Little Spencer Mountain: A Moosehead Lake Gem 11.30.13

[tomcat]

The mountains of the Mooshead Lake region are overlooked by many hikers. That's good for me because I get them to myself. The area is remote and getting to the trailhead is half the battle, especially if you aren't familiar with the area. One of the best in the region and finest views in Maine is Little Spencer Mtn. Little Spencer is probably the hardest hike in the Moosehead Lake area. Only 4 miles roundtrip but steep with lots of boulder field traverses, cliffs, and a rock chimney with a fixed rope.
I got in one last hike before the snow blocked the logging roads in the region until May mud season ends.
Only a dusting of snow was on the ground but the ice was treacherous at places, particularly the chimney.

I have a thorough report and lots of pics including some snow capped Katahdin shots from this hike at my blog
http://tomcatoutdoors.blogspot.com/2...-mountain.html

 

[bigbog]

Nice TR/pics tomcat.....

Shot from Lazy Tom Stream in summer........


..and driving in towards the NE end of BigSpencer Mtn...in summer.....one gets a unique angle of the mountain...looks a bit unreal in the July afternoon sun(90F day).


...looking at Little & BigSpencer Mtns(from the base of Farrar Mtn..10mi to the East)..

 

[ScottySkis]

Nice TR/pics tomcat.....

Shot from Lazy Tom Stream in summer........


..and driving in towards the NE end of BigSpencer Mtn...in summer.....one gets a unique angle of the mountain...looks a bit unreal in the July afternoon sun(90F day).


...looking at Little & BigSpencer Mtns(from the base of Farrar Mtn..10mi to the East)..

Looking beautiful and steep. Big Spencer ever have snowy fun trails for down hill?

 

[bigbog]

Best simple answer for me is "haven't found much yet" in the Spencers...but than I haven't been up for ~5yrs..has been too tight & rocky, but am always interested. It's north face certainly has the slope for something. There are obviously lines...but would need trimming imho. Maybe tomcat + others have...
GF has the snowmobile, I have the knowledge of where(sometimes works/sometimes I'm off) to the mountain ..pic @base meadow(Farrar) = East of main woods(dirt) road. Will find a map and get it up minimized.

 

[tomcat]

There may be very limited skiing on the lower flanks of Big Spencer the old cabin site. It is an old road. Otherwise the trail is very tight and very thick spruce. Little Spencer I suppose you could possibly ski the slides with deep snow but there are a lot of cliffs that you can't see from above. Access in winter is tough unless you have a snowmobile or plan for a long approach. Occasionally they cut along these roads in the winter but I've never been able to get closer than 6 miles to the Big Spencer Trailhead in winter. Never tried Little Spencer approach in heart of winter but chances are it would be long xc/snowshoe in without snowmobile.

 

[tomcat]

When I was at Big Spencer area in January a few years ago, the approach roads are very hard to follow when covered in snow. Numerous snowmobile trails pass through the area and all the other various logging roads look the same so it's hard to tell which is the correct route toward the trail head. Everything blends together.

 

[bigbog]

That is to say I haven't been up & in via 4wd, in winter, in roughly 5yrs. In spring-fall I'm in around them every month(canoe paddle at bottom of NE end of BigSpencer..then sightseeing tour) but haven't searched for any cutting roads/trails as much as I should...