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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks North Kennebago Divide, Whitecap Mountain, Boundary Peak, ME
Trails
Trails: Porter Brook Road, herd paths, bushwhacks, boundary swath
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Sunday, September 5, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: We parked on Porter Brook rd as far as we could drive in our VW wagon. This is where the herd path starts. To get here we drove down Morton Cutoff, turned right onto Lincoln Pond Rd and once over the Kennebago River bridge we turned left onto Kennebago River Rd, then left onto Wiggle Brook Rd and then right onto Oxbow East rd and finally left onto Porter Brook rd. Most roads pretty good with occasional rocks and potholes. Watch for logging trucks during the week as they have right of way. From Morton Cutoff to Porter Brook was approx 1hr of driving time. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: No water crossings to note. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Kind of funny because it's herd paths and bushwhacks so pretty much lots of tall grass, prickers, branches, blowdowns...you name it. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: No pups 
Bugs
Bugs: No bugs 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Found a green UST compass in the woods on the bushwhack from the cairn to the Kennebago Divide herd path. 
 
Comments
Comments: Porter Brook Road, herd path to cairn, bushwhack to herd path up to Kennebago Divide, herd path back to bushwhack to cairn to herd path to Whitecap, bushwhack from Whitecap to top of Porter Brook Road to swath and swath to Boundary Peak, then swath back to Porter Brook Road to car...phew!

Kennebago Divide:
The herd path to the cairn was straightforward. The bushwhack to the next herd path that leads to the summit was a whole different story. We kept getting turned around in the woods and started getting frustrated. We could hear voices and made our way back to the cairn, where we met another couple who were also getting turned around. We all agreed to team up and get through the damn bushwhack to the herd path and we did! Taking the herd path back down to bushwhack back to the cairn was easier.

Whitecap:
From the cairn we followed a well defined herd path to the summit. This is where we said farewell and broke off to bushwhack to Boundary Peak.

Boundary Peak (from Whitecap summit):
From the summit we started bushwhacking downhill and angling left. This bushwhack brought us through dense moss covered forest to open areas with very high grass, prickers and downed trees-former logging area. Then through a pine forest finally to the Porter Brook road but much higher up than where our car was parked. We followed this very overgrown logging road until we arrived at the swath which is the defined border between the USA and Canada. We followed this swath for approx 2.5 long miles to reach the summit of Boundary. This was a long and tiring hike because there were several ascents/descents which were steep like ski trails-almost vertical in many spots. Tons of tree stands/huts along the Canadian side with lots of salt licks. Saw quite a bit of moose tracks but unfortunately no moose. There were beautiful views in some spots and getting to this summit was very rewarding...but now we had to hike back! The hike back was even more tiring with the ups and downs. We followed the swath back to where it meets up with Porter Brook rd and took this very overgrown logging road back to our car. The best part of hiking Boundary is that I never have to hike it again!
 
Name
Name: Michelle 
E-Mail
E-Mail: jcmg2012@comcast.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-09-14 
Link
Link: https:// 
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