In the past I’ve written about how one of my favorite traditions is hiking the slopes of Maine’s ski areas during the summer. It’s a trip to see the lifts and equipment from a hiker’s perspective – structures that look downright alien without snow and skiers around. Not only that, but it provides a feeling that you’ve “earned your turns” for the upcoming season, building sweat equity on trails you’ll later access with the convenience of a chairlift.

Having exhausted unhiked options on Maine’s 18 operating areas, I’ve moved on to hiking on Maine’s defunct slopes. Already this year I’ve ticked off short hikes on Bradbury Mountain in Pownal, Douglas Mountain in Sebago and Mount Megunticook in Camden – all of which sported ski trails in the mid-20th century.

The big discovery of this quest has been the Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region in York. Comprising 10,000 contiguous acres (within an additional 30,000 acres of conservation land), the region is one of the largest expanses of undeveloped forests in coastal New England. The conservation area is more or less centered on Mount Agamenticus, a 692-foot peak.

During the 1960s, the peak of Agamenticus was developed as a ski area. First opened in 1964, “Big A” operated for nine seasons before closing in the early 1970s. While it was a heady time for ski area development in New England, the location proved problematic – the proximity to the ocean brought warm air to the mountain even during the coldest winters, and the early ’70s were plagued by bad winters. While the ski area was shuttered, the peak has found a second life as a hiking, biking and horseback riding destination.

Mount Agamenticus is easily accessible to travelers in southern Maine, only 10 minutes from Exit 7 on I-95. From the exit, simply follow Chases Pond Road to Mountain Road. After three miles, Mountain Road meets Mt. Agamenticus Road. A parking area at the turnoff can be used for hikers looking to climb Big A from its base, while the access road (open 6 a.m. to sunset) provides car access to the summit.

Once you’ve reached Agamenticus, the hiking options abound. From the parking area at the base, the 1.5-mile Ring Trail offers a loop around the lower ridges of the mountain. The Ring Trail intersects the Sweet Fern, Vulture’s View and Witch Hazel Trails, all of which used to be ski slopes.

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On these trails, there’s both explicit and implicit evidence of their former lives. On Sweet Fern, the history is clear – towers from the T-bar still stand alongside the trail, and the bottom terminal sits where the Ring Trail and Sweet Fern meet. Less of the chairlift remains, though the top terminal has been repurposed as a lookout tower and cement tower footings are visible along the former lift line.

Less obvious, the former trails are covered with younger vegetation. Scrub oak and grey birch mingle with ferns and blueberries in the spots that were clearcut only 40 years ago.

The heavy traffic – first of skiers, now of hikers – exposed lots of bedrock, making the trails more of a granite scramble than the typical low-altitude Maine hike.

Beyond the First Hill that was home to the Big A, short and steep trails connect to the peaks of Second and Third hills to the northeast. Longer, more developed trails – Cedar, Notch, Norman Mill, Wheel, Great Marsh and Big A – run around the hiking trails and provide access to horseback riders and ATVs, along with hikers and bikers.

From the summit of Agamenticus, the views are unparalleled on the southern Maine coast. On a clear day, Boston, Mount Washingon, Boon Island and the Isles of Shoals are all clearly visible. There’s also the Mount Agamenticus Learning Lodge, which sits in the same spot as Big A’s former lodge. Open on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the lodge provides educational information about the Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region. Outside the lodge, there are 10 picnic tables as well as portable restroom facilities.

Access to the summit, lodge, trails and facilities of Mount Agamenticus are free. Donations to the Conservation Program are accepted. Trail signs and maps are posted throughout the trail network, and available at agamenticus.org.

Done with the Big A and looking for more options in southern Maine? The 89-acre Bauneg Beg Mountain Conservation Area in nearby North Berwick is home to two miles of trails. The summit of Bauneg Beg Mountain can be reached from a trailhead on Fox Farm Hill Road. Not only is the peak slightly higher than Agamenticus (866 feet), it also used to be home to a ski slope. From the 1930s to the 1950s, a rope tow served a single trail – Devil’s Den – on Bauneg Beg.

Josh Christie is a freelance writer and lifetime outdoors enthusiast. He shares column space in Outdoors with his father, John Christie. Josh can be contacted at:

joshua.j.christie@gmail.com


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