Kid Tracks Column: Sometimes togetherness is better goal than summit

I knew Mount Cutler in Hiram did not have a well-marked trail. I had done my research before presenting the option to my family. I also knew from a friend that there were some steep climbs. It was not for the beginner hiker he said. My children and husband said they wanted a challenging adventure so we set out to give Mount Cutler a try.

The driving directions we were able to dig up to the trail head said that it was "at the site of the former Hiram railroad station." That tidbit might have been helpful to people familiar with the area but we were not. So once we got into the general area we stopped and asked for more specific directions. As I've said before about hiking in Maine -- you can't be afraid to ask for directions. We hike a lot and I'd say 6 out of 10 times we have had to stop for directions on the way. I used to think I had a pretty good sense of direction and decent map skills but I've been humbled many a time in this state.

There was a small handwritten sign at the trail head with an arrow pointing along a set of railroad tracks that led to the Mount Cutler trail. Those tracks I later found out, were part of the Mountain Division proposed trail that will someday link a series of trails from Fryeburg to Portland. We hiked the first completed portion of the Mountain Division trail in Standish in January. The kids loved following the railroad tracks on that hike and were no less enthused this time. They ended up finding some deer tracks between the old ties and boasted about their skills in identifying them.

There were some trail markers at the start but then we quickly lost site of them. My husband asked me if I had any ideas about how to procede and I said I didn't. I told him that the research I'd done said the signage was poor and now I could officially confirm the articles I'd read were right. Had we not been prepared for this problem I think we would have had a more colorful conversation. But as it was, we plodded along and tried to find our way.

We ended up walking through a lot of brush but did in fact find the trail again. Then we scaled some steep rocks. My husband led the way and basically pulled the kids along while I guided and pushed them from behind on the steeper slopes.

We reached an area that offered a great view of the valley and surrounding mountains. We took in the sights and then decided to continue climbing. We realized that we were about half way to the top but had again lost site of the trail. After a brief discussion with my husband we decided that we had hiked far enough. The climb we'd done so far had tired out not just the kids but also their parents. And based on our experience with other steep climbs, getting down is more challenging for the kids. The rocky slopes look more intimidating going down that they do climbing up.

So we stopped and ate some snacks to replenish our energy. We also played a couple of games with my daughters' pink bunny toy. That bunny has been on almost every hike with us this past year. And he's been put in some precarious positions along the way. You can visit bunny's photo gallery to see a slide show of his adventures.

The best way we have found to get down a steep grade is to crab walk, or as our family calls it, the "Almeida skooch." Basically we have the kids sit on their bottoms and slowly creep down the steep inclines. It took a long time to make our way back down this trail so we turned it into one of our trail games.

My husband and I know we have to be flexible when we take the kids out on the trail. And we have to use our common sense. We hiked this trail as far as every member of the family felt comfortable going and then turned around and headed home. I know the kids will remember the challenges of Mount Cutler. And I hope when they're older they'll want to give it another try. But doing things as a family is what's important to us, not how many mountains we can summit. So if you decide to head out to Mount Cutler with your children, take it at your own family's pace, know you're not going to find a lot of trail markers and enjoy your outdoor adventure.

A NOTE ABOUT TICKS
Before we headed out on the Mount Cutler trail, we broke out the bug spray for the first time this year. Spring is the season when ticks come out in force and we wanted to minimize our chances of picking up a tick on this wooded trail.

The Maine Medical Center Research Institute's Vector-Borne Disease Lab (formerly called the Lyme Disease Research Lab) tracks the tick population in Maine all year long. This year the lab is reporting that adult deer ticks have been out for about four weeks and that the larger dog ticks (also known as wood ticks) have been out for about two weeks.

Here's a few simple guidelines to prevent tick exposure during warm-weather hikes.

Wear long pants and long-sleeve shirts and be sure to tuck your pant legs into your socks.

Stay on the trail and avoid brush or tall grass, where ticks tend to be in highest concentrations.

