March 20 2011
A little known and seldom visited mountain in Western Maine, turns out to be one of my all time favorites. Until five years ago, there wasn’t even a trail to the summit. Sunday River Whitecap is a mountain, just South of Grafton Notch on the West side of route 26.
I had heard about people bushwhacking to the summit at least twenty years ago. It has been on my “most wanted” list since then. It wasn’t until five years ago that I stood on it’s summit and enjoyed the awesome views. At 3,400 feet, it’s not a big mountain but it’s extensive area above treeline, the effort it requires to get there and the panoramic views, give that feel.
The Grafton Loop trail came into existence due to the incredible efforts of a group of people in the Bethel, Maine area. The Grafton Loop Trail Coalition is a consortium of several organizations and many individuals who’s efforts created a 38 mile loop trail that begins and ends on the Appalachian Trail. One end on Old Speck, the other on East Baldpate. To Get to Sunday River Whitecap you either hike from the South from Route 26 for 7.1 miles or from the North 13.5 miles over Old Speck. I did the latter as part of a backpack five years ago. My favorite way is to do a bushwhack. I have done this twice before but I wanted to do it in the Winter.
Since today was the last day of winter and I was going to hike anyway, I decided to cross this one off the list. In summer I drive up the Quonset Hut road, take the left and go to the last landing and start there. In Winter, the road is a snowmobile trail. I parked at the end where there is space plowed for a few vehicles. I started hiking about 8:30. On the snowmobile trail I was able to go without traction devices and moved along quickly. I followed the trail to the last landing and was trying to decide what line to use going up to Miles Notch. I noticed that someone had tried to drive a snowmobile up a skidder trail in the direction I wanted to go. I say tried because it did not go well. In the couple hundred yards he made it, he got stuck three times. I was spared having to put five pounds of snowshoes on my feet for that distance so it was all good.
I put on the snowshoes and headed uphill toward Miles Notch and my eventual connection with the Grafton Loop Trail. Due to recent rain and warm temps and then a hard freeze, the snow was crusty enough to hold my weight much of the time but earlier testing convinced me to keep them on. A light dusting of snow revealed an array of animal tracks. Coyote and Fisher on the hunt. Squirrel, Partridge and Rabbits looking for a meal too. I expected to see moose tracks but the only evidence I saw was last years rubs on a few small trees.
I added a waypoint to the GPS at the height of land in Miles Notch and headed toward it going a bit further North than last time I was here. Once I was near the wayppoint I slowed down and started to look for signs of the trail. Soon enough, I made out a very faint snowshoe track and looking in the direction I knew I needed to go, I saw the first blue blaze indicating I was on the trail.
Heading off toward My destination following as best I could. Once I lost the trail for a few minutes but soon regained it. In about ten more minutes I reached the first viewpoint, an East facing ledge with views of the Baldpates.
I continued upward and was soon on the open ledges with views in all direction. The wind packed crust seemed to be more solid here so I took off the snowshoes and donned micro-spikes for the rest of my stay above treeline. I love the feeling of being above the trees, in the open, with views that go on forever.
I stopped and took pictures whenever a view struck me. By 11:00 I was standing on the summit enjoying 360 degree views in complete solitude. I spent twenty minutes there soaking in the views, having lunch and taking a few more photos. I stowed everything in my pack and headed back down. It always amazes me how much faster the return trip is. In ten minutes I was back down in the woods and switched back to snowshoes for the duration.
Each time I have done the bushwhack I have been looking for a flagged trail, rumored to exist up through the cut over area that is a minefield of blackberry bushes and slash from last time it was cut. I had given up the idea that it existed . I added a waypoint on the road in a straight line from the edge of the saddle to a place near where the road, now snowmobile trail, takes a sharp right toward route 26. As I made my way down I began to notice orange flagging on the trees to my left. I wandered over that way and saw the same faint snowshoe trail I had followed up above. I was on the fabled, flagged trail. I followed it down to the road.
As I approached the road I noticed someone walking along it. He appeared to be waiting for me. As I stepped into the road he said, “I’ve been following you.” Evidently he had tried to do the same hike but was stopped because he hadn’t carried his snow shoes and as I said before, the crust would “almost” hold you up. I took off my snowshoes and talked to the guy for a few minutes and then we headed down to the end of the road where we were both parked. We talked for a few more minutes and went on our way.
I love the Grafton Notch area. I have been riding or driving through the notch since I was a baby and coming here always feels like coming home. I have explored and hunted and fished all around the area for decades and I enjoy it more each time.
