Elevation gain: 1520 feet
Trails used: Mount Kineo Trail, bushwhack.
Highlight(s): summit canister on Mount Kineo, open woods bushwhack.
Type of Hike: Trailed, bushwhack.
Views: No
I was off Wednesday (and hiked), I worked yesterday so I couldn't hike, and Sunday I wasn't sure if I wanted to hike or just stay home. I figured if I hiked, I wanted something on the easy side to do and after talking with my friend Keith, I decided on doing Mount Kineo which is located in Ellsworth, New Hampshire and in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Mount Kineo is also the highest point in Ellsworth.
I had been to Mount Kineo once before five years ago, and it is an awesome area for moose and bushwhacking. Thus, I would have a few objectives for the day: hike the section of the Mount Kineo Trail to the height of land, go to the summit of Mount Kineo, and look for moose antlers along the way. The weather was going to be nice with a slight chance of rain (which would make the day comfortable) but the bugs were going to be out, as usual.
I tried driving up this side road off of Hubbard Brook Road that takes you to the Mount Kineo Trailhead but was stopped by two big tree's across the road. It was 0.2 miles from where I parked to the trailhead.
The start of the Mount Kineo Trail on the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest side. I would take the Mount Kineo Trail to the height of land, and then bushwhack to the summit.
The Mount Kineo Trail was moderately steep and pretty easy to follow. I was surprised to see blazes occasionally, and there were quite a few wet areas with bog bridges that have seen better days sadly.
I passed this game camera that is right along the Mount Kineo Trail. They monitor wildlife using the trail and I am sure I am on one of the pictures now.
The wide open woods as I begin the bushwhack to the summit of Mount Kineo. There was moose poop everywhere up on the summit ridge.
The canister and sign on the wooded, view-less summit of Mount Kineo (elevation: 3313 feet).
I decided to deviate from my tracks going to the summit of Mount Kineo, and headed northeast through open woods all the way back to the Mount Kineo Trail.
On the bushwhack down from the summit of Mount Kineo, I came across the last resting spot of a moose which consisted of hair and bones.
A feeder stream of Hubbard Brook that I crossed on the way back to the Mount Kineo Trail. That blurry object on the left is a black fly, which were swarming today.
I found a really old moose antler (well probably about 1/10th of it as it was chewed pretty extensively) and not much else. It is a pretty moose heavy area as evidenced by the moose poop scattered everywhere as well as plenty of herd paths. I saw no other animals, nor did I see anyone else until I was driving on Hubbard Brook Road to leave. The black fly swarm was out in force, and only got worse when I stopped or when I was back at the car. It was still just as nice of a hike as the first time I did Mount Kineo.
Very cool!
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