I joined the Appalachian Mountain Club for this hike, though apparently Mother’s Day isn’t the most popular day for hiking, as there were only four of us on the hike. The hike began where the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail crosses route 106.
9:38 a.m.: We began hiking south on the Ramapo-Dunderberg (red-blazed) trail, starting at about 900′ elevation and climbing Tom Jones Mountain.
9:46 a.m.: After about 0.6 miles, we had climbed to the peak of Tom Jones Mountain, at 1270′.
Tom Jones Mountain
Tom Jones Mountain
10:10 a.m.: For the next 0.6 miles, we descended about 100′ and then reclimbed the 100′, then continued along a fairly level stretch, to the peak of Parker Cabin Mountain at 1250′.
Parker Cabin Mountain
10:15 a.m.: We had a view of Lake Sebago to the south.
Lake Sebago, from Parker Cabin Mountain
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail
10:17 a.m.: We turned south onto the yellow-blazed Triangle trail, which descended sharply. We were immediately faced with a short scramble down. Here it is, from the bottom looking up.
Scramble on Triangle Trail
10:38 a.m.: After descending 400′, Lake Skenonta came into view through the trees. This small lake, at 829′, had been hidden from view from the peak of Parker Cabin Mountain.
Lake Skenonta
The lake included small islands:
Lake Skenonta
The same island, from a different angle:
Lake Skenonta
We crossed a rocky area:
Crossing a rocky area
Another small island in the lake:
Lake Skenonta
10:57 a.m.: Before long, Lake Sebago came into view. This lake is at 771′ elevation.
Lake Sebago
Lake Sebago
11:21 a.m.: The Triangle trail ended, and we followed the White Bar trail for 0.2 miles, passing by the Dutch Doctor shelter.
Dutch Doctor Shelter
11:25 a.m.: We turned west onto the Tuxedo-Mt Ivy red-blazed trail, crossing a brook that was filled with green algae.
Tuxedo-Mount Ivy Trail
11:50 a.m.: Over the course of 1.3 miles on the Tuxedo-Mt Ivy trail, we had a strenuous climb to 1020′, then descended about 100′ to Claudius Smith Den, with a nice view to the west. We stopped there for lunch. The peak is named for a notorious Tory outlaw, hanged in 1779, who supposedly used caves at the base of the peak to hide stolen horses.
Claudius Smith Den
12:14 p.m.: After a short lunch, we continued to the north on the White Cross trail.
White Cross Trail
White Cross Trail
12:20 p.m.: There were a few level spots on the hike, and the White Cross trail was not that bad.
White Cross Trail
White Cross Trail
12:27 p.m.: Most fallen trees were cleared from trails, but this one was apparently left on purpose, providing a minor obstacle.
Fallen tree blocks White Cross Trail
12:56 p.m.: After 1.9 miles, we reached the end of the White Cross trail. This ended around 1040′, at the Ramapo-Dunderberg trail, about 0.3 miles past where we had left the trail in the morning to take the Triangle Trail.
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail
1:01 p.m.: We then had to climb 200′ to reach the summit of Parker Cabin Mountain.
Parker Cabin Mountain
Parker Cabin Mountain
1:20 p.m.: This is somewhere between Parker Cabin Mountain and Tom Jones Mtn.
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail
1:38 p.m.: From Tom Jones Mountain, looking southeast.
Tom Jones Mountain
View from Tom Jones Mountain
1:41 p.m.: Heading back to the car.
Ramapo-Dunderberg Trail
1:49 p.m.: Considered one of the most beautiful cars ever made, someone had bravely taken this Jaguar E-Type (Series II, 1969-71) into the park, and had left it next to my beat-up Camry.
Jaguar E-Type
So this was an 8 mile hike, with a fair amount of elevation changes, and we finished it in the blazingly fast time of just over four hours. I didn’t know that I could hike that fast. If I had been on my own, I would have moved more slowly. But it was a good workout.