Acadia National Park

Trip legs (latest at top):

21 Sep 04 - White Mountain National Forest to Acadia National Park
A debate about whether to momentarily digress from vegetarianism lands on the side of eating crustaceans, just this once. After all, we have progressed more than half the way from the White Mountains in New Hampshire to Acadia National Park in Maine. We find ourselves in Augusta, Maine, inquire after the best local lobster roll, and follow directions to Augusta Seafood. Each lobster roll costs $11, and they are crammed with lobster meat. A few miles down the road we pull over at a rest stop and unpack our lunch. They are not that bad.

Lobster Roll
Our sole encounter with seafood in Maine, and an enjoyable, if guilty, diversion from budding vegetarianism.
Lobster the Easy Way

22 Sep 04 – Hiking Great Head and the Beehive, Acadia National Park
Our first full day at Acadia National Park on Mt Desert Island in Maine begins with parking at Sand Beach, which lets us hike both Great Head and the Beehive without moving the car during the day. Great Head is a spit of land just east of Sand Beach, and after traversing east across the head on Great Head Trail and circling the point, we turn northward and are rewarded with a nice view Sand Beach and Beehive.

Welcome to Acadia
Coast of Great Head
The archetypical rocky Maine coast.
Rocks on Great Head
Our favorite geologist says this formation is made not by heated granite flowing between the other chunks, which would likely melt everything into a homogenous whole. Instead the granite and other rock were probably compacted together under pressure.
Great Head Trail Marker
Sometimes a sign just catches your eye.
Sand Beach and Beehive
Photo taken from Great Head looking northwest, across Sand Beach. The Beehive is the domed mountain in the right background. We did not have time to explore the estuary in the right midground of the photo. I believe it is primarily fed from Kief Pond.
Coastal Wildflower
As yet unidentified. Photographed in September 2004 on Great Head in Acadia National Park, in Maine.

Though the day starts cloudy, by the time we begin the hike up Beehive the sky begins to clear. This small mountain is studded with metal rungs to help make the climb safer. From past experience I know that it is a warm-up for the Precipice Trail, and Dawn has no problem with the heights and cliffs of Beehive.

Dawn Climbing Beehive
I needn't have been concerned that Dawn would balk at the heights of Beehive, or the precariousness of the trail. Indeed, I can't keep up with her and also take pictures.
Kief Pond
The first hints of fall color in Acadia National Park, visible from the Beehive Trail looking south.
North from Beehive
The small dome of characteristic pink granite in the foreground is Enoch Mountain. The flat, barren island just above and to the left of Enoch Mountain is The Thrumcap. The large island on the left is Bald Porcupine Island. (Behind it, unseen, is Burnt Porcupine Island, though a small outlying island is barely visible.) The large island on the right is Long Porcupine Island.

In the evening we visit the amphitheater to hear a presentation on the History of Acadia National Park.

23 Sep 04 – Climbing Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine
Great weather expected all day lets us start the hike to the summit of Cadillac Mountain from Blackwood Campground, which is probably the longest route to the top, a round trip of 8 1/2 miles. We stay on the Cadillac South Ridge Trail almost all day, detouring only during midmorning to catch the view east from Eagles Crag.

After we gain enough elevation to reach the pitch pines and bare rock, the views become terrific and stay that way to the summit. We enjoy a cold, windy lunch on the summit, visited by lots of motorists and tour bus passengers. There is a Hawkwatch under way today, especially with the clear visibility. However, we have had a long hike uphill, and we pass on what is probably a very interesting event. Also, we have not packed any field glasses for our trip to the northeast. But the views back down on the return hike are just amazing, and Dawn waits patiently as I shoot lots of pictures. A stunning day.

Ascending Cadillac Mountain
Looking uphill, the rock is lichen-covered pink granite. The trees are pitch pine, used centuries ago to produce turpentine and other naval stores for ships.
The Featherbed
One would think this would be called Featherbed Pond. Anyway, we are looking northward up the southern ridge of Cadillac Mt, with the summit being up the far upper right corner.
Cadillac South Ridge Trail
Approaching the summit, notice all the exposed pink granite.
Bar Harbor
Looking down into Bar Harbor and the islands in Frenchman Bay from the summit of Cadillac Mountain. On the far left is Bar Island, in the center is Sheep Porcupine Island, and on the right is Burnt Porcupine Island. In the immediate foreground is the pink granite of Cadillac Mountain. Those are cruise ships. Tomorrow the new Queen Mary II is scheduled to steam in at daybreak.
Otter Point and Otter Cove
From the Cadillac South Ridge Trail we see over the southern ridge of the pink granite mountain.
Lambkill
A dwarf alpine wildflower in the mountain laurel family. This entire plant is about 5 inches tall. I had quite a fun time sprawling on the ground and contorting to get this photograph.

24 Sep 04 – Sunrise and Moonrise, Acadia National Park, Maine
For a rare morning we hike down the short walk to the coast before sunrise. It turns out to be a great morning for pictures. Laundry and groceries occupy midday, and we end the day trying to photograph moonrise.

Acadian Sunrise
Looking east, obviously, from the shore just a 5 minute walk from our campsite in Blackwoods Campground.
Seascape at Sunrise
Pink granite rock with orange light from the sunrise.
Harbor Moonrise
This is one of the rare occasions I wish I carried a tripod so I could get decent time exposures.

25 Sep 04 – The Bubbles and Tide Pools, Acadia National Park, Maine
From Jordan Pond House we hike down to Jordan Pond to walk the nature trail. Our packed lunch is homemade hummus with black olives on pita bread, and we decide we will be eating a lot of hummus in the future.

