of it before finally getting a bit steeper shortly before East Sleeper. The trail goes through just a small section of trees that were blown down during Hurricane Sandy. Even though it only touches a small part of the blow downs, the work done through here is still impressive to open the trail back up. Especially when you realize it was done with hand saws. Going through the steeper sections of this trail is where I was starting to feel tired today. Being a larger hiker, when it's hot and there isn't a wind to cool things down, I sweat even more and can get tired more quickly.

Blow down patch

The spur trail to East Sleeper isn't marked with a sign for it, but there is one on the Kate Sleeper Trail for when you come back down it. This sign makes the intersection easier to spot. The spur trail is short and mostly flat out to the summit. Today it was a busy place with 7 other hikers from 2 separate groups. There were a lot of people out hiking for their New England Hundred Highest lists.

East Sleeper

Other hikers at the summit

While I felt fine after a rest at the summit, I decided to head back out the way I came in. I figured I could do the Tripyarmids as well today, but they weren't my primary goal and I think I would have been dragging butt on some of the climbs up to the peaks given how warm it was. I took a casual pace back down the trail enjoying the brook some more and even found old artifacts from a logging camp the trail passes through. I used my Sawyer Mini filter for the first time to filter some water and was happy with how easy it is to use. It was a nice hike back out to the car, but it is a long one and started to go by a bit slow at the end.

Shovel and bucket

Easy to step over blow downs

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Google Earth representation of the hike

Snow Mountain - Cupsuptic (3,784 ft) 6-11-16

Distance: 3.91 mi.
Elevation: 1,055 ft (overall) 1,101 ft (total)
Time: 1:17 (Snow Mtn) 2:10 (Total)
Trails: Logging roads, herd path

Just before getting back to the vehicle while hiking White Cap and N. Kennebago, it started to rain. So I quickly got in the vehicle at the end of the hike and slowly drove the logging roads to Snow Mountain. On the way I was thinking it wasn't raining too hard and I could just throw on my rain jacket and pack cover. When I got to Snow Mountain though, I found out I left those in the tent (an hour away) instead of in the back seat. So I sat and listened to the radio for about 30 minutes while having a snack and drinking water. It rained lightly off and on while I hoped for a weather forecast on the radio. Yesterday afternoon they were predicting temps near 70 with some clouds, but it was currently 55 with scattered showers. Eventually I decided to just start the hike. If it started to rain again while I was on the logging roads/paths I'd probably turn around, otherwise I'd go for the summit and just get wet.

Heading out from the parking area, continue on the road through a grassy and wet/muddy section. After about 1/3 of a mile, you'll come to an intersection. There is a small cairn on the left here, and you'll want to take the left turn. Continue up this road until you reach the next intersection. You'll want to go straight here. On the other side of the intersection is another small cairn and a wooden arrow on the ground indicating the direction you want to go. A little further up, the road you are on turns toward the left. There is another small cairn here on the left to help navigation. But to be honest, your only real other option is too head up a skidder path on your right into a logged off section. Just after this, you'll come to the flat dirt landing that many other trip reports mention. The grass and plants are starting to grow better here, so it isn't just a flat dirt area. It's pretty apparent though that you are where you want to be.

The road leaving where you park

Left onto this first road at about 1/3 mile

Wooden arrow and cairn where you go straight

You'll want to head to the back right (as you enter) corner of this clearing. There is an easy to see skidder path leaving here. I didn't find any cairns as some other reports had mentioned. I walked in this path for around 100 feet looking for an indication of the start of the herd path. Other trip reports mentioned one about 50 feet in. I couldn't find anything myself, but it might have been hidden by the vegetation growing. I went back to about 20 feet from the clearing and started up what appeared to be a faint herd path. This stuck mostly to the ruts on the left side of the logged off area. I figured if nothing else, I could get to the top of the logged area this way, then walk across it until I found the herd path.

