Puzzle Mountain (Maine)

Last updated
Puzzle Mountain
Puzzle Mountain Maine.JPG
Puzzle Mountain as seen from West Baldpate
Highest point
Elevation 3,133 ft (955 m)
Prominence 1,201 ft (366 m) [1]
Coordinates 44°32′49″N70°47′35″W / 44.5468999°N 70.7930889°W / 44.5468999; -70.7930889
Geography
USA Maine relief location map.svg
Red triangle with thick white border.svg
Puzzle Mountain
Parent range Mahoosuc Range
Topo map USGS Mahoosuc Range
Climbing
Easiest route Hiking, class 1, 3.2 mi (5.1 km) ascent via Grafton Loop Trail

Puzzle Mountain, situated in Oxford County, Maine, forms part of the eastern section of the Mahoosuc Range. The mountain features a false peak, known as Little Puzzle Mountain, located northwest of the main summit. Additionally, its location within the Androscoggin River watershed contributes to its ecological importance. [2]

Contents

Trails

The summit of the mountain can be accessed from the southern trail head of the Grafton Loop Trail. The initial miles of the trail have a relatively low incline and utilize old logging roads for switchbacks. At about two miles, the trail makes a sharp turn to the left and begins to climb at a steeper grade. At about 2.4 miles, the trail reaches exposed granite boulders and ledges, with views of the Sunday River Ski Area, Grafton Notch, and the distant Presidential Range. The summit of Puzzle Mountain is at 3.2 miles and provides views in all directions as far as Sugarloaf Mountain.[ citation needed ] The trail takes approximately three hours and thirty minutes to summit.[ citation needed ]

The Woodsum Loop, nicknamed the "Loopette Trail", was built to access the various previously unreachable false peaks of the mountain. The Woodsum Loop feeds into the established Grafton Loop Trail. The total route is 7.6 miles, encompassing the entirety of the loop and back.[ citation needed ]

Trail Experience

The blue-blazed trail crosses an ATV trail and a logging road before gradually ascending alongside a stream. In spring, lush greenery and wildflowers can be seen alongside the trail. Approximately 0.75 miles (1.2 km) into the hike, a register box provided by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) is available for hikers to log their visit. The trail covers diverse terrain, including deciduous forests and rocky outcrops interspersed with moss and pine. Various viewpoints look out onto the surrounding landscape, including the Presidential Range to the west.[ citation needed ]

Trail Tips and Amenities

Puzzle Mountain is noted for its varied landscapes and panoramic views, appealing to hikers of various skill levels. Visitors are recommended to use appropriate hiking equipment, such as hiking poles, due to the rugged terrain. The mountain's trails are accessible to dogs, provided they remain on a leash.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian Trail</span> Hiking trail going through fourteen US states

The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost 2,200 miles (3,540 km) between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy claims the Appalachian Trail to be the longest hiking-only trail in the world. More than three million people hike segments of the trail each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Mountains (New England)</span> Mountain range in New Hampshire and Maine, United States

The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. They are a subrange of the northern Appalachian Mountains and the most rugged mountains in New England. Several of the higher peaks contain an Alpine tundra. The range is heavily visited due to its proximity to Boston, New York City, and Montreal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Katahdin</span> Highest mountain in Maine, US

Mount Katahdin is the highest mountain in the U.S. state of Maine at 5,269 feet (1,606 m). Named Katahdin, which means "Great Mountain", by the Penobscot Native Americans, it is within Northeast Piscataquis, Piscataquis County, and is the centerpiece of Baxter State Park. It is a steep, tall massif formed from a granite intrusion weathered to the surface. The flora and fauna on the mountain are typical of those found in northern New England, with the summit hosting fragile and endangered alpine tundra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White Mountain National Forest</span> National forest in Maine and New Hampshire, U.S.

The White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is a federally managed forest contained within the White Mountains in the northeastern United States. It was established in 1918 as a result of the Weeks Act of 1911; federal acquisition of land had already begun in 1914. It has a total area of 750,852 acres (303,859 ha). Most of the WMNF is in New Hampshire; a small part is in the neighboring state of Maine. Conservationist and community activist Katherine Sleeper Walden was instrumental in securing at-risk land for the forest, including thousands of acres in the region surrounding the locally famous Bowl near Wonalancet.

Mahoosuc Notch is a deep gap in the Mahoosuc Range of western Maine in the United States. It is traversed by the Appalachian Trail.

