Northern Maine in Winter

I have lived most of my life in north central Maine in the Moosehead Lake region. As a child, I remember Maine winters to be desolate and cold. Few people dared or cared to venture into the depths of the Maine woods except the lumbermen, trappers, and the ice fishermen. Winter was long, snowy, cold and trying.

The weather hasn't changed a lot since then, although many people feel that it is getting milder. But the attitude has changed entirely. No longer is Maine isolated. With snowmobiling, skiing, and other outdoor sports thriving, and with improvements in the roads and road maintenance, Maine and the Moosehead Lake region has gone through a metamorphosis. Year-round camps, motels and restaurants, the ski area, cross country ski trails, and ice fishing bring thousands of visitors into the Moosehead region in winter.

Yet winter is still harsh here. The first snow often flies in October and by mid November we often have snow that stays till April or May. Lakes and ponds begin freezing over in November and the ice can get as thick as four feet during an especially harsh winter. Often the ice doesn't leave lakes in the Moosehead region until the second week of May.

Granted there are many areas of Canada and the northern regions of the US with comparable or more severe winters, but Moosehead Lake is only six hours drive from Boston and only an hour and a half from Bangor International Airport.It is very accessible to winter recreationalists in the northeast or anywhere in the world.

People often don't realize the difference between northern Maine and southern Maine in winter. Many areas of southern and coastal Maine get as much or more snow than Greenville gets. Very often we seem to be on the cold side of snow storms with the heavier snowfall along the coast.

The difference is that when snow falls in Greenville, it usually is here to stay for the duration of the winter. Rains that frequent southern Maine and remove their snow cover often bring sleet or snow to northern Maine. Snow in the woods can get to be four or five feet deep, sometimes without a single hard crust. Step off a snowmobile into snow like this and you cam sink up to your waist. But drive a hundred miles south and there may be spots of bare ground showing!

For this reason, most winter adventurers stick to the marked trails. Even though skiers and snowshoers can go virtually anywhere they choose - most land in northern Maine is not posted - breaking trail in deep snow can be an exhausting experience. Walking without snowshoes or skis is sometimes possible on packed trails or heavy crust, but can lead the unwary hiker into serious difficulty.

If you plan to be outdoors in northern Maine in the winter, come prepared. Strong northwest winds, short days with a low sun and long nights, and cold temperatures often team up to provide challenging conditions for anyone outdoors in the depths of the Maine winter. I refer you to experts on outdoor survival such as LL Bean and Outward Bound for information here. Traditionally, wool and felt were the staples here, but modern lightweight synthetics and "layering" have become very popular.

Do some planning. If you are new to outdoor survival, spend some time in Maine before you adventure out. Ask around about weather conditions and hazards such as thin ice and dangerous "ice ridges" or roads that don't get plowed. Always be prepared to find slush on top of the ice on the lakes or ponds any time during the winter. Slush can bog down the tracks of snowmobiles and stop skiers or snowshoers dead in their tracks. The air is often cold enough so that slush immediately freezes to your gear as soon as it gets on it, coating skis or snowshoes with heavy ice. I have seen four to six inches of slush on top of lake ice three feet thick in the middle of February.

If you are really looking for adventure, contact one of the local flying services. They usually have Cessna single engine airplanes on skis that can take off and land on any of Maine's remote lakes quickly placing you in the midst of Maine's most remote areas. Flying in a small single engine plane in the winter in northern Maine is a truly unique experience that almost defies words to describe. You really should try it at least once in your life if you have any desire to fly

Snowmobiling has become a very popular outdoor sport. The Moosehead Lake region has trails that tie into the ITS trail system which connects trails from north, east, south, and west into a maze that you can spend days exploring. The deep snow and long winters provide good snowmobiling here when the trails just fifty miles south are rough and icy.

Big Squaw Mountain hosts one of the northeast's most affordable downhill ski areas. There are several cross country trail systems in the area. Check local merchants for the latest snowshoe gear too. And if fishing is your thing, Moosehead Lake is known for its ice fishing. Come prepared, because the winds on Moosehead can blow right through you if you aren't dressed for them.

But do come and enjoy the beauty and isolation of the north Maine woods. Bring your cameras because the contrast of the bright, glistening snow, the deep blue sky, and the dark green spruce forests provide some spectacular scenes.

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Last Updated on December 1, 1997 by Bill Walden