By Allen Crabtree

BN Columnist

When can the Denmark Mountain Hikers hit the trail as a group again?

Maine’s Governor Mills issued a tentative timeline on April 28 for reopening Maine’s activities in four phases as the curve of new cases and hospitalizations in the state appears to be leveling. She cautioned against resuming regular activities too soon and said health concerns will drive dates and activities that can reopen. While the “Stay Safe at Home” order is still in effect, and people are required to wear face masks when they are in public settings and keep a six-foot social distance, these activities may reopen according to these dates:

May 1 – Prohibition on gatherings of more than 10 people continues. These may reopen: health care providers, personal services [barbershops and hair salons], stay-in-your vehicle church services and drive-in theaters, outdoor recreation, state parks, auto dealerships and car washes.

June 1 – The limit on gatherings rises to 50 people, some people can return to their workplaces, and with limitations the following can reopen: restaurants, fitness and exercise centers, retail stores, lodging and campgrounds for Maine residents, coastal state parks.

July 1 – The prohibition on gatherings more that 50 people continues. The following can reopen: Hotels, campgrounds, summer camps and RV parks for Maine residents and visitors, more types of outdoor recreation, bars, other personal services (including tattoo parlors!).

The final stage of reopening and the lifting of most restrictions will depend on health monitoring results.

Even with this rolling reopening, things will continue to look differently for a few more months. I am optimistic enough for the future to develop a hiking list for June where the Denmark Mountain Hikers can hit the trails again as a group. I am super pleased that many of our hikers have been taking advantage of the spring weather to get out in ones and twos on some of the trails in our area.

As we start hiking again as a group, we will still need to practice social distancing on the drive to and from the trailheads, and while on the trail. Maine CDC Doctor Shah recommends keeping at least six feet apart, but on the trail much larger separations if possible.

That means no carpooling except with members of your own family who have been sheltering in place together.  We need also to be sensitive to the closure of different trailheads and trails, such as the very broad closures in the White Mountain National Forest that I reported on last week.

Denmark Mountain Hiker Ron Paquette suggested that we have a discussion on these questions:

1. Do we limit the number of hikers if Denmark Mountain Hikers starts hiking again? 

2. We probably need to pick an easy trail to begin to have social distancing. 

3. Maybe have two different hiking days. 

I would appreciate your comments as I put together a tentative hiking schedule for June and develop prudent recommendations to keep all of our hikers safe as well as others we meet on the trails.

Trail Status Update

I drove by the trailhead to Burnt Meadow on Route 160 in Brownfield and discovered that the town has now installed two concrete Jersey barriers and a high berm of gravel completely blocking off the trailhead parking lot. Guess someone is serious about keeping the mountain closed to hiking.

Here is some more information on the Notch Mountain trailhead parking in Porter. Three weeks ago, I posted a report from Denmark Mountain Hiker Dianne Sinclair about Notch Mountain:

“There’s a small parking lot on Route 160 just beyond Day's firewood operation on the opposite side…”

I drove by there recently to see for myself, with the thought that the Denmark Mountain Hikers have not climbed Notch Mountain for quite a while and when we get back on the trail again I’d like to include it on our hiking list. 

Starting at the Brownfield church drive south on Route 160. At 5.4 miles you will see Day’s Firewood operation on the left – do not park there! Go another 0.2 miles to the Porter/Hiram town line sign where there is a large parking lot on the right. There is a yellow snowmobile trail sign there – follow the snowmobile trail to the summit.

Most of the land trust preserves are still open, albeit with cautionary advice about keeping social distancing on the trail. Traffic to the trailheads of the hikes that are still open continues to be heavy. On a trip by Bald Pate the other day, I counted eight cars in the Bob Chase parking lot off Route 107, and another six cars on the Micah Road trailhead. If the parking lot is full when you get there, go to another with less possibility of crowding in the parking lot or on the trail. If there are others on the trail, keep a good distance from them.

If you hear of trail closures please let me know and I’ll pass them along.