Ten Maine 4Ks in 4 Days
Hiking the Rangeley and Carrabassett Valley of Maine
July 19 – 22, 2017
Itinerary: Day 1, July 19: We will meet at Saddleback Ski Area at 11:30 am for a hike to Saddleback Mountain 4,120' and The Horn 4,023'. We will hike up the Grey Ghost and Tri-Color ski trails to the summit of Saddleback. We will then join the AT and follow it to the Horn. We will return the same way. This round trip hike is 6.8 miles, 4 1/2 to 5 hours.
Link - http://4000footers.com/saddleback.shtml
After the hike we will drive to the Spillover Motel approximately 45 minutes away.
Day 2, July 20: Today’s hike is a traverse over Mt Abraham 4,050', Spaulding Mtn 4,010' and Sugarloaf Mtn 4,250' involving a car spot. We will start at the trailhead for Mt Abraham which is approximately 25 miles from the motel. The night before we will car spot a vehicle or two at our exit point which is not too far from our motel. We have two options for ending today’s hike. Once we summit Sugarloaf Mountain we can go back down to the AT and continue to the Caribou Valley Road. This hike is 13.2 miles and about 9 to 9 1/2 hrs. The second option is to hike down a maintenance road from the summit of Sugarloaf to the base lodge of the ski area. It makes for a slightly shorter hike. As a group we can decide the night before. The bridges on the Rapid Stream Road have been replaced so we can drive all the way to the trailhead for Mt Abraham.
Link - http://4000footers.com/sugarloaf.shtml
Day 3, Jul 21: Today we will hike to the Croakers 4,280' and 4,050' and Mt Redington 4,010'. We will start from the Caribou Valley Road and hike the AT to South Crocker. From there we will follow the herd path to Mt Redington and back. We will then hike to Crocker Mtn (North) and then back to the south peak. From there we will hike back to our cars. This is an 8.6 miles hike, 6 to 6 ½ hrs.
Day 4, July 22: Today’s hike, if the weather cooperates, will provide us the most amazing views of our trip. We will hike the Fire Warden’s Trail to the cul between the two Bigelow (Bigelow West 4,145’ and Bigelow Avery 4,090’) peaks. We will hike to both of them and be marveled by the views including that of Flagstaff Lake. This is a 10.6 mile hike, 6 1/2 – 7 hrs.
Link - http://4000footers.com/bigelowwest.shtml
Requirements: The hike is for people with significant 4K hiking experience working on their New England 67 list. We will be hiking 4 days in a row so you need to be in good hiking condition to participate on this hike. The difficulty level of these hikes is “strenuous.”
Accomodations: Located in Stratton Maine, the Spillover Motel is in the heart of the Carrabassett Valley. The motel is just 7 miles north of Sugarloaf mountain and just a short drive from the AT trail and a majority of the Maine 4K mountains.
Recommended on Trip Advisor, the Spillover Motel offers clean, comfortable rooms at an affordable rate including cable TV, free Wi-Fi Internet access and refrigerators with a full kitchen to prepare your own meals.
Meals: Meals are not included in the cost of this trip. The motel provides a very basic continental breakfast which is most likely not adequate for a full day of hiking. It is highly recommended that you prepare your own meals for day. You can bring your own food from home or go shopping at the Mountaineer Grocers located at the access road to Sugarloaf Ski Area or Fotter’s Market in Stratton - http://www.fottersmarket.com/
The summer months are considered the off season in the Sugarloaf area. There are still a few restaurants open in the area. We have the option of going out to dinner on your own, as part of the group or prepare your own dinner at the motel.
Costs and Registration: The cost of $152.00 (for AMC members) and $162.00 (for non-members) will cover accommodations at the Spillover Motel. There will be two participants per room. The motel has a 14 day cancellation policy. Since we can’t predict the weather 14 days in advance this will be a rain or shine hike. Hazardous or unsafe weather conditions may cause us to cancel the hike scheduled on that day.
Leaders: Brian Tausendfreund – Brian is a Class 1 Volunteer Trip leader with the AMC NH Chapter leading trips year round in the White Mountains. Brian has completed 4 rounds of the NH 48 including in the winter and has completed the New England 67. Brian is an instructor with the NH Chapter’s Winter Hiking Series and at the Cardigan Winter and Spring Workshops. He has completed AMC’s Mountain Leadership School and maintains certification in Wilderness First Aid.
Contact Information: Email – [email protected] Cell Phone – (413) 221-2149
Dirgny (Dear-Knee) Perdigon – Dirgny is very passionate about all forms of hiking and backpacking. Her love for hiking inspires others to come along and experience the joys of the outdoors. Her appreciation for the outdoors has come from her upbringing in her native country Caracas, Venezuela. Dirgny has been hiking for 10 years this summer and has recently completed AMCs Mountain Leadership School.
Contact Information: Email – [email protected] Cell Phone – (603) 234-2260
Required Gear: An enjoyable day in the woods starts with good planning. Even if the forecast is for a nice day, forecasts are not always accurate and weather can change quickly. You can be hot one minute and cold the next. The following is a list of the gear that is required for this trip. This is a group hike and everyone needs to be prepared.
Light base layer top and at least one additional light layer Fleece, synthetic or down vest or jacket Comfortable pants (or shorts depending on forecast) Hiking boots or hiking shoes, no sneakers, Wool socks (synthetic liner socks also recommended) Rain shell large enough to fit over your layers At least 2 - 3 liters of water Sunscreen Sunglasses Bug spray (lots of it) Winter hat and ball cap or sun hat Gloves Plenty of high energy food and snacks Whistle A pack large enough to hold everything, preferably with a waist strap to keep the weight off of your shoulders Head lamp with spare batteries Hiking poles not required but recommended Please leave cotton clothing at home