| Tumbledown Mountain: A Hike to Remember |
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Tucked away from the shopping, away from the sweeping shorelines, away from the crowded islands where all the tourists go is a little town called Weld. You won’t find much in the sleepy Maine town, but the gem it hides behind its unobtrusive storefronts is well worth the forty-minute drive west of Farmington. Article by article by Lyss Sullivan. 1/19/2008
A Hike to Remember Tucked away from the shopping, away from the sweeping shorelines, away from the crowded islands where all the tourists go is a little town called Weld. You won’t find much in the sleepy Maine town, but the gem it hides behind its unobtrusive storefronts is well worth the forty-minute drive west of Farmington. Tumbledown Mountain, standing 3,068 feet tall, challenges the serious day-hiker and welcomes the picnicking family. Next door to Mt. Blue State Park and all its campground convenience, Tumbledown is still not under the protective umbrella of the Maine State Park system, and doesn’t cost a dime. The trails are clearly marked and the way is clear. The reward for your time? A summit that overlooks lovely Lake Webb, and an alpine pond of its own so clear and cool you won’t be able to resist cooling your tired feet in its welcoming ripples. If you’re bringing your children and dogs with you, or your hiking legs need an easy warm-up for the summer ahead, take the gentler slope of the Brook Trail. With a reassuring outhouse at the bottom and a wide trailhead, you’ll have no difficult finding your way. The trail runs, in many places, parallel to a burbling brook that flows from the top. For the first mile, a jeep could easily make its way along the trail. The final mile and a half is steeper and trickier, but with enough water and pacing, you’ll reach the pond a little less than two hours from the time you started out. The pond on Tumbledown is all the reward any climber could ask for—a beautiful, peaceful places to enjoy a picnic and makes friends with the other hikers who made the climb. If you’re not quite ready to sit down after a two hour hike, wave good-bye to the pond and follow the Tumbledown Ridge Trail across the summit. Here you’ll get nothing but splendid expanses of rock to run across and extraordinary views. Even if the pond was your ultimate goal, it’s worth taking another few minutes to poke your head up over the ridge. Half a mile along the ridge will bring you to a decision: to pursue the East Peak, or to traverse the tricky Park Loop Trail. The Park Loop Trail is the true highlight of Tumbledown, but one that reads better bottom to top than top to bottom. The sign at the top warns descending climbers: “Not suitable for small children and dogs.” If you’re a first-time climber seeing that sign after climbing the Loop, believe me, you’ll be relieved at the implication that there is, somewhere, a trail that small children and dogs can manage. You’ll be ready for the break. The trailhead for the Loop Trail is a little more tucked away than that of the Brook Trail, putting you from the beginning on a narrow trail paved with rocks. Everywhere you look, the vibrant green of the moss on the stones and trees will beguile you, and if you’re on your toes, hint at the damp path ahead. The Loop Trail demands balance, caution, and a head for heights. Much of the climb is almost a hand-over-hand affair, leading you up a sturdy but sometimes obscure natural staircase. The path is always marked: you won’t always believe what you see. Just before the Loop Trail meets the paths to the pond and the peak, a single blue blaze adorns a stone and apparently impassable wall. When you, in disbelief, approach cautiously closer, you’ll see a crevice set with iron rungs on the underside of an overhang. It’s safe enough, but you’ll emerge the short chimney feeling like a veritable James Bond. For all the labor and care the Park Loop demands, it will reward you all along the way with stunning glimpses of the landscape you’re slowly rising along. After about two miles and two or three hours (depending on how hard you push yourself), the Park Loop Trail meets the Tumbledown Ridge, pointing the lazy way to the pond. Whether you’re up for a rigorous hike or in the mood for an inclined amble, climb Tumbledown Mountain. You won’t regret it. article by Lyss Sullivan, http://www.sullivanseclectic.blogspot.com/ More Maine Travel More New England Travel More New England Hotels
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