Part Time Vagabond » TRIP REPORT

TRIP REPORT: Portland Trails – Fore River Sanctuary

ChrisCavs — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:00:34 +0000

Spring was definitely in the air last weekend in Maine, and I’d be damned if I wasn’t going to take advantage of warm temps and sunny skies. After hitting up a nice brunch, my friend Bryan and I set out for a leisurely hike on our local Portland Trails system at the Fore River Sanctuary.

We started our trip out at the Congress St. trailhead near the south end of the Sanctuary. Jewell Falls is the highlight of this easy loop hike, right in the middle of Maine’s largest city, Portland. The Fore River Sanctuary covers 85 acres of lowlands, an area where fresh water from the Fore River meets saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean. The area provides great birdwatching opportunities, as well as a respite from the grind of daily life in the city.

This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip here instead.

The Sanctuary is easily accessible from many residential side streets, but almost immediately you forget you’re in a city. The pines and oaks seem to silence the usual din, and you’re left with soft winds and quiet waters. That is, of course, until you come upon Jewell Falls, an approximately 30 foot waterfall – Portland’s only natural water fall.

A short time-lapse video of Jewell Falls.

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Trip Report – Presumpscot River Sanctuary

ChrisCavs — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:27 +0000

Chris Cavs at the Presumpscot River Preserve.

Big cities always have something to hide. And when you think of the secrets of a big city, you usually imagine them to be bad secrets. But when it comes to Portland – Maine’s largest city – those secrets are more like hidden treasures. Not many people know about them, but those who do are among a very special group. And so it is with Portland Trails, a network of multi-use trails all tucked away within the borders of Maine’s metropolis. My friend Bryan and I count ourselves among the special group of outdoors enthusiasts who know about these trails. And one day last week, we set out to find some of Portland’s amazing treasures.

Dead End Road

We set out from my apartment in downtown Portland at around ten in the morning, plugged some coordinates into my compadre’s GPS unit, and headed toward the Presumpscot River Sanctuary. Most of the Portland Trails trailheads lie at the end of dead-end residential streets, most times only marked with a small but colorful sign. We really didn’t need the GPS, as the directions are fairly simple, but to be safe, we used it anyway. Plus, we’re geeks, and we like techy gadgets. The Presumpscot River Sanctuary trails feature a canoe and kayak portage around Presumpscot Falls, a short section of rapids that breaks the relative tranquility of the surrounding river. I assume that due to this portage, a small parking area was built at the trailhead.

Walking less than a quarter of a mile, we came upon a break in the treeline. The glistening water drew us closer as we headed to a T-junction in the trail. We took a right down the trail that follows the beautiful Presumpscot River, stopping every few hundred yards at small outcroppings or breaks in the foliage to admire the view over the river. The trails are well used, but they’re also well maintained and obviously well loved. Man-made staircases lead down some of the steeper sections of the river bank to the water below, where I could imagine sitting for hours casting a line.

Presumpscot Falls

As Bryan and I walked further downstream, we happened upon signs for the river’s portage, where kayakers and canoeists can hop out of the river before they inadvertently shoot down what looks to be class 3 or 4 rapids. You can’t really see or hear Presumpscot Falls until you’re nearly on top of them. A slight bend in the river combined with a short uphill keeps the falls out of sight for much of the hike. But when you do finally happen upon them, the roar of the crashing water and sight of foaming curls makes for an intense and exciting experience.

Stomping down a quick downhill nearby, I noticed an interpretive sign posted by the Portland Trails organization. Apparently in the 1700s, early settlers to the area had built a dam just downstream from the falls in order to capture some of the power of the river. Mills were built, and the falls were covered by the high waterline. Later, what was known as the Smelt Hill Dam was turned into a hydroelectric facility that helped power the nearby community. Flooding and storm damage eventually shut down the facility, and in 2006, the State of Maine deconstructed the dam, finally revealing Presumpscot Falls after more than 260 years.

