THINGS TO DO • THE GROWING ECONOMY • KATAHDIN AREA WINTERFEST
DISCOVER THE KATAHDIN REGION
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020 • SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
...in the Snow
5 WAYS TO ENJOY THE KATAHDIN REGION
BY JOSH DEAKIN
T
he Katahdin region is known for its peaceful beauty, drawing large numbers of tourists from both around Maine and out-of-state throughout the warmer months of the summer. There are gorgeous waterfront cabins available for rent and plenty of hiking trails ranging from easy to exceptionally difficult, offering amazing views and photo ops. But what doesn’t always get the attention it deserves is the area’s wide range of winter activities. Here’s just a taste of the cold weather fun to explore around the Katahdin region.
1. ICE FISHING
Late afternoon ice fishing on Ambajejus Lake. PHOTO: JOSH DEAKIN
Ice fishing will always be eclipsed by its summer counterpart, but it can be just as much fun. The Katahdin region caters to people in search of a fishing experience through various ice fishing tournaments and events in the area. A few notable ones this February: the Schoodic Lake Ice Fishing Derby and the Katahdin Area Winterfest’s ice fishing events for all ages. The region is dotted with bodies of water of all sizes that are ready to be fished. The most important thing to keep in mind when ice fishing is to carefully take note of how deep the ice goes. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife offers charts and tips online to help determine when it’s safe to go out on the ice. Keeping this in mind, ice fishing provides a great alternative until open-water season begins in April.
2. SNOWSHOEING & SKIING The Katahdin region is covered with various hiking trails to different scenic views. In the winter, these trails are often repurposed to serve a group of people devoted to strapping on snowshoes and cross-country skis. Baxter State Park is available for those willing to take on the famous trails in the frigid temperatures of winter. In addition, there are other popular spots such as the Bait Hole trails which offer an easy experience for a novice in the sport. People venturing to this spot will have nearly 7 miles of terrain on groomed trails to give snowshoeing or cross-country skiing a try — and see some gorgeous scenic views of the area in the process. ©COLIN & ©JAG_CZ/ADOBE STOCK
3. WINTER HIKING Hiking in the winter can offer an entirely different experience compared to the summertime. There are a completely new set of hazards to keep in mind that come with the climate change, however. One area of the Katahdin region that has sparked great interest in wintertime hiking is the pinnacle of Maine mountaineering: Mount Katahdin. Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine at 5,267 feet, lies within Baxter State Park — the largest attraction to the Katahdin region. Climbing the mountain in the winter is not an easy feat to say the least and can take multiple days to complete. This results in climbers also facing the elements overnight to camp in the snow, which is always in abundance around the mountain. Hikers will need to either snowshoe or cross-country ski to the base of the mountain before strapping on crampons and venturing up the literal slippery slope. Once at the top of the mountain, the views are absolutely breathtaking. Visit baxterstatepark.org/winter-basics for tips on winter hiking. A lean-to at Abol Campground during a winter hiking trip to climb Mount Katahdin. BDN FILE PHOTO
4. SNOWMOBILING
Maine’s Interconnected Trail System (ITS) runs right through downtown Millinocket. It’s a perfect hub for anyone wanting to explore the area via ATV or snowmobile and see scenic views that aren’t available any other way. People travel from all over searching for perfect snowmobile trails to travel on and new areas to explore. Camps and even houses in town are rented out for various spans of time for out-of-staters to take in the natural beauty the Katahdin region has to offer. There are numerous local snowmobiling clubs in the area to check out, including East Branch Sno-Rovers of Medway and Northern Timber Cruisers of Millinocket. One excellent journey on a snow-sled is the Ghost Trains of the Allagash. The “Ghost Trains” are long abandoned locomotives located on a spot of land near Eagle Lake in Piscataquis County. The route to get to these trains will take tourists on an adventure complete with fantastic views of Mount Katahdin and the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. The route begins just north of Millinocket on ITS 85/86. A freshly groomed snowmobile trail off the Golden Road. PHOTO: JOSH DEAKIN
5. VISIT A MUSEUM
If you’re looking for an indoor activity, the Northern Maine Timber Cruisers of Millinocket also have a snowmobile museum. The facility features 36 antique snowmobiles for the historian within all of us, half of which are strictly Polaris models. The museum is located near the Northern Timber Cruisers snowmobile clubhouse and is an excellent place to spend some time and explore.
©BORTN66 & ©TARASOV_VL /ADOBE STOCK
These are just a few suggestions for the area’s many options for winter activities. Take the time to explore all that the Katahdin region has to offer and make lots of memories in the process.