In the busy holiday season, nobody wanted to join my mountain hike with the Penobscot Paddle & Chowder Society in early December. But my wife Nancy and I weren’t discouraged.
We picked Bald Mountain near Weld, thinking the rain would wash away any ice on the ledges. The morning was cool, sunny, and breezy when we arrived at the trailhead. We prepared for gusty winds higher up.
But there was an unexpected problem near the trailhead – Wilson Stream was almost overflowing. Waders were needed, but we didn’t have them. We were dressed up but couldn’t climb Bald Mountain. Tumbledown and Little Jackson mountains were close, but I’d hiked them recently. I thought of Mount Blue, a peak I hadn’t climbed in decades.
On the map, Mount Blue seemed close, but the drive was trickier than expected. After passing Mount Blue State Park Headquarters, the signs were confusing. We found the narrow dirt Mount Blue Road after a wrong turn and rough sections.
A sign at the kiosk said it was 1.6 miles to Mount Blue’s summit. Although there was no ice or snow, we added microspikes to our packs. From the trailhead, we hiked uphill on a rocky path through a mixed forest.
We passed the collapsed remains of an old fire warden’s cabin after about half a mile. The steep path continued for another half mile to an open area with a partial view of Mount Blue’s summit cone, over six-tenths of a mile away.
The trail then went right into a dense conifer forest, with unexpected patches of ice. As we progressed, the path narrowed and steepened, with sporadic ice becoming a continuous carpet on the boulder-strewn route.
Nancy and I stopped to discuss our options, thinking the summit was close. We added microspikes and met two hikers descending, implying we were nearing the top. However, at our slow pace, we weren’t close.
The steep gradient continued for another half mile to an open area with a partial view of Mount Blue’s summit cone, again over six-tenths of a mile away. The trail then went right into a dense conifer forest, with patches of ice.
As we progressed, the path narrowed and steepened, with sporadic ice becoming a continuous carpet on the boulder-strewn route. We stopped to discuss our options, added microspikes, and persisted.
After a distance, we met two hikers descending with difficulty, suggesting we were nearing the top. However, at our slow pace, we weren’t close. Emerging into a clearing with the sun shining on a new tower, we reached the summit.
On our last visit, the old fire tower was dilapidated. The new structure is much better. Winds were gusting, so we quickly donned our parkas and found a sheltered spot to relax and have snacks. We skipped the observation deck but had superb views from our lunch spot atop Mount Blue.
