Make your own winter adventure
The Maine Woods Initiative has created a unique opportunity for winter outdoor enthusiasts. The AMC camps, West Branch Pond Camps, and the self-service Moose Point Cabin (perfect for a self-sufficient group) are all relatively close to each other (a few miles by dirt road is next-door neighbors up there) and are surrounded by protected woods and waters. You can base yourself at one camp and hike, skate, snowshoe, ski, or ride a dogsled to explore the thousands of surrounding acres. Or you can travel from camp to camp for a multi-day wilderness adventure with comforts.
We did a little of both.
We arrived for our first day at Medawisla later than we’d intended (but just in time for lunch—clam “chowdah” has never tasted better!). Instead of skiing off to West Branch Pond Camps, as we’d originally planned, we spent an enjoyable afternoon exploring the snow-covered ice of Second Roach Pond.
Curiosity took us past an empty eagle’s nest (the owners probably wintering somewhere along the coast), and following the tracks of a pair of small coyotes, seeing where they stuck their noses into every muskrat run and snowshoe hare track. The coyotes went hungry, at least for the distance we tracked them.
Leaving Medawisla late that afternoon, we drove to West Branch Pond Camps and stowed our gear in a wood stove-heated log cabin, then headed to the main lodge for a hearty roast chicken dinner with lavish “fixins.”
After dinner, we all relaxed and traded stories in the cozy kitchen. Fifth-generation camp owner Eric Stirling and his wife, photographer Mildred Kennedy, brought some of the history of this area to life with stories of loggers, hunters, steamboats on Moosehead Lake, and their own days afield in their remote “backyard.” The rest of us, seasoned winter travelers all, chipped in with tales of our own adventures on skis, snowshoes, and dogsleds. For me, that easy sociability with kindred souls who were strangers just hours before is one of the highlights of any AMC lodging experience.
Leaving the dining hall that evening was difficult—and not just because I ate too much. It was C-C-C-O-L-D! But a hundred yards away, the cabin windows glowed with soft gas light and the smoke from the wood stove rose straight as a string to disappear into the night sky, promising cozy warmth inside.
My bed and comfy sleeping bag were calling, but I couldn’t resist strolling out onto the dark lake for a look at the countless stars visible only on the clearest of nights in areas where the scattered light from cities is dim and far away. Stars, like stillness, can be rare and precious.
Next morning, on our way to breakfast (which started with homemade doughnuts, still warm), the snow squeaked loudly with each step. The temperature was well below zero despite the sun rising in a perfect blue sky. Nearby White Cap Mountain was showing why it got its name. Spectacular!
Some of our little group had opted to spend the day dogsledding rather than skiing (we also could have gone snowshoeing in the hills). While we ate breakfast, Steve Madera of guide service Song in the Woods arrived with two dogsleds and two teams in his truck. The rest of us should have been stowing lunch in our packs and preparing for the ski journey to Little Lyford. But the dogs were so enthusiastic and the barely controlled chaos surrounding them so much fun that we just had to stay and watch as our newbie dogsledders learned the ropes.
Later than we would have liked, we finally donned skis and set off. We didn’t exactly have to race the setting sun to Lyford, but we didn’t have time to dawdle, either.
The ski trail, which generally follows the Pleasant River, is gently rolling terrain with no large hills—though you can find hills nearby if challenge is what you desire. It’s a trek any intermediate skier in decent physical condition could make and was perfect for our group of aging, active, but not extreme skiers.
Fortunately, we could ski with just light packs carrying lunch and winter survival essentials. As part of our camp-to-camp ski package, the staff moved our heavy luggage. Luxury!
To attempt this camp-to-camp adventure on your own, you should be capable of negotiating many miles on skis, and familiar with backcountry navigation with map and compass–choosing the wrong trail late in the day could make for an uncomfortable night. The other option is to hire one of the registered Maine guides who work with AMC to ski along with you.
The ski trek from West Branch to Little Lyford was one of the highlights of my winter: The crisp air and high blue sky. The calls of chickadees and nuthatches as they foraged for food. Tracks of red squirrels, mice, moose, deer, snowshoe hares, coyotes, and fishers crossing the trail. (I looked for bobcat tracks but didn’t see any this day.) Glimpses of the Pleasant River and the stunning views of Baker Mountain. The delight of a trail lunch with a thermos of hot soup, thick chicken sandwiches, and homemade cookies. The company of like-minded travelers. The warmth and comforts of Little Lyford waiting at the end of the trail. And most of all, the quiet woodlands in winter.
If we made a mistake on our trip, it was in not allowing enough time in the area. The camp-to-camp-to-camp adventure that had seemed so exciting in the planning became somewhat rushed in the reality of the short days of midwinter. Frankly, I wished I’d built in a layover day at each camp, to explore the surrounding area. Medawisla alone has 36 miles of groomed ski trails and the backcountry ski and snowshoe options are almost infinite. Next time.
There will most certainly be a next time. Stillness this close at hand is too precious to forego.
—By Tim Jones
<< Splendid Isolation, prev.
Print version