Wear light-colored clothing so you can more easily see ticks on your clothing.

Use a repellent containing DEET, paying particular attention to spray your shoes, socks and pant legs. You should spray all your clothing with repellent, but spray exposed skin on children sparingly.

 

There are alternative repellent products that do not contain DEET, but they are effective for a much shorter period of time. You should inspect yourself and your children after your outdoor adventure. Ticks often attach themselves behind the ears and in hair and body folds. It's important to perform a tick check as soon you get indoors. The sooner you find and remove a tick, the less chance you have of contracting Lyme disease. Once a tick is engorged (that takes about 24 to 36 hours) there is a greater chance of developing the disease.

To remove a tick you should:

Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible with tweezers.

Pull firmly until the tick lets go.

Apply antiseptic to the bite.

If you are unsure what type of tick you have removed, you can save the tick in a small vial of alcohol and contact the Maine Medical Center Research Institute's Vector-Borne Disease Lab. The lab offers free tick identification to the general public. They do not however test ticks for Lyme disease. Visit their website for more information at zappa.mmcri.mmc.org/lyme/lymehome.html.

Trail Name: Mount Cutler
Nearest Town: Hiram
Region: Western Lakes & Mountains
Length: less than one mile
Difficulty: Intermediate
Elevation: 1,232 feet
Directions: Take Route 113 to Hiram Village. At the intersection of routes 113 and 117 drive over the bridge on Route 113 and take your first left (immediate left after bridge). Then take immediate right onto Mountain View Avenue. The street looks like a driveway but will lead you to the trail head.
Terrain: Heavily wooded with lots of large rocks to climb
Bathrooms: No
Parking: Small parking area for 6-8 cars.
Other: There are some steep, rocky sections on this trail. It's best to wear footwear with a thick tread for traction.
Hazards: There are some steep rocks that should be navigated cautiously with children.
Kid's Review

 Listen to the 8-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(40 seconds, 99k mp3 format)
Listen to the 6-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(50 seconds, 186k mp3 format) Video
Climbing down a steep drop
(45 seconds, 1.2MB)

Bunny has some "fun"
(50 seconds, 1.4MB)

Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram May 9, 2004

Kid Tracks Column: Muddy hike's reward: Warm spring sun

A spring day in Maine can change as quickly as the hours pass. The day we hiked at Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal, we saw a little bit of everything – snow, sunshine and rain.
On the morning of our hike, I received a phone call from a friend who was joining us on the trail. It was snowing, and she was calling to see if we were still planning to head to the mountain. I confirmed that we were. We'd never really hiked in bad weather, so my husband and children thought it would be an adventure. My friend agreed, and we set out on the trail later that morning.

By the time we arrived at Bradbury Mountain, the sun was out and the snow was melting. The kids chose the Summit Trail because they wanted to get to the top as quickly as possible. That trail is only 0.2 mile, but it's a fairly steep climb. Step-like rocks made climbing the rocky trail easier. Everything was slippery because of the melting snow and slush. The kids took a couple of spills, but they were laughing by the time they stood up in their wet, muddy snowpants. Apparently it is really cool to fall in the mud. I told the kids I'd take their word for it and, luckily, was spared the experience myself.

It didn't take long to get to the top of the mountain, and the view was awesome. The sun was out and we could see snow-covered fields, trees and some farmhouses. Fog and clouds in the distance obscured the ocean, but we're told you can see it on a clear day.

We enjoyed a leisurely snack and the girls took some time to explore the area. The rocky top of this mountain reminded us of Jockey Cap in Fryeburg.

It had been a while since we had hiked to the top of a mountain and we had to exercise some caution with the kids. There are some steep drops from the top of Bradbury Mountain, so it's not a place for a young child to wander around without an adult in close proximity.

My 7-year-old decided the sun was "too bright" and pulled out the umbrella we had packed to protect my camera equipment. The adults on this hike, however, tried to soak up as many of the warm rays as possible. You could just feel the heat of the spring sun that day and it felt great to be out on a mountaintop taking it all in.

