Visit to Acadia provides ample early hiking test

Sundays have been falling into a good weather pattern of late – OK, so the last two have been real swell.

While this past one wasn’t a great one for getting out on the water, it proved to be an ideal one to take a walk in the park – Acadia National Park. Forecasts called for cold weather but what we got wasn’t that bad. Temperatures reached into the 40s at times Sunday and, depending whether you were in or out of the wind, it was quite pleasant.

I tagged along on an early departure from Bangor with Karen Francoeur and her son Ryan, who was hooking up with other youths affiliated with Dirigo Search and Rescue at Blackwoods Campground. The group was going to be practicing rescue techniques in the park, and Ryan had to meet the gang at 8 a.m.

We made the rendezvous, dropped him off and headed out to explore some seaside elevation ourselves. Three deer popped out of the woods to bid us good day as we left the campground.

A moderate loop hike was in order, and we decided on one that included Gorham Mountain, the Beehive, Sand Beach and the shore path back to the trailhead. Our plan was flexible, dependent on the trail conditions. There was still a good coat of snow on much of the landscape, so ice was a strong possibility. Neither of us had foot gear to deal with ice, but we had plenty of warm clothing, thanks to predictions of cold, blustery weather.

After throwing on an extra layer to ward off the expected cold, I entered a waypoint into my GPS receiver just for fun, and headed up the trail. In the shade, the ground was covered by three or so inches of snow, and where it had melted from the day before there was ice, but as long as we paid attention to where we put our feet it was OK.

The snow cover at the base of Cadillac Cliffs made the going a bit slippery. Melting snow and ice festooned sections of the rock face with white beards, while the cave at the base was decorated with ice chandeliers. After this section the trail climbs steeply to yet another vista of Frenchman Bay. It was a good place to shed a layer or two. Turns out it wasn’t as cold as advertised.

It’s only a short way to the open granite shoulder of Gorham Mountain, where we were buffeted by gusts of wind out of the north. A couple headed our way reported the trail ahead was fine – snow-covered, but not bad as long as you skipped over the ice. They’d come up from Sand Beach. We shot a couple of pictures atop the 522-foot hill and headed toward the Beehive.

At the trail junction for the Bowl trail we opted for a detour. I’d never been there. Turns out it’s a beautiful little pond nestled between Champlain Mountain and the Beehive.

The snow here was several inches deep. Consequently, walking on the log bridges that ring the southeast shore gained a new perspective. Winds out of the north were strongest as we reached the top of the Beehive, but the snow cover gradually disappeared as we approached the southeast face.

Thank goodness! The trail goes down the vertical face! I don’t know where I’ve been all these years, but it wasn’t going up or down this trail. As I approached the edge and looked down, I got a queasy twinge wondering just where the trail went and how I was going to get my out-of-shape and overburdened body out of this scrape. Francoeur kidded me about being afraid of heights.

Actually, it wasn’t the height so much as the wonder of not knowing how many times I’d bounce before coming to rest in a big pile of skin and bones at the base. Wearing a pack and fleece gloves did nothing for my confidence as I gingerly backed down the first set of iron rungs. Why wasn’t I going UP this section, I asked myself? (After landing back at my desk on Monday I looked up trail information on the Beehive on my Maptech program and I quote: “Switchbacks carry you to the iron ladders, which allow you to get over the steep ledges to the summit of Beehive. The summit rewards you with views of Frenchman Bay, Sand Beach and Otter Cliffs. To descend Beehive, continue down the northwest slope. At about .2 miles you will come to the junction with Bowl trail – go left to return to Park Loop Road.” Just what I thought, it IS better to go UP this trail than DOWN!)

There were numerous iron pins, narrow ledges and such to negotiate. When I was finally able to get my feet on horizontal ground and look back up I was a happier camper. It wasn’t a monster, but for me it was a good first-of-season confidence-builder. (And by Thursday my legs felt mostly back to normal.)

From the base of the Beehive it’s only a hop, skip and jump to the Loop Road and Sand Beach. We picked a spot near the bottom of the stairs on the beach and sat on the sand in the sun to eat lunch. It was sheltered from the wind and most pleasant. A small surf stirred the sand at water’s edge. Aside from half a dozen others who came and went, we had the place to ourselves.

My knees protested when I finally decided to get up and finish the loop along the shore path. We walked a bit on the path and a bit on the rocks back to Thunder Hole. The tide was low enough and the swells just big enough to provide some good grumbling and thundering. Out on the water the eider ducks were rafting, the white of the males standing out brilliantly.

Back at the trailhead, the parking lot now had six or more cars in it where we’d been the only ones there earlier.

To get there: Drive about five miles south of Bar Harbor on Route 3 and take a left on the Otter Cliff Road. Follow it about three more miles to the parking area at the Fabbri picnic area and park. Walk toward the ocean and turn left on the Park Loop Road (the shore path is on the ocean side) and walk north to the second parking area on the left. Or if you want a short and easy hike to the Bowl, drive the loop road to the Sand Beach parking area and walk across the Loop Road to the trailhead. If you’re up for a higher energy hike, take in the Beehive. I’d suggest going up the face and down the backside.

Guides for paddlers

Here’s a couple of quick items for those of you who read other publications:

First, “Canoe and Kayak Magazine’s” May issue has an essay on “Being One with the River” on the last page where the Take Out column is published. It’s by Scott Anchors of Orono who’s executive assistant to the president at the University of Maine. But he’s better known as a whitewater and sea kayak paddler, vice president of the Maine Association of Sea Guides and Instructors, and friend and fellow guide with Castine Kayak Adventures owned by Francoeur of Orono.

This essay is a quick read, but it will explain to those of you who do not paddle why some of us do. I don’t test my luck on the West Branch of the Penobscot River (ask me about fishing there sometime), at least in a kayak, but after reading this I know why Anchors does.

The other read is slightly longer. Gil Gilpatrick of Skowhegan, a man known by many in the paddling community as Mr. Canoe or Mr. Allagash or both, has written another book for outdoor enthusiasts. As a Registered Maine Guide of 40 years he has spent some 30 years guiding parties on the Allagash River. He has also found time to write several books (“Allagash,” “Building Outdoor Gear,” “Building a Strip Canoe” and “Building Snowshoes” and “Snowshoe Furniture.)”

His latest is titled “The Allagash Guide: what you need to know to canoe this famous waterway.” Get your hands on this if you’re planning any multi-day canoe trip. It’s a great reference, complete with all the advice and reference material you’ll need.

If you plan to paddle the Allagash River, it’s a one-stop guide written by one of the best in the area. Gilpatrick tells you what equipment to take, what food and how to pack and prepare it, how to get there, car shuffling, some history – you ask the question, Gilpatrick likely has the answer or where to find it in this handy little 88-page book. The Library of Congress Number is 20022090763. You can purchase a copy for $11.95 and $2 shipping and handling by writing to Gil Gilpartick, P.O. Box 461 BD, Skowhegan 04976, or give him a call at 453-6959.

Boat show Saturday, Sunday

One last reminder: Don’t forget to check out the 17th Bangor Boating and Marine Exposition at Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center this weekend. It runs from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. If you’re in the market for a new boat, here’s your chance to see what the local dealers are offering for water sports this season.

Jeff Strout’s column is published on Saturdays. He can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail at jstrout@bangordailynews.net.