The Bubbles
The Bubbles are domes of pink granite, formerly the inside of volcanoes, with the tops worn off by glacial action, and the remaining softer rock eroded away. The body of water is Jordan Pond.

In the afternoon we drive to Ship’s Harbor to view sea life left in tide pools at low tide. However, we go at absolute low tide, 6 hours after high tide, and there's not much crawling or swimming in the tide pools. We theorize the absence of sea life is due to hungry gulls feeding when the tide pools are created when the tide begins to go out. Next time we will go to tide pools a couple hours after high tide.

Tide Pools
A tide pool is a depression in coastal rock which is filled at high tide, and remains full when the surrounding sea level drops at low tide. Usually this is a good place to find sea life trapped at high tide, but maybe the seagulls were here before us.

26 Sep 04 – Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park, Maine
In the morning we stop in at the visitor center at Sieur de Monts Springs, then tour the native plants at the Wild Gardens of Acadia. Not until mid-afternoon are we ready to ascend the Precipice Trail. The trail is studded with iron rungs and handrails, so it is pretty safe, as long as you hold on. It is described by the park as “not a hike, but a non-technical climb.” However, there are a lot of sheer cliffs, so it can make you pretty nervous if you don’t like heights. Personally, I am a fraidy-cat when it comes to heights, but the Beehive and the Precipice have always seemed safe enough to me.

Precipice Face
At the top of the face is the summit of Mt Champlain. Across the face lies the Precipice Trail.
Straight Up Precipice
Just like the Beehive, only more so.
Precipice View
The drop-off is characteristic of this hike across the face of the cliff. But the view is worth it.

Here is some video from this vantage point, including a look straight down: Precipice Trail in Acadia National Park, Maine, looking east into Frenchmen Bay, and a long way down, 26 Sep 2004 (9 MB, 37 sec)

Precipice Handholds
The perspective of this photo is difficult, but it is upwards. Not all the iron is provided as rungs for both hands and feet... some are used for handholds only.

The views, of course, are spectacular all the way to the top. We linger on the summit, chatting with the other hikers we meet there, and using the cell phone to catch up with family. Finally we start down, and mistakenly take Beachcroft Trail northeast. It is Dawn who recognizes our mistake, but we don't want to re-climb the summit of Champlain Mountain. Instead we bushwhack east across the north slope of Champlain Mountain to pick up Bear Brook trail heading down the north ridge from the summit. Eventually we pick up the East Face Trail to descend the Precipice by a different route than our ascent. Our late start, dawdling on the summit, and inadvertent side excursion results in us finishing the hike in the gloaming.

Frenchman Bay
From the summit of Champlain Mountain we see a different view of islands in Frenchman Bay. On the far left is Burnt Porcupine Island. Just in front of that is Bald Porcupine Island, and here you can clearly see its breakwater which protects Bar Harbor. On the right is Long Porcupine Island.

27 Sep 04 – Western Mt Desert Island, Acadia National Park, Maine
We explore the western lobe of Mt Desert Island today, starting with an attempt to find Pretty Marsh. We don’t manage to find the marsh from Pretty Marsh Picnic Area, but we have a nice lunch on the steps down to the pebbled beach on Pretty Marsh Harbor. We then pass a boat builder, and stop in to chat about what is involved with building a $130,000 lobster boat. Our next stop is the famous Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, well-known for its picturesque qualities. The beautiful day allows some gorgeous photographs. Carroll Homestead, a former farm representative of early settlers, is our final visit of the day.

Here is some video taken from our lunch spot: Gentle waves distorting the sea floor in Pretty Marsh Harbor, Acadia National Park, Maine, 27 Sep 2004 (17 MB, 61 sec)

Lobster Boat Shells
These shells are handmade from fiberglass. It takes about 2 weeks starting from scratch to get them to this state. It takes at least another couple months to complete each boat, which can be customized as desired by the customer, which are mostly independent fishermen.
Bass Harbor Head Light
Reputedly one of the most photographed lighthouses on the east coast.
Bass Harbor Marsh
The only "pretty marsh" we located on western Mt Desert Island was actually named Bass Harbor Marsh. We only managed that because we drove right by it looking for someplace else.
Remote Control Napkins
This photo is for all my engineering friends. A small filling station has an ice-cream shop out back, and this is how you tell them you are waiting to be served. Buttons, remote control, napkins, a hand-written sign, and duct tape.

1) The button is a remote control for a door chime which rings inside the ice cream stand to alert them to new customers at the window. 2) The button is duct taped onto a napkin dispenser. 3) It really, really works.
Antique Mower
Found at the Carroll Homestead, a preserved homestead from early settlers on Mt Desert Island.

28 Sep 04 – Otter Point, Acadia National Park, Maine
Seeking wireless internet access to update this weblog, we visit Northeast Harbor Library. For the most part we stay out of the rain and enjoy this homey library, venturing out only to have a quick lunch of PB&J.

Northeast Harbor Library Lunch

We finally force ourselves to leave the warm confines of the library to join a park ranger to explore Otter Point for a drizzly nature hike in mid-afternoon. But following directions of park personnel we mistakenly believe the ranger has already left with the group, and we hustle uphill north along Gorham Mountain Trail. Quizzing other hikers coming down, we realize the ranger is not ahead of us. We bound back down the trail, and find our group across the Park Loop Road, already started south along Ocean Path.

Old Man's Beard Lichen
Dawn and I both really liked the ranger giving the talk this afternoon, who had a first career as a school teacher. After the formal talk, as we walked along talking about personal matters, she offered this advice which has stayed with me: "Life is all about choices."

After a week-long visit we are ready to conclude our stay, and the rain helps encourage us to move along. But it has been a week of incredible scenery.

Lobster Boat in Fog