Orange and Black Trail and Champlain Mountain

Talk about a dire, but warranted, warning. Today's hike started from the lab and headed up the park loop road. We walked all the way over to the Precipice trail head. However, we only remained on the Precipice trail as long as it took to get to the junction with the Orange and Black trail (formerly East trail). The plan was to take Orange and Black north then the Champlain north ridge (Bear brook trail) to reach the summit (1,058 feet) before returning via the Beachcroft trail by Huguenot head. The mileage was somewhere around 3-4 miles and took about 2.5 hours to complete.

 

[image error]

The climb up the beginning of Precipice was steep, but that only meant the ocean views were quickly achieved. We went up. We went down. We went over boulders. And under them.

 

 

 

 Lots of rock and lots of climbing. It was so much fun, but by no means an easy hike. While the Precipice trail veered off to go straight up Champlain, the Orange and Black continues up and down towards the north until another junction takes you back to the park loop road or up to the north ridge of Champlain.

 

After the ups and downs of Orange and Black, the rest of the way up Champlain was a piece of cake. Still about a 45 degree angle, completely exposed to the hot July sun. However, it was flat.

 

At the top, we were greeted by scores of ambitious young people who had braved the Precipice trail to reach the top. That hike will have to wait until late August, at least for me. Rested, fed, and watered, it was with great joy that we headed down Beachcroft. 

 

 

 

The stone work in Acadia National Park is wonderful. I'm constantly amazed at the trails. Beyond Huguenot head, the trail becomes a switch back of sloping cobble stones and steps. All too soon we were back to route 3 and heading towards to lab.

  huguenot