Rumford Whitecap Mountain Preserve

 Today was a travel day back home. We stopped at Rumford Whitecap Mountain Preserve which is about a 1.5 hour drive from home. We climbed Whitecap mountain going up the orange trail and down the yellow. This mountain has a lot of exposed rock so you are walking with views for maybe two miles total of the 5.5 mile RT hike. Views to Old Spec and Baldpate and Puzzle. You can also see the mountains around Eustis in the distance. This was a nice stop with fall like colors near the top. Red bushes and blue sky. Both campgrounds we stayed at on this trip were great. Grafton Notch Campground and Cathedral Pines Campground.

First another Flagstaff Lake sunrise:

The hike:

Old Spec on the left and Baldpate on the right:

Flagstaff Lake

 Cathedral Pines Campground is on Flagstaff lake. Today we went canoeing. Perfect reflective calm in the morning and then the wind picked up to about 10 knots. This is a large lake that was created by damming the Dead River in 1950. Surrounded by a number of mountains it is a nice lake to paddle around on. After canoeing we walked around the Cathedral Pines walking trail which is across the street from the campground. Large area of red pines and it is an active lumber forest. This has been one of the nicer campgrounds we have been to in the East.

Mt Abraham ME

 The day started with a very nice sunrise from the campground. Fog on the water and calm. Then off to climb Mt Abraham. This is a 4000 footer on a rough dirt road. The road was in very rough shape. I think this is damage that happened in a flood in 2023. We made it to about one mile before the trailhead. The bridge was out so clearly we were not driving any further.  This trail is in nice shape. Not very eroded yet. The last mile however is very steep and all rock, some of it loose. Very nice 360 views from the top. You can see pieces of the fire tower that used to be up there. Views of most of the other 4000 footers in the area. Today was clear and sunny. Near perfect day starting at 45 degrees and going to 75 as a high at the bottom at the end of the day. We put our feet in the river after which felt good! 10 miles RT and 2900 foot elevation gain.

The fire tower. Needs a little work.