Along my way up the logged area, I did see one possible marker that this was the herd path. There were some sticks placed perpendicular to each other on a stump. It didn't seem likely they would have just happened to end up that way. Just before the top of the cut, the path became more clear. Very soon, it lead to the small cairn at the top of the cut and the herd path into the trees. This entrance into the trees was on the left side just like the path I followed up. So if you can't find the path through the cut, just stay near the left edge and you should be able to find the herd path at the top.

Herd path leaving the logging cut

From here up it was pretty easy to follow the herd path. Somewhat open woods with defined path on the ground. There wasn't much to step over and only one blow down to go around. Where the path goes through the ferns, you could still make it out without much effort. If the ferns were taller, maybe it would be tricky. These patches of ferns weren't overly big though, so you should still be able to keep on track pretty easily. The contour of the mountain seems to level out a bit near the top, so you end up going a bit further than you might initially think as you look up through the trees. Eventually you will come to a small opening though with a couple blow downs on the back side and a canister attached to a tree just behind them.

Much of the herd path looks like this

Snow Mountain (Cupsuptic)

Knowing the route now, the hike back down went quick and easy. It briefly rained a bit on the ascent, but even with that and the showers early, the path wasn't slippery or muddy. I could see it getting that way after heavier rain though. Once back down on the logging roads/paths, I was thinking it could be a good time to see some wildlife. No sticks on the ground to make noise and no branches to push through either. And since I was alone, no one talking. Sure enough, I soon saw a deer off to my right. She watched me stop, set down my pack, and get out my camera. But as soon as I wanted to take a picture of her, she started to walk off. Doesn't it just figure. The final distance to the car went quick and easy and I was able to stay out of mud better near the vehicle. On the drive back to the paved roads, I even saw a moose. She ran off as soon as she saw me though, so no picture of her at all.

The one view while descending

Herd path while descending

At the top of the logged area looking down

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Google Earth representation of the hike

White Cap Mountain (3,856 ft) & N. Kennebago Divide (3,775 ft) 6-11-16

Distance: 5.44 mi.
Elevation: 1,099 ft (overall) 1,743 ft (total)
Time: 1:08 (White Cap) 2:26 (N. Kennebago) 3:13 (Total)
Trails: Logging roads, access routes, herd path

Due to weather issues and poor planning on my last trip to the area to hike NEHH peaks, I had to come back to hike these peaks along with Snow Mtn, Cupsuptic as well. Getting to these peaks requires a bit of research as neither of them are on regular roads. You have to some lesser used dirt roads that are mostly there for logging purposes. It ended up being about an hour of driving dirt roads just to get to the trail head. Once on the proper logging road, you just have to avoid the rocks and potholes until you can't drive up it any further. This road ends at a small landing with plenty of parking (you won't likely see anyone else anyways) where the route becomes blocked by logging slash and just becomes a skidder path.

To start the hike, head up into the logged off area following the road covered in slash. Maybe 200 feet up the road, you'll see a narrow grassy path (about the width of an ATV) head off to the right. You'll want to go up that. It goes into the trees a bit and stays narrow for a while. Mostly if follows just to the side of the logging cut. As it starts to get away from the cut, the route widens and starts to have much more vegetation in the open spots. The head path was still easy to follow today, but might be harder when the ferns and other things grow up higher.

The path just after leaving the slash

At around 3200 feet, you'll pass a small cairn and a herd path heading to your left. This is one start for the hike to North Kennebago and I marked it in my GPS for reference. Going to White Cap first, I continued up the path I was on. Soon, the herd path went left a bit and seemingly into the trees, while the open area stayed straight. I stayed in the open area briefly, but soon went left to get back on the herd path. The open area actually ends straight ahead, while the herd path moves over to get into the new opening. This opening is narrower, but still very easy to follow.

A bit more open higher up

As you get to the height of land, there is another cairn, and the path splits. You'll want to stay right at the split and on the more open of the two routes. This route again gets narrow, about the width of an ATV again. Steadily climbing, this path soon became quite wet, with water running down it. I stayed out of the deeper spots, but with waterproof boots, didn't waste much effort to avoid all the water. This only lasted for a little while anyways. At times, this route was also a bit narrow with branches on both sides getting long enough to brush your arms some.