We spent a few minutes exploring the area around the falls, and just past them, you come to the end of the Portland Trails owned land. You can head onto private property beyond, but beware because at that point, you’re trespassing and that information is posted. A few hundred feet past the end of the trail is the recovered land where the Smelt Hill Dam used to reside. I don’t recommend you go down there, but if you do, be prepared to talk to unhappy landowners. I, for one, am prone to exploring reclaimed and/or abandoned areas, so take that as you will.

Upstream

After spending a good amount of time at the falls, we headed back upstream and hiked past the approach trail we had taken to the river walk. The trail winds its way NorthWest following the contour of the river. At several points we noticed small offshoot trails, marked “Loop,” which take you up into the woods and back down to the trail. We continued our hike over a few trail bridges and made our way towards the area where Interstate 95 passes over the trail. We stopped at a tree whose boughs overhang the river. The tree is perfect for a tree swing, and I’m sure that’s exactly what hangs there during the summer months. As the mid-Autumn daylight began to fade, Bryan and I took one last look at the beautiful Presumpscot River, then set off for the trailhead. It was time for a late lunch.

Short, but Satisfying

The entire Presumpscot River Sanctuary trail system only covers approximately 2.5 miles overall, but it feels like an oasis in the middle of the brick and concrete of Portland and its suburbs. The main attraction is, of course, the river itself, but the rest of the sanctuary offers a richness of flora and fauna that will make you forget that you’re still within Portland’s borders. Spend a few hours wandering the trails, staring at the rapids, or dropping a fishing line into the river. It’s a great local refuge from the busy-ness of city life.

For more info on the Presumpscot River Sanctuary, or to learn about the rest of the Portland Trails system, visit www.trails.org.

To view more images from the trip to Presumpscot River Preserve, Go HERE!

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S24O Video Update #2

ChrisCavs — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:30:16 +0000

From day 2 of my first S24O camping trip. Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

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S24O Recap

ChrisCavs — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:30:54 +0000

My first S24O camping trip was a mixed bag of complete success and utter failure. And I totally expected both. (For those who don’t know, S24O stands for “Sub-24-hour-Overnight” camping, where you get to a camping spot, usually by riding your bike, set up, eat dinner, chat by the campfire, sleep, then head in to work the next morning. The great thing is you can do it any day of the week, so long as you’re in riding/driving distance of work.)

Successes:

Found the campground and got a nice site
Hiked to the top of Bradbury Mountain with a loaded backpack
Had a roaring campfire all to myself
Finished a book by headlamp/campfire light
Learned a lot about my current gear
Started (almost) a fire using magnesium firestarter

Failures:

Lost my $115 Oakley sunglasses on the trail
Found my gear to be incredibly bulky and heavy
Forgot the battery to my camera
Trekking pole lost parts
Insufficient amount of water
I have no rain gear
Headlamp died
Knee started to hurt
Chafing. Enough said.

General Observations:

Need insoles and taller socks for boots
Heavy cook kit
Tent was heavy, too big for one person
Need to improve my backpacking skills
Found out there’s apparently a pocket for a water bladder in my pack. Will need to use that in the future

Overall, I consider the trip a success. It’s a great way for me to both get outside to enjoy camping and have a nice campfire, and also to test my gear and my skills. I love that I was able to find out what works and what doesn’t, and seriously improve upon my techniques. In the spring, if I’ve been able to meet a few goals, I’ll get a new touring bike with panniers and do an S24O on my bike.

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S24O Video Update #1

ChrisCavs — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:30:42 +0000

From the first day of my S24O camping trip. Monday, September 21, 2009.

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16 Hours of Camping

ChrisCavs — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:59:40 +0000

Today I embark upon my first sub twenty-four hour camping trip, and although I’ve done zero preparation for this overnight stay, I’m upbeat and excited. It’s about 8:45 on Monday morning, and despite an allergy attack yesterday that had me laid up in bed, I’m ready to go with allergy meds and Breathe Right nasal strips. I will be a breathing machine.

The plan as it stands is to pack everything in my giant Lowe Alpine backpack, a behemoth with nearly 5000 cubic inches of cargo space and pockets galore. I bought this pack around 1997 for multi-day backpacking trips, but it’s hardly been used for that purpose, and now that I’m 12 years older, I’m thinking a smaller, more compact and lightweight model would be better for me. For now, though, I’m taking it with me to test how well the pack and I hold up.