We decided to head back down via the Northern Loop Trail. The kids chose that trail because it was only a mile back to the trail head and they were tired from jumping around on the rocks and making mud pictures.

Several trails lead hikers off Bradbury's peak, so it took us a minute to get our bearings and find the Northern Loop Trail. We proceeded without being sure if we were on the right trail, but eventually found more trail markers to confirm we were heading in the correct direction.

The Northern Loop Trail was particularly muddy; the warmth of the afternoon was enough to melt the snow into a slushy mess on that trail. Both kids jumped into every gooey puddle they could find. We've got quite a few photos of their jumps with the mud flying everywhere. And as if this would be a suprise to anyone, the jumpers weren't the only ones who got splattered.

Thankfully, everyone in my family had on snowpants and winter boots, so we didn't feel quite so wet and dirty. Our friend's pants and suede boots, however, did not fare as well. We couldn't talk her into wearing her "bulky snowpants" (as she called them) at the outset, and she seemed to have had second thoughts about that decision midway through the hike. Of course she hadn't planned on having two Olympic-style mud puddle jumpers with us either.

We saw lots of other hikers and the trail was quite busy despite the questionable weather and all the mud. I would assume this state park is a busy place on a warm, sunny day.
Just as we started peeling off our muddy boots and snowpants back at the car, it started to rain. We couldn't believe our luck at having picked the best two hours of the day for our hike.

Hiking during this season is messy business. But feeling the spring sun and knowing that the warmer temperatures aren't far behind make a hike during this time of year so much more rewarding.

Trail Name: Bradbury Mountain State Park
Nearest Town: Pownal
Region: Greater Portland
Length: Approximately 6.5 miles
Difficulty: Advanced Beginner
Elevation: 485 feet
Directions: From I-295 in Portland, take Route 9 toward Cumberland Center and Pownal. Signs on Route 9/Hallowell Road in Pownal lead to the park.
Terrain: Some trails are rocky and others are packed dirt.
Bathrooms: Yes
Parking: Large parking area at the trailhead.
Hours: 9 a.m. to sunset year round.
Other: Park admission fee is $3 for adults, $1 for children. Designated trails are open to hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. During the winter, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and cross-country ski trails are open. Forty-one campsites are available as well.
Hazards: There are some steep drops at the top of the mountain so parents should stay close to young children to be sure they don't go too close to the edge.

Kid's Review
Listen to the 7-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(50 seconds, 140k mp3 format)
Listen to the 6-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(50 seconds, 64k mp3 format) Video
Drawing in Mud
(53 seconds, 1.3MB)

Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram April 11, 2004

Kid Tracks Column: Winter hike feels like sweet, if muddy, spring

Our hike at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm in late February felt more like an early-spring hike than a late-winter one. The temperatures, in the mid-40s, felt balmy after the subzero ones we've endured this winter. Even though snow pants and boots were a little warm for the kids on this hike, the gear kept them dry and complaint-free while they jumped and splattered through all the mud we found (instead of the snow and ice for which we'd originally planned).

There are 7 miles of trails at the reserve. After reviewing with the kids the trail map available at the trailhead kiosk, we decided to begin on the Knight Trail and head toward the ocean.

We'd seen several sets of animal tracks in the snow during recent hikes and decided to bring along our animal tracking book to see if we could identify any we discovered on this hike. We did find some deer tracks and droppings, but all the mud and the general lack of snow made conditions unsuitable for our amateur tracking abilities.

From the Knight Trail we turned onto the Barrier Beach Road Trail, which led us to the ocean. It was a struggle to keep my 6-year-old out of the water, so I just let her go and splash around in it after a while. She was already covered in mud, so I figured it couldn't get much worse. Some of the mud washed off, but was replaced with sticky sand. I'm not sure which is worse to wash off, but sand feels like summer and that made it not so bad.