Cairn at the height of land

The path after turning right

You'll come to another cairn on this path. It's right in the open and easy to see. Just starting into the trees on the left is the blow down with the small cairn that marks the start of the herd path. This intersection should be easy to find, since if you stay on the "open" path, it immediately becomes much more grown in. Pushing into the trees now, the herd path is still pretty easy to find. As you get in a little further, it becomes more apparent. It was easy to follow this all the way to the summit. There wasn't much to step over and it only got scrappy just before the summit, but even some of that has been cut a bit in the past. The summit is obvious with the canister on your right and an opening with no other paths leaving it.

Cairn at the herd path

Cairn on the blow down at the start of the herd path

Easy to follow herd path

White Cap Mountain

After a brief break here, I headed back down the route I came up until I was at the height of land. Some trips reports mention just heading into the trees here, heading towards North Kennebago until they stumble onto the herd path. I looked at the trees and they still seemed a bit thick. I didn't explore the herd path that turns left here, and I probably should have. Knowing there was another herd path back down the mountain a bit, I decided to use that one in hopes it would be easier to follow. I headed back down until I got to the cairn, then turned onto the path.

Start of the herd path at 3200 feet

It was easy to follow at the start, then it soon turned up the hill. I followed the path up onto the height of land again. Since this route went almost straight back up, it might have been easier to push through trees rather than descend just to come back up so close to where I was. I kept following a path, and it was going well. It was a bit narrow, but you could follow it. I even found a cairn along it. I looked at my GPS here though, and saw I wasn't heading in the right direction. I was going more in the direction of White Cap than N. Kennebago and it appeared I might soon be headed downhill. Perhaps this was the other path at the height of land.

Cairn on the WRONG herd path

From here, I got out the compass and headed in the direction of N. Kennebago. If I wasn't on the right path, this route would hopefully get me there, or at least send me in the direction I would need to find the summit eventually. After picking my way around and through trees a bit, I came to what looked like a herd path. It wasn't super well defined, but it definitely showed wear and tear. I checked it out, and it was headed the direction I wanted. I followed it a bit more, and it was clear that this was the path I needed. This herd path is much less defined than the one heading to White Cap and it's much tighter through the trees. You'll be pushing through branches much of the way, but with a little effort, you can follow it all the way to the summit.

The correct herd path to the summit

North Kennebago Divide

After another short break on the summit, I headed back down. Staying on the same path, I was making pretty good time. When I got to where I got onto the path I paid attention to see where it headed, and it aimed a bit to the right from where I bushwhacked from. I followed it for a while, but soon it kind of petered out. Knowing where the path was lower, I just picked an easy route heading in that direction. It's open enough right here that people might use different routes which makes it less defined. I was soon on the lower section of path, and headed out back to the vehicle. It was smooth sailing from here, except for the light rain as I neared the last quarter mile to the vehicle.

With the issues I had route finding at the height of land between the peaks, I'd be tempted to hike N. Kennebago first if/when I go back. This would get the harder peak done first. As I neared the height of land on the descent, I'd probably just try to bushwhack over towards the open route for White Cap. I might go a bit to the right though while following the height of land just to help ensure I come out somewhere on the open part of the path near or a bit below the cairn.

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Google Earth representation of the hike

Northeast Cannon Ball (3,769 ft) 5-28-16

Distance: 9.40 mi.
Elevation: 1,909 ft (overall) 3,152 ft (total)
Time: 2:48 (NE Cannon Ball) 7:13 (Total)
Trails: Lonesome Lake Trail, Kinsman Ridge Trail, Fishin' Jimmy Trail, Lonesome Lake Trail

With the forecast being for hazy skies and possible rain showers, it was a good day to grab another NEHH peak that wouldn't have much for views. Unfortunately, the forecast was also for hot temperatures and higher humidity. This made the hike go a bit slower than normal with more and longer stops. Also, plenty of fluids to carry in my pack while traversing the ridge.

