Difficulty: Moderate. The 1-mile North Ridge Trail on Champlain Mountain is fairly gradual climb with just a few steep sections and staircases. The trail does not feature ladders and requires no hand-over-foot climbing. If you park at the parking area near the trailhead, the out and back hike is 2 miles. In the winter, the […]
Difficulty: Easy. The 0.9-mile hike is over mostly even terrain with a few small hills, exposed tree roots and rocks. Footbridges have been constructed over the soggiest sections of trail. How to get there: From downtown Belfast, drive west on Main Street and turn right onto Waldo Avenue. Drive 1.5 miles, then turn right onto […]
Zipping down a chute of ice at 40 mph while clinging to a simple wooden sled sounds a bit crazy, but that’s precisely what hundreds of people do each February at the US National Toboggan Championships in Camden, Maine. And for several years now, I’ve been one of those people, screaming my heart out and […]
There’s this phenomenon I’ve heard talked about among outdoorsy folks, that out in the wilderness, food tastes better. During a mountain hike or an ocean paddle, even the simplest fare can be enjoyable and nourishing. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put a little extra thought and effort into what you pack to eat – […]
As we laced up our skates at the edge of Green Lake on Saturday, the cold numbing our bare fingers, I thought, “We’re crazy.” “What?” my husband Derek said, shouldering our backpack of emergency gear and snacks. “Oh,” I said, realizing I had voiced by opinion out loud. “We’re just kind of crazy to be […]
Difficulty: Easy. The hike is about 1 mile long and travels through a forest with little change in elevation. Expect uneven terrain, exposed tree roots and soggy sections of trail. However, wide wooden footbridges have been constructed over the wettest portions of trail and over small brooks. How to get there: From the intersection of […]
My ankles wobbled as I slowly glided out onto the frozen lake, my skates etching parallel lines in the smooth ice. The first skate of the season is always a bit shaky at first, but it only takes a couple minutes for my body to remember the movements. I began ice skating when I was […]
Difficulty: Easy. The 1.5-mile trail is wide, straight and fairly level with a hard-packed surface. How to get there: The only established parking area for the trail is at the end of the road that runs through Asher Farms mobile home park in Benton. To get there from the intersection of Bridge Street and Benton […]
If you’re interested in hiking this winter, I’d love to give you some trail suggestions and gear tips. At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18, I’ll be giving a presentation about winter treks at the Orono Public Library, 39 Pine Street in Orono. I’ll be focusing on the Bangor area but will include a few adventures […]
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. There are just over 2 miles of trails on the preserve. These trails are especially rocky in some areas. The trail markers are faded and may be difficult to find in some places. How to get there: From Orrington center (the intersection of Center Drive and Dow Road, not far from […]