The beach felt like a long-lost friend, and the kids did everything they would do in warmer weather — except swim. They made small sand castles with their hands, walked along the rocks looking for seashells and watched the gulls. They also made lots of sand drawings. The kids thought they saw a seal pop its head out of the water in the distance and that added an additional element of excitement for all of us.

After spending more than an hour by the water, we chose to hike back to the car by way of the Laird-Norton Trail. That trail had a long, wooden boardwalk and was a good way to avoid some of the mud.

Along that trail we saw a bunch of flags indicating a research project under way. There are actually several information panels throughout the reserve explaining current research projects, as well as the types of animals and birds that visitors might encounter. There were also plenty of benches scattered along the trails for rest stops.

Because these trails are at the coast, hikers should always be cautious of poison ivy and ticks. It may be a little early to worry about these nuisances in late winter, but, as spring approaches, so do these pesky issues. It's best to stay to the middle of the trail and avoid brushing up against plants and bushes.


It's been full year since we did an early-spring hike and I forgot how messy it is to be out on the trail at this time. Mud-season hiking with kids is not for the faint of heart, but you can minimize the mess with some preparation. Even if it seems too warm for snow pants and boots, have the kids wear them anyway. And don't forget to wear some rubber boots yourself. You'll be glad you did. 

Update
During last month's hike on the Mountain Division Trail, my 7-year-old found a sign about a missing dog. She tried to look for him while we were hiking on the trail but was disappointed not to find him. After reading the column, Barbara Corriveau of Gorham e-mailed to let my daughter know that she had found her dog, Mel, and that he was back home safe and sound. My daughter was thrilled to know the dog was back home and I appreciate that Mel's owner took the time to let us know.

Trail Name: Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm
Nearest Town: Wells  
Region: York County  
Length: 7 miles  
Difficulty: Easy  
Directions: From Exit 2 (Wells) off the Maine Turnpike follow signs to Route 1 in Wells. Follow Route 1 north 1.5 miles to Laudholm Farm Road (just north of the Lighthouse Depot and south of the Maine Diner, at the second flashing traffic signal). Turn right and follow signs to the reserve.  
Terrain: The trail is dirt with some boardwalks on several trails.  
Bathrooms: Yes  
Parking: Ample parking at the trailhead.  
Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily, with extended hours during summer.  
Other: There are ticks and poison ivy in the area. There are also research projects being conducted near the trails, so visitors are asked not to disturb markers and flags.
 More Info: Visit www.wellsreserve.org or call (207)646-1555.

Kid's Review
Listen to the 7-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(50 seconds, 480k mp3 format)
Listen to the 6-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(20 seconds, 260k mp3 format)  

Video
Drawing in Sand
(23 seconds, 624k)
Throwing Sand
(30 seconds, 880k)
  Looking for Sea Shells
(18 seconds, 452k)

Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram March 14, 2004

Kid Tracks Column: Nice and easy, and close by: Mountain Division Trail

January proved a difficult month to spend time outdoors because of the constant subzero temperatures. So when the thermometer hit the single digits, we decided it was the best we could hope for and set out for the Mountain Division Trail in Standish.

After the little mishap last month with my youngest child's sudden fever on the trail, I decided to bring a sled with a rope tow. I thought it would ensure, now that we were prepared, that no family member would become sick on this hike. It worked.

The trail in Standish began with a jeep road, so we started out with the kids and sled in tow. The rail portion of the trail is about three-quarters of a 3/4 mile from the trail head. In winter the jeep road is generally closed with a gate, but in the warmer months hikers and bikers should stay to one side of the road to avoid the occasional vehicle. Once we reached the rails the kids were fascinated to be up close to them. They found it quite exciting to be allowed to walk near the tracks.

The sled turned out to be a great idea. There were a few areas with embankments and the kids had a great time sliding down them. Although there was barely enough snow to cover the trail, there was a thick layer of ice that made for some fast coasting and the kids found it quite thrilling.