Once I’m packed, I’ll head up to Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal, ME, pick a campsite, and then do some day hiking, pack fully loaded. I’ll make sure to take some video and post it up here on the site after I get back. Since moving to Maine, I’ve only spent one night in the woods, so you can imagine how much I’m looking forward to this. I only wish I’d realized I could do this sooner!

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Kayaking with the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery School

ChrisCavs — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:30:28 +0000

L.L. Bean is well known for it’s preppy clothes, camping supplies, and the “Bean Boot.” What most people don’t know is that many of the retail stores offer the Outdoor Discovery School, where adventuresome people can take a few hours – or a few days – to learn a fun and exciting outdoor activity. Since I’ve been dying to get into a kayak this summer, I decided to partake in one of L.L. Bean’s Walk-On Adventures, offered at the Freeport, Maine flagship store.

I made the 20 minute trek from Portland to Freeport with my friend Bryan, where we were lucky to fill in the last two spots on the 12:00 P.M. kayak adventure. The $15 trips fill up fast and early, and they don’t accept advance reservations, so you should get there early to sign up. Trips run everyday from June through September, and then run on a less frequent schedule until mid-October. When noon rolled around, an L.L. Bean guide herded us into a small bus, and we were on our way to Wolf Neck Woods State Park where we would gear up and head out to the Harraseeket River.

Showing professionalism and courtesy, the guides – Paul and Moe – introduced themselves and went over some safety rules and the process for getting into the kayaks. After some group introductions, we were fitted with paddles, PFDs (Personal Floatation Devices; a.k.a, life vests), and watershoes. A short hike through a small pasture led us to a grass outcropping where Paul went over proper paddling technique while Moe readied the kayaks. A few minutes later, we were on the dock climbing into the slim, colorful plastic boats. With everyone in the water, we shoved off and began our trek.

Hugging the coastline, we paddled through a high tide – the Harraseeket is a tidal river – and calm waters. Though a storm threatened in the skies, the sun managed to stay out for most of the trip giving us beautiful vistas the whole way. Mary and David, a couple from Boston, sat in a yellow tandem, Mary in front and David playing the part of sternman. Though David had some previous kayaking experience, novice Mary was a bit apprehensive from the start, and had apparently been a bit nervous the day before when stormy weather called off their first trip. Today, though she still didn’t have her sea legs and her nerves were a bit shaky, she climbed willingly enough into the kayak. A few nervous yelps and some splashing later, Mary was laughing with delight and paddling as hard as she could, David doing all he could to keep up with her. Kayaking, even for beginners, is truly addicting.

As we made our way downriver, a high pitched chirp pulled our attention to the treeline. A large brown Osprey thrashed from its perch about 100 yards in front of us and soared over our heads as we approached. Though it’s never guaranteed, wildlife is usually a part of these tours, and Bald Eagles have been known to frequent the area from time to time. Though we didn’t see any eagles this time, the Ospreys provided a great – albeit short – step into the wilderness.

After what seemed like an entirely too short hour of paddling, Paul and Moe rounded up the new paddlers and shepherded us back to the dock. Twenty minutes later, our little group was back at the L.L. Bean barn, doffing our PFDs and watershoes and sharing knowing looks as the next group of kayakers gathered their gear. Smiles were plenty when we stepped back on the bus, but everyone was quiet. Though I’m sure the group was simply tired out from paddling the placid waters, I like to think we were all contemplating when we’d be able to make our next kayak adventure a reality.

The LowDown

L.L. Bean Kayaking Walk-on Adventure

PROS:

Inexpensive

All equipment provided

Knowledgeable, friendly guides

CONS:

Too little time on water

Dependent on weather conditions

More Information:

Walk-on Adventures include kayaking, archery, clay shooting, and fly casting

Hours and Adventures offered may vary by location

Outdoor Discovery School offers Walk-ons, Weekend Adventures, and Family Outings

*Disclosure: I am a seasonal employee at L.L. Bean in Freeport. I enjoy my job there, and I think that L.L. Bean is a good company. However, I try to remain as unbiased as possible in anything I write about the company and its products. Honesty is the best policy.