The hike from the parking lot to Lonesome Lake isn't all that bad normally, but today it was a bit uncomfortable. You could just tell the humidity was high this morning and I was sweating significantly early on. The trail itself is somewhat gradual with a long switchback built into it. A bit rocky in places due to the traffic it sees, but leveling off nicely before the lake. Only a few others were out this early with a couple just going up to the lake and then back down. Getting to the lake, it appears that materials have been dropped off for some new bog bridges.

Supplies at the lake

View at the lake with overcast skies

Continuing around the lake, the trail is mostly on bog bridges. These ones are still good, so they aren't likely the ones being replaced. As the trail leaves the lake though, that is when you find the bog bridges I expect are going to be replaced. Many of them in this section are getting pretty bad. As you get further from the lake though, the trail gets steeper and you lose the bog bridges all together. However, it gets pretty rocky and stays kind of steep for a while. Today there was also water in many places and damp rocks from the morning and the humidity. The trail does level out some again shortly before its end at the Kinsman Ridge Trail

A bit steep and rocky

Heading south on the Kinsman Ridge Trail (KRT), you head steeply up the NE Cannon Ball. It stays like this most of the way up, helping you gain elevation quickly. Once up near the summit, the trail levels out. I walked back and forth here a bit while looking at my GPS to help me decide which rock or opening was the actual high point. I didn't notice any cairns and didn't expect there to be a sign. With limited views over the trees and hazy skies in all direction, I didn't spend much time here. I changed into a dry shirt, had a snack, and took a few pictures.

View from the summit

Heading south along the KRT goes pretty well for a while. It isn't as steep as coming up the NE Cannon Ball and appears to see less traffic, so it isn't as worn. There are a few wooden steps/ladders in a couple steep spots to help out as well. Since you go behind the second Cannon Ball, the trail is a pretty steady decline over some rocky patches and some wet patches. I took a short break at a nice spot that had a bit of an opening to the north.

Limited view from the trail

Eventually you hit a small brook crossing and the start of the steep climb up the third Cannon Ball. This starts off rocky, but gets better as you get higher. The map makes it look like you might not go all the way up and over the summit here, but it seems in reality that you do. I was hoping for a bit less gain here, but didn't get it. After the high point, the trail has a couple more ups and down with the ups being a bit longer as you work your way up to the next intersection. Once there, it's mostly downhill back to the parking lot.

Climbing the 3rd Cannon Ball

Of course this means going down the Fishin' Jimmy Trial, which many consider rough and difficult. If nothing else, a little less enjoyable than most trails. The trail is steep and rocky for the first half as you descend. There has been some nice stone work since I was last here and the existing wooden steps added to the smooth rocks help. I didn't find it too bad going down today, but heard from another going up that he fell multiple times on the slick rocks. The second half of the trail is much smoother and more gradual. It does have some short climbs up though before you reach the lake. Today, this was the section that I seemed the slowest on. I think I was just getting too hot coming back down into the lower elevations and not drinking quite enough fluid.

Wooden steps on the Fishin' Jimmy Trail

I stopped at the hut to have some nice cold water and take a break. I also filled my bottles in case my water bladder ran out on the descent. Any extra could also be used to wash off at the car or just dump over my head to refresh myself. Heading from the hut to the car went pretty quick, even though there was much more traffic now than this morning. I've done this descent a few times and it's easy to carry a bit faster pace after resting at the hut. It also seemed to go quicker as I caught up to a few people that were good to talk too as we all headed down.

View from the porch on the hut

In the end, the hike went well considering the hot temps. I've bonked hard in similar weather before near the end of the hike, but today I kept a more casual pace with more breaks and drank plenty of water. In the end, I probably drank about 4.5-5 quarts of water while hiking and stopped at the hut.

For all the pictures from the hike, just go HERE

Map of the hike