We saw several sets of animal tracks in the snow. The kids always enjoy guessing what kind of animals were on the trail before them. And my 7-year-old, a serious animal-lover, found a weathered sign posted about a lost dog on the trail. She took it upon herself to call out for the dog and "look" for him. She wasn't lucky enough to the find the dog but she couldn't stop talking about it on the way home and about how she would look for him on our next hike.

Something I really liked about this trail were the mile markers every quarter-mile. Some of the trails we've hiked offer maps with approximate mileage, but it was nice not to have to pull off my mittens to look at a map on this trail. I have a good idea about how far I think my kids can hike on a particular type of terrain (steep or level, rocky or compact) and I always appreciate a trail that offers a distance gauge. Plus, my kids are getting older and they like to know how many miles they've hiked. Of course, I think it's more for bragging rights than anything else.

And because this is not a looping trail — it is a straight line from Standish through Gorham and into Windham — the mileage markers were even more important to me. Turning around at an appropriate distance on the trail was key for us because we were going to have to hike the same mileage back to the trail head.

It turned out we hiked 3 miles round-trip — and that was the most trail we've covered in a day with our 6-year-old. Of course, we did have the sled to fall back on if she was having trouble keeping up — again, it was nice to have a little "insurance."

My family decided to choose to this hike because we hadn't been on this trail even though it's was so close to home. I'd heard from friends that the Mountain Division Alliance is planning to extend the trail and as it turns out, this portion of the trail is only the beginning.

"As far as the alliance is concerned, this is just the first 4-mile stretch," said Dave Kinsman from the Mountain Division Alliance. The alliance's goal is to create a trail that will stretch from Fryeburg to Portland. Plans for the next portion of the trail are still being discussed, but several communities along the rail line have expressed an interest in the project. The current funding levels, the project source could take 10 to 12 years for the trail to be completed. But Kinsman says the alliance is hoping to secure some other avenues of funding and if successful, the group could complete the project in less time.

But work is slated to move ahead this spring on parts of the project's funding are already secure and moving ahead this spring. The Gambo bridge, which is owned jointly by Windham and Gorham, will be rebuilt. And another link will be added to the trail from Gambo Road to Route 202 in Windham. This work is projected to be completed by summer and would offer a small loop in the trail.

According to Linda Brooks, the Standish recreation director, said the town of Standish also has additional more plans for the trail. The town has secured funding to build a sidewalk on the same side of the street as the trail head to lead hikers directly into Sebago Lake Village. The project does not have a start date yet, but the hope is that the sidewalk will be completed in the next few years, making it safer for hikers to enter the village. And it will eventually continue to the next portion of the Mountain Division Trail, which is still to be developed.

So if you're in the area and haven't been on this trail, try it out. And drag along your sled, or ice skates (there's an outdoor rink at the Standish trail head), for a nice, easy winter hike. And you don't have to take my word for it; my kids make audio reviews of each of our hikes and you can listen to their thoughts for yourself.

Trail Name: Mountain Division Trail
Nearest Town: Standish and Windham trail heads
Region: Greater Portland
Length: 3.7 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Directions: The Standish trail head is on Route 35 between routes 237 and 114 at Johnson Field. The Windham trail head is on Gambo Road. At the intersection Route 202 to River Road. Go 0.5 miles and turn left onto Gambo Road. Go 0.4 miles and turn right onto the access road; drive 0.1 miles to the parking lot.
Terrain: The trail is wooded with a compacted surface and relatively flat. There are also several benches a various points on the trail.
Bathrooms: There's a porta-potty at the Standish trailhead.
Parking: Spaces for 15-20 cars at both trail heads

KIDS' REVIEW:
Listen to the 7-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(65 seconds, 644 mp3 format)
Listen to the 6-year old describe her experience on this trail...
(15 seconds, 152 mp3 format)
 
 Originally published in the Maine Sunday Telegram February 15, 2004