Mount Katahdin and the summits in Baxter State Park. Mount Washington and the Presidential Range. Chick Hill and Little Chick Hill. When you think of great northern New England climbs, Chick Hill and its smaller sister, Little Chick Hill, may not top the list.

But these two summits near Bangor make a fine snowshoe trek or hike in other seasons. Hikers can achieve both summits in several hours on a weekend afternoon, take in panoramic views extending to the peaks on Mount Desert Island to the southeast and north to Mount Katahdin, a half-dozen lakes and the Penobscot River in between, and still be home in time for supper.

Getting there

The Chick hills are easy to find, but their names and the route to the trailhead are shrouded in mystery. Both summits lie about 25 miles from Bangor, north on Route 9 — the legendary Airline. One mystery lies in the naming of this often serpentine route extending from Brewer to Calais. Some say it owes its name to the subsonic speeds drivers reach on its lonelier stretches. Others believe the road guided pilots from Down East to Bangor in the days before sophisticated instruments. One frequent flier holds that its high elevations brush the clouds.

Then there’s the mystery surrounding the Chick hills. The maps label them as Peaked and Little Peaked mountains, with a Chick Hill lying to the north of both. Yet in and around Bangor the larger of the two is universally known as Chick Hill, with more than one veteran climber insisting that the U.S. Geological Survey has it wrong. Call it what you will, but it pays to humor DeLorme and the USGS if you are using their maps to find the trailhead.

From Bangor, the Airline meanders northeast along the Penobscot River as far as Eddington, when it turns east toward Calais. The drive to Chick Hill offers a variety of small pleasures. Note the Colony Motel, which advertises “Sleepy People Wanted” and an intriguing outdoor odds-and-ends store where 55-gallon steel drums have been transformed into a moose and several cows. This undulating route passes a small lumber mill, horse farms and picturesque lakes and streams.

Little Chick Hill and Chick Hill come dramatically into view at Parks Pond, just past Clifton and the intersection with Route 180. A distinct bluff rises beyond the pond, south of Route 9, while the Chick hills appear north of the road, about a mile from the Park Pond Campground. Fire Lane 31 leads from the north side of the Airline to the base of both hills.

The departure point for trails up the two hills begins at a parking lot just over a half-mile up this road.

Routes to the top

There are several attractive routes from the trailhead to the summits of both Chicks, but the south-facing palisades on both should be attempted only by experienced rock climbers. With several hiking trails leading upward, it is fairly easy to ascend by one route and return by another. Bushwhacking from the foot of Little Chick to Chick is straightforward so long as you remember to head east and up.

The harder the ascent gets, the more sure you can be that you are heading in the right direction. Finally, a gravel road leads from the parking lot to the summit of the bigger peak to provide access to the communications tower atop Chick Hill. Trails to both summits branch off this road, and it provides a safe return route if you are descending by moon- and starlight.

To fully savor these two small gems, plan on a three-hour excursion from the parking lot. In winter, an early afternoon departure will see you up Little Chick, and across to Chick with the opportunity to view a splendid sunset and the gradual subtle emergence of homestead lights below. Families with children may prefer a morning departure with a break for lunch on the summit of Chick. Bring a Maine highway map along with a compass to view points of interest that can be seen 70 or more miles from the top on a clear day.

One practical route is a zigzag beginning with a jaunt up Little Chick, a descent to the maintenance road, then another zag to the summit of Chick. From the parking lot follow the maintenance road past the second power pole. Take a trail leading through a small gully on your right. Soon you will notice small rock cairns (look for orange surveyor tape tied to the trees when snow covers the ground) guiding you along the way, although the trail itself is well defined. This trail passes through a lovely forest to the base of Little Chick, then presents a short, steep climb to the top.

Less often visited than the larger summit, the peak of Little Chick usually offers the solitary hiker a chance to reflect in silence on the seemingly endless forests of central Maine. In winter, an abstract scene presents itself as bare trees stand out against the snow.

Snowshoers wanting to push on to Chick Hill can travel cross country by descending the north side of Little Chick until the ground levels, then turning east for the climb up the next peak. Another option is to pick up the trail leading north from Little Chick until it joins the maintenance road, then travel uphill until that road levels off and the trail to Chick Hill begins on the right side. Although some 300 feet higher than Little Chick, the ascent is generally more gradual, with the communications tower providing an unmistakable guide.

Atop Chick Hill, climbers can enjoy vistas unparalleled in central Maine. Numerous ponds and lakes punctuate the foreground, while the peaks in Baxter Park and Mount Desert Island are readily seen on a clear day. Sociable climbers will find plenty of opportunity for conversation at the summit. One unusually warm December afternoon, I met with five members of the Dionne family (six if you count the dog, Georgie), mountain biker John Cangelosi and his dog Rollie, as well as experienced hikers Dick and Lorraine Tuck. It is hard to imagine a more wholesome way to spend an afternoon.

What to bring

Equipment and clothing needs for the ascent vary with the seasons. In heavy snow, good snowshoes, preferably with claws or crampons to grip the ice under the snow, are a must for safely managing the steep portions of both summits. It’s also a good idea to bring a pair of ski poles for stability.

Climbers may stuff their windbreaker into a pack while toiling up, but a good jacket and warm cap, along with a snack and thermos of hot chocolate, will make it easier to relax at the summit.

DeLorme’s Maine Atlas and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hopkins Pond topo map offer helpful guides. The Appalachian Mountain Club’s “Maine Mountain Guide,” seventh edition, while a little out of date in particulars, still is worth consulting.

When he’s not traipsing around the state asking lawmakers for money or encouraging Mainers to go to college, University of Maine System Chancellor Terry MacTaggart relaxes by scaling the state’s high points from towering Mount Katahdin to Little Chick Hill.