.January 6, 2007
I'm on-call at the hospital this week, so I can't go on a big hike. The weather is just too nice, so I have got to get out there and do something. I guess I'll try Singepole Mountain since it is only about 10 minutes away. The temperature is way, way above normal. It is 67 degrees today in JANUARY in MAINE. What's up with that? Global Warming? I am not sure, but I'm going to take advantage of it. A couple days ago I removed the bottom of my hiking poles and put on my new winter accessories. In the picture below you can see how much larger the base of the pole is now. I was obviously a little premature. With the record temperature what little snow we had is long gone.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ This is a small hike. It is about 1 mile to the summit which is only 1420 feet high. The trail is unmarked. There are several trails in the area so if you are unfamiliar with the trail it is more or less trial and error. Just keep going up and you'll get there. The land is privately owned but I have met the owner in the past. He is very nice and doesn't mind people using his land as long as they stay on the trails. Near the top of the mountain is an old quarry. The snow was gone but there was still a thin layer of ice across the water.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ We reached the summit a few minutes later. This is a great spot for blueberry picking in the summer. Here's the view south.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lynn and Madison (Wo-Men in Black) overlooking Hall Pond.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking west to Norway and South Paris. On a really clear day Mount Washington can be seen.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ This was a first for me. Standing on a mountain top in January in Maine in shorts.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Tomorrow is supposed to be a lot cooler but still nice, so I plan to head up to Streaked Mountain.
| 
