If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there, does it make a sound? This is in reference to this site.
OK, so after GG's last TR on Acadia I thought I might give the day trip thing a shot. At least once.
Then last Thursday, Chronicle was on Acadia in winter. Bam! a done deal.

Looked at the forecast
for Saturday. Sunny!

Wind-chills as low as -15!

Let's do it.
I'm going to do the body of the report with the details first, then get to the pix. 2 things I wanted to
come away with here...Seeing the winter wonderland Acadia, and the lack of people. Only saw the latter.
Now I'll admit I haven't been paying much attention to the snow totals up there but I didn't thing the
January thaw we just had would wipe it out but it did. Totally! Not a trace left. The only sense of winter
I got was the ice. Which there was a fair amount of that on trail making things interesting. Other than
that, going by the pictures it could have been just stick season in November. This was a huge disappointment.
Sure, it made for easier hiking for the most part but I really wanted to see the place covered in snow.
But, the lack of people was unreal. Surreal actually. Saw no one. The feeling is indescribable.
Anyway, I checked to see what part of the park was open to come up with a plan. I did not want to hit
any new mountains as I'm going to try to finish the 26 with Becky who I think needs 3 to catch up.
I decided I'd do the quick shore drive since the park loop road is open from the main gate to
Otter Cliff Road. Then Start a hike from the Jordan Pond house sine that section of the loop road is open.
Finding the road that gets you to the gate wasn't easy since I've never gone in that way and it's not really
mentioned on the web-site. How I've gone all this time without knowing about this road is beyond me.
Unless the sign to Acadia is only up in winter so the body of traffic doesn't go that way the rest of the year.
At anyway rate, I found it and it afforded a really cool view of Mt. Champlain.

Not much happening on the shore drive. No snow, but no people.

Then it was off to the Jordan Pond House lot. Me and 4 others. Where they were I've no idea. Again, saw no one.

This was my plan. Hike Penobscot, Sargent, and the Bubbles. Do a little red-lining on the way ending up on
North Bubble for the sunset. Or what ever I'd have for a sunset as it went down behind Sargent. Turned out
to be not so great. Since the sun was still pretty high then, 4ish, not much for colors. It just dipped inconspicuously
behind Sargent. Not a true sunset really. I did not get a lot of red-lining in either, most of the trails I'd already been
on. New to me was the Spring Tr. to the Jordan Cliffs Tr. Jordan Cliffs Tr. (Yes, chanced that with possible bad ice.)
And the section of Sargent South Ridge between Maple Springs and the summit. Which I skipped to do Gilmore
a couple years ago.
So off I went. The Bubbles from the lawn.

Hitting the trails.

Hope this isn't a mistake!

So far so good.

First view.

Uh Oh! first sign.

Getting more consistent.

Glad the trail isn't up there.

I'd run into some pretty bad sections of ice all day but this was the scariest. As you can see it's only
about 10 feet long but no way around. Sheer ledge on the left. See you at the bottom on the right.

One thing I found out here was is not only do you have to be very careful about foot placement, you
also have to watch where you're putting a hand for support. Bracing yourself with your hand on ice
doesn't work. Had my hand slip as I was leaning on that ledge to the left.

This is where I could have gone.

Some interesting ice along the way.


This spot was bad too but you can see fairly easily bypassed.

Great view from some ledges below the summit.

Penobscot summit. Yet another sign missing where there was one on my last visit. Some people just
plain suck!

Couple summit shots. Finally, I see some ice to play on. Sargent Mtn Pond.



Off for Sargent Mtn. And as said, play on some ice. As that's another thing I thought I'd find. A frozen solid
Jordan Pond. This one worked though.
Sargent Mtn Pond. Wish I brought some skates. Skating on this would have been awesome!

Some cool art in the ice.



Bump. Closing in on Sargent.

Sargent Mtn. WAcadia26 #2

Had to throw one selfie in.





Heading down was a challenge.

Just going to let the photos take over to S. Bubble.









Now it was just a mad dash to N. Bubble for the, fake

, sunset.

WAcadia26 #4



Nothing special.


A last look.

Time to head out before it was headlamp time. This was fun in poor light.

Jordan Pond Carry might be new. Don't remember.

Some one's been busy.


Horrible photo given the light but here's 1 of 2 of the culprits.

Now just a pleasantly quiet walk along the pond to my car.



I don't know if this is the norm as far as the lack of people goes but this was an unbelievable experience.
Didn't do a mega GG/Gibba loop but it was perfect for me. About 8.5 miles. still worth the drive.
Alone, in Acadia. Just, WOW!
The tracks
Click Pik 4 Pix