Pleasant Mountain

Joe and I had limited time available for hiking, but with beautiful March weather predicted, we decided to fit in a hike close to home. The Firewarden's Trail on Pleasant Mt. in Bridgton, Me. fit the bill. A quick 2 1/2 mile hike would bring us to the summit.

I'd been wanting to check out the Firewarden's trail for some time. My AMC Maine Mountain Guide said there's a cabin, and shelter, with campsite, about half way to the summit. I was curious to see if this would be a good place to take a friend who is new to hiking. Guess I better get myself an updated version of the Guide, as we found no sign of a cabin or shelter in that area.

The beginning of the trail was mostly bare ground, but we soon hit a ribbon of ice. At first we bare booted it, although we were carrying our crampons. Often we had to push through the woods along side the trail, in order to find secure footing. After a while we got tired of fighting the brush, and stopped to put on the crampons. With them on our feet, life became much easier. We could just stroll up the ice.

Shortly before reaching the summit we came across a small cabin. An investigation showed small animals had made a mess of the inside. It sure didn't look very inviting. My guide book makes no mention of a cabin at this location. Can't figure out if the guide book simply was wrong in the placement, or if the cabin has been moved.

Once we reached the summit we met up with loads of people. The good weather had inspired more than just us to get out and hike. Most of the rest had come up on the other side of the mountain, though. They reported the trails all dry on that side.

We wandered around the summit, taking in the views, and then sat and ate lunch. What a great time of year to hike. The temperature was just right, and no black flies. Too soon, it was time to head home.

As we made our way down the ice, we met up with other hikers coming up. None had crampons, and they looked with envy at ours. Yep, I love my crampons.

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