Acadia National Park - Cadillac Mountain

May 13, 2012

1:30pm - 4:45pm

North Ridge Trail - 4.4 Miles

Dorr Mountain Summit Trail - 1.2 Miles

Difficulty: Intermediate


This blog was created as a way to keep donors up-to-date with my training for the 26 mile Xtreme Hike to benefit Cystic Fibrosis.  To make a donation to our team, please go to http://www.cff.org/LWC/hiketocurecf

Nothing like seeing the sunrise as you drive especially after you've decided to wake up at 4am to take a five hour drive so you can hike both weekend days, but that is what I chose to do Sunday morning.  After the easier hike on Saturday, I was looking for something with a little more of a challenge, so I decided why not drive five hours each way to Acadia National Park and do both a summit climb and a cliff climb.  

When I first arrived I decided to take a lap around the park in the car and take in some of the sights and sounds. I pulled over in numerous areas and even took a stroll on the beaches.  The water was quite cold and tide was really low:

For the hike, I researched within Acadia the most difficult trails and came across the "Precipice Trail" which was a 1.2 mile straight up hike on the cliffs of Champlain Mountain, but of course the trail was closed until August due to local falcons mating and nesting near the cliffs.  Guess it was a good thing since this is what it would've been like for about the hour and a half ascent; I will definitely be going back at the end of the summer to complete it!!

Instead, I settled for the North Ridge Trail up Cadillac Mountain which is roughly a 4.5 mile loop to the summit; I was looking to do the 7.5 mile South Ridge Trail, but could not find the entrance driving around the park, so before it got too late, I went with the North Ridge.  The trail started up with a quick 100 foot incline up a bunch of rocks, but then leveled out to old glacial rocks that were pretty easy to ascend. 

Halfway up the trail it really started to open up and the views of the Gulf of Maine and Bar Harbor were magnificent.  You were able to see the vast majority of the eastern and southern parts of the park, but the fog that developed obscured the view of the black mountains in the distance.

After about an hour and a half or so, I made it to the summit where it was quite calm and not that chilly, although that may have been because I was still trying to cool down from hiking up.  While on the summit, I learned that the top of Cadillac Mountain is actually the highest point an the Atlantic Coast, so I guess that is something to add to my list of accomplishments!!  Of all the people at the top, I think I was part of the 1% that actually hiked as just about everyone decided to take the drive along the Summit Road.  

There is something about climbing rather than driving that makes you appreciate the views that much more because you know that you worked for them.  I was glad I left though when I did as it began to downpour and that would've really sucked to have been stuck in the chilly weather soaking wet. After the rain passed, I was left with one last surprise from mother nature and that was a double rainbow that showed up for a few minutes. 

This next weekend I will have time for just one hike and it is planned to be Wachusett Mountain on Saturday morning.  Looks like the weather will be great once again!!!