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Book ItThis winter, snowshoe through the Northeast's literary landscapes By Katharine Wroth AMC Outdoors, January/February 2010 For some people, winter adventure means schussing down slopes or climbing up icy cracks. But others enjoy a quieter, more contemplative approach to the fourth season. If a peaceful walk through sun-dappled woods appeals to you, if the idea of pausing to peer at branches laden with freshly fallen snow sounds nothing short of dreamy, chances are you're among the latter crowd. And lo, sweet dreamer: If the next item on your short list of favorite winter activities is curling up by a cozy fire to read, this is the article for you. Venture out on snowshoes nearly anywhere in the Northeast, and you are venturing into a literary wonderland. For centuries, authors have made this landscape their home, seeking inspiration in its granite hills and engraving its wonders on the page for all to witness. Some, like Thoreau, found the best way to know the landscape was to chronicle it faithfully, day by day; others dipped their pens in the region's inkwell only on occasion. Either way, they left a rich record of the land through time, and their reflections add a layer of wonder to any outing. Here are a few of our favorite literary landscapes; whether you explore them on foot or merely in your imagination, we hope you'll enjoy the trek. Mount Battie, Camden Hills State Park All I could see from where I stood So begins the poem that launched Edna St. Vincent Millay from her humble Maine girlhood into an internationally recognized writing career that would net three Pulitzer prizes. "Renascence," which Millay penned in 1912 at 19, brings readers on an intense spiritual and existential journey, complete with split skies, strangling sobs, quivering arms, and the face of God. But it begins with a quite literal description of the view from the summit of Mount Battie, a friendly 800-foot peak the young author ascended frequently. Today, the mountain is one of the foremost attractions in Camden Hills State Park, which was created in the 1930s with help from the Civilian Conservation Corps. The diminutive slopes of the 5,500-acre park's modest Midcoast mountains yield big views, making them popular with tourists and locals alike.
"You see the mountain with such different eyes in wintertime," says newly minted AMC leader Kit Pfeiffer, who lives just outside of Camden. "The rest of the year, you can go up and down Mount Battie in an hour. But in winter, the mountain seems to grow." Take the 0.5-mile trail to the summit, and you're in for a steep climb with open views, while the 1.4-mile trek via the wooded auto road is less demanding. At the top, you'll find a stone tower, a plaque dedicated to Millay, and views including the "deep purple black" of Penobscot Bay, the quintessential coastal townscape of Camden, and, on a clear day, Mount Washington. Cedar and bohemian waxwings cruise around with abandon, while the number of people flocking to the mountain is slim. Pfeiffer also enjoys trekking up nearby Bald and Ragged mountains, noting that each "has its own sweet pleasures." Try this trip: 1-mile round-trip by Mount Battie Trail or 2.8-mile round-trip by Mount Battie Auto Road (closed to cars in winter)
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"The snow lying deep on the earth dotted with young pines, and the very slope of the hill on which
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