The Western Lakes and Mountains region spans most of Maine's western border with New Hampshire. A small part of the scenic White Mountain National Forest is located in this area. The region consists of Oxford County, Androscoggin County, Franklin County, as well as northern York and interior Cumberland counties. The largest cities in the region are Lewiston and Auburn. Notable towns include Bethel, Bridgton, Oxford, Rangeley, and Rumford. Many of the state's highest peaks are located in the region, although the highest, Mount Katahdin, is not.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Lafayette</span> Mountain in New Hampshire, United States

Mount Lafayette is a 5,249-foot (1,600 m) mountain at the northern end of the Franconia Range in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, United States. It lies in the town of Franconia in Grafton County, and appears on the New England Fifty Finest list of the most topographically prominent peaks in New England. The mountain's upper reaches are located in the alpine zone, an area where only dwarf vegetation exists due to the harsh climate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Monroe</span> Mountain in the American state of New Hampshire

Mount Monroe is a 5,372-foot-high (1,637 m) mountain peak southwest of Mount Washington in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains in New Hampshire, United States. It is named for American President James Monroe and is the fourth highest mountain on the 4000 footers list for New Hampshire. The Appalachian Trail skirts its summit, which is the next highest peak on or near the trail north of Mount Rogers in Virginia. The Lakes of the Clouds, and its AMC hut, lie nestled at the col between Mount Monroe and neighboring Mount Washington.

The Mahoosuc Range, a northern extension of the White Mountains, straddles the border between New Hampshire and Maine. The range's highest peak, 4,170-foot (1,270 m) Old Speck Mountain, is the fifth-highest peak in Maine. Substantial parts of the range are publicly owned as parts of the National Park Service Appalachian Trail corridor and Grafton Notch State Park in Maine. The range is a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail spans 14 U.S. states over its roughly 2,200 miles (3,500 km): Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The southern end is at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and it follows the ridgeline of the Appalachian Mountains, crossing many of its highest peaks and running almost continuously through wilderness before reaching the northern end at Mount Katahdin, Maine.

Sunday River Whitecap is a 3,335 ft (1,017 m) mountain located in Oxford County, Maine, United States. It is flanked to the west by Slide Mountain, and to the southeast by Stowe Mountain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Zealand</span> Mountain in New Hampshire

Mount Zealand, or Zealand Mountain, is a mountain located in the White Mountains, in Grafton County, New Hampshire. Zealand stands on a spur ridge northeast of Mount Guyot, and facing Whitewall Mountain to the east across Zealand Notch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Willey</span> Mountain in the state of New Hampshire

Mount Willey is a mountain located in Grafton County, New Hampshire. The mountain is named after Samuel Willey, Jr. (1766–1826) and his family, who in 1825 moved into a house in Crawford Notch. The family was killed a year later in August 1826 during a landslide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Haystack Mountain</span> Mountain in New Hampshire, United States

Little Haystack Mountain is a peak on the Franconia Range of the White Mountains located in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. It is flanked to the north by Mount Lincoln and to the southwest by Mount Liberty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goose Eye Mountain</span> Mountain in Maine, United States of America

Goose Eye Mountain, also known as Mt. Goose High, is a mountain located in Oxford County, Maine, about 1 mi (1.6 km). (2 km) east of the New Hampshire-Maine border. The mountain is the second-highest peak of the Mahoosuc Range of the White Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franconia Range</span>

The Franconia Range is a mountain range located in the White Mountains of the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is the second-highest range of peaks in the White Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tumbledown Mountain</span> Mountain in the state of Maine

Tumbledown Mountain is a mountain in Franklin County, Maine. The mountain is a popular hiking spot in western Maine, with trailheads located on Byron Road in unincorporated Township 6, north of Weld. It is distinguished by an alpine pond just below the summit. Tumbledown Mountain is also located near Coos Canyon, a mountain stream. Tumbledown offers trails of varying difficulty for different hikers.

Humpback Rocks is a massive greenstone outcropping near the peak of Humpback Mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Augusta County and Nelson County, Virginia, United States, with a summit elevation of 3,080 feet (940 m). The rock formation is so named for the visual effect of a "hump" it creates on the western face of the mountain.

Mount Success, formerly Ingalls Mountain, is a mountain in the Mahoosuc Range with an elevation of 3,565 feet (1,087 m). It is located in Coos County, New Hampshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grafton Notch State Park</span> State park in Oxford County, Maine

Grafton Notch State Park is a public recreation area in Grafton Township, Oxford County, Maine. The state park occupies 3,129 acres (1,266 ha) surrounding Grafton Notch, the mountain pass between Old Speck Mountain and Baldpate Mountain, mountains in the Mahoosuc Range. The park is abutted by the eastern and western sections of the Mahoosuc Public Reserved Land, which total 31,807 acres (12,872 ha). The park is managed by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.

References

  1. "Puzzle Mountain, Maine". Peakbagger.com. Retrieved 2012-05-06.
  2. Nation, Peg; Brenda Cummings (2005). Maine Mountain Guide (9th ed.). Boston: Appalachian Mountain Club Books. pp. 189–191 + Topographical map 7: Mahoosuc Range. ISBN   9781929173693.