Bald Mountain

This June has been wet,cold, miserable. When the sun does shine, I'm too busy playing catch up. So the forecast for today was overcast, spotty showers in the mountains. Perfect conditins to go for a hike. At least it wasn't pouring rain.
So I went up Bald Mt. Its a small hill between Rangeley and Mooselookmeguntic Lakes. It's also one of the most popular trails here, and that's mainly due to it's accessibility. Doesn't mean that it is the best for the uneducated and out of shape masses. It usually claims it's share of broken and twisted ankles. But it's a beautiful mountain with great views and it's home.It has an observation tower on top.
I love being in the mountains in the clouds.

June 1.

Snow on the mountains around here. It looks like it started around 2500'. Gone by mid-day. Woke to a temperature of 34 f.

Spring Day on Aziscohos

One of the nice things about having mountains in your backyard is that you can go hike anytime you get the itching for it. So a trip out to Wilsons Mills and up Aziscohos Mt. Elevational differences in Maine's western mountains is wild. At Rangeley, (elevation 1518') it's at least 2 weeks behind Farmington (elevation 480'). Wilsons Mills (at the trailhead for the trail is 1730') and the Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) is in bloom, trout lily (Erythronium americanum) is out and the trilliums are bloomed. In Rangeley we only have trilliums in bloom. Aspens are out in both locales.

Black flies are hideous out to Wilsons Mills, just getting underway in Rangeley.

On top, a stiff breeze kept the blackflies at bay, while it made for some good acrobatics for s couple of mourning cloaks, the commas kept lower. While sitting watching the view,(Mt Washington was very clearly visible and remarkably I believe Katahdin was also spotted. A perfect day.

A trio of bald eagles soared overhead and then in habitat that I didn't expect it, a tiger beetle showed up.No sand, just spruce-fir trees and bare rock, scrub, lichens and moss. He was pretty, green head,thorax and abdomen, and bronzy elytra. Maculations were just dots, 4 I believe.

B&W

Southern view from Aziscohos Mt near the town of Wilsons Mills.

The view from there.

Last week I went up a local mountain, Aziscohos Mt. Trees are changing fast,and the colors are great this year. There used to be a Maine Forest Service firetower up there, but the state gave them up and finally cleaned out the structures. Hence the concrete posts.