| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
North Kennebago Divide, White Cap Mountain, Boundary Peak, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Porter Brook Road, bushwhack, boundary swath |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, July 1, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Wiggle Brook Road, Porter Brook Road, and the bridges are in great shape! The logging company has repaired the previously sketchy bridge over Porter Brook Road. I was able to drive a low clearance, front wheel drive car to about half a mile within the start of the Kennebago Divide bushwhack, but I could have driven further in. Another couple who were also finishing drove their jeep nearly all the way to the end of Porter Brook Road. I parked at 45.22408, -70.84695 |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Some minor stream crossings, all of which were fine. Significant mud in places, particularly along the boundary cut, west of Dennison bog |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Bugs are relentless. I've never seen them this bad. I ended up hardly stopping to rest all day, just because as soon as you stop moving, they swarm on you. Bring a bug net and prepare to suffer. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Kennebago Divide, White Cap, and Boundary for my New England Hundred Highest Finish! I also did Cupsuptic Snow to start the day, which I wrote a separate report about. I was initially more concerned about the drive in than the hike, but the roads are in excellent condition right now and passable with any car.
I knew a lot of people followed the path up the col between KD and White Cap, and maybe I should have too, but I bushwhacked directly up the ridge to KD.I followed moose trails off the road, entering the woods at 45.22088, -70.83500. After crossing Porter Brook, I had to traverse a wide area of logging slash which was covered in waist high raspberry bushes which was tough going and absolutely shredded my shins. I spooked a young bull moose on the way up the slope. I eventually broke through to the herd path on the very buggy summit.
I followed the herd path down towards White Cap, but lost it at one point, heading too far down the slope, before bushwhacking back up to the ridge and finding it again. There's a pretty well established path up to White Cap and the going was easy at this point.
After summiting White Cap, my plan was to bushwhack west towards the easier hiking along the Border Cut, avoiding going towards Dennison Bog. There's a short section of herd path off the summit, but it disappears pretty quickly. It took about an hour of pretty tough bushwhacking before I came out at the upper end of Porter Brook Road at 45.23298, -70.83122, which there is just an overgrown logging road. Getting there I had to cross another wide area of old logging slash, which was again covered in raspberry bushes, but gave very nice views across Dennison bog and the border peaks.
I followed the logging road for a bit before bushwhacking north-west, eventually connection with the boundary cut at 45.23506, -70.83754. From there it was somewhat easier going along the boundary cut, up over Monument 450 peak then dropping steeply down along the west side of the bog, past all of the hunting blinds and salt licks. It is very wet and boggy in this area and hard to avoid the mud. After that, there was the final steep rollercoaster over three small peaks, before finally arriving at Boundary (Panther)! There were some decent views back towards the Whites, but it was a little hazy/smokey.
From there, I retraced my steps along the boundary cut, and after a short bushwhack, I reconnected with the upper part of Porter Brook Road, for the final walk back to the car. Even with some pretty tough bushwhacking, the whole loop ended up being 13.4 miles in almost exactly 6 hours. |
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 | Name: |
ges |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-07-05 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.facebook.com/groups/100highest/permalink/4282496578641180/ |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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