Lunch at Flagstaff Lake Hut: A winter day trip on the Maine Huts trail

Hilary Nangle
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Skiing or snowshoeing hut to hut along the Maine Huts Trail isn’t for everyone, but just about anyone can enjoy walking into the Flagstaff Lake Hut for lunch. The Flagstaff Lake Hut, the middle of three along the trail, has an enviable setting on the shores of Flagstaff Lake. It’s remote, wild country, and in winter, when blanketed in white and shimmering, it’s positively magical.

Free recreation

The free trail network is designed for hut-to-hut skiing and snowshoeing, but you don’t have to ski or snowshoe, nor do you have to bunk in overnight to enjoy the trail or hut experience. It can be a pleasant day trip and a relatively easy one requiring no special equipment.

The trail extends from Carrabassett Valley to near The Forks, with three overnight lodges with dorms en route. The Poplar Falls Hut is a 2.5-mile mostly uphill trek from Carrabassett Valley; the Grand Falls hut is way out in the williwacks, 8.6 miles from the nearest trailhead, and nearly 13 miles from Flagstaff Hut. But the Flagstaff Lake Hut is just 1.7 miles from  the trailhead parking lot on the Long Falls Dam Road (off Route 16 in North New Portland), making it an easy half-day trip.

Four of us walked in a few days ago wearing winter boots. A short spur connects the parking lot (where there’s an outhouse) to the main trail, an eight-foot-wide corridor that’s groomed and tracked for Nordic skiing. (We were careful not to step in the tracks). En route, we passed snowshoers and skiers, families, and couples. The trail is mostly level, with a few ups and downs, but nothing too steep or long. If we’d been wearing snowshoes, we likely would have ventured onto one or more of the rustic side trails that veered closer to the lake; instead, we enjoyed the occasional distant views.

Lunch! NOTE: Bring a picnic as the hut no longer serves lunch

We made it just in time for lunch, served 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. in the big dining room, with cathedral ceiling and walls of windows taking in the woodsy views. The day’s menu offered a lentil soup or vegetarian chili each accompanied by a chunk of homemade bread or cornbread; simple sandwiches, such as tuna or chicken salad, BLT, or grilled cheese; and a nice array of homemade sweets, including maple walnut pie, brownies, and just-about-to-go-in-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. Prices were reasonable, around $6-7, or we could opt for a $10 special including soup or chili, hot drink, and dessert.

We all opted for the lentil soup, a big bowl thick with ingredients; nothing watery or weak about this flavor-rich soup. And we each opted for the cornbread, a big, warm hunk that managed that delicate balance of being both moist and crumbly. Despite being full, I couldn’t resist the just-out-of-the-oven cookies. Maybe it was the place or the perfect timing, but these are in my top five for Maine’s best. I would return for these alone.

After taking a tour of the hut, we lingered by the wood stove, and trust me, the comfy leather sofa and the rocking chair made it hard to get moving again. But we eventually rallied, but before trudging back to the car, we took a short detour down a side trail to a vista point. The location on a finger of land reaching into the lake provided views of the Bigelows that made us vow to return not only in winter but also in summer.

 

Free map details Maine’s Public Reserved Lands

Hilary Nangle
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Free map details Maine’s Public Reserved Lands

Ease into the great outdoors on Maine’s Public Reserved Lands. Download a free map from the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) that details more than a half-million acres of public reserved lands.

Your Maine Lands: Recreational Map & Guide to Public Reserved Lands describes each of Maine’s Public Reserved Lands units and the recreational opportunities available on them. Use this fabulous resource to plan everything from a day hike to a week-long escape.

In comparison to state parks, Maine’s Public Reserved Lands are remote and managed for for recreation, wildlife, and timber harvesting among other things. BPL organizes the public lands into 29 units ranging in size from 500 to more than 43,000 acres. Also part of the program are many other smaller scattered lots. All are open for recreation, and many offer unique, back-country experiences.

What’s special about Maine Public Reserved Lands

“We have so many special places in Maine besides our 48 state parks and historic sites,” says Will Harris, director of Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. “We want to help Maine folks find their own special places to experience, to go camping, hiking, fishing and hunting, and in general to have a great time and create wonderful memories.”

Many of Maine’s public reserved lands offer outstanding landscapes and vistas, such as the Bigelow Preserve, which includes the entire Bigelow range. And many provide remarkable hiking and camping opportunities, such as the Cutler Coast overlooking the Bay of Fundy. Some areas, such as the more than 41,000 acres of the Seboomook Lake unit, offer excellent hunting, fishing and boating. And others have unique habitats, such as the alpine landscape at Mount Abram, the Great Heath peat bog, and the Machias River Corridor’s wild Atlantic salmon run.

Year-round recreational opportunities also including bird-watching, wildlife-watching, biking, swimming, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing.

 

Sugarloaf lift accident update

Hilary Nangle
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Direct from Sugarloaf’s communications department:

Carrabassett Valley, ME (Dec. 29, 2010) – Inspectors from the State of Maine Board of Elevators and Tramways, along with mountain operations personnel and representatives from Sugarloaf Mountain are investigating the deropement of the Spillway East chairlift, which took place at approximately 10:30am on Tuesday, December 28.

The investigation, which is still on-going, began on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 28.  Today, the State of Maine Board of Elevators and Tramways believes that wind was a contributing factor in the lift deropement.

“Our two primary concerns right now are for the rapid recovery of those injured yesterday and the safety of all Sugarloaf guests,” said Sugarloaf spokesman Ethan Austin. “We’re incredibly grateful for the help offered by local and state agencies.”

A detailed report will be issued by the State of Maine Board of Elevators and Tramways once the investigation is complete.

Timeline of incident; mountain personnel response
Sugarloaf experienced winds immediately following the major snowstorm which dropped 22” of snow on the resort this Monday.  As a result, several lifts at the resort, including the Spillway East chairlift, were placed on wind hold at the start of operations Tuesday.

Winds diminished as the morning progressed, and Spillway East was evaluated by the ski patrol director of Sugarloaf Mountain and a chairlift mechanic.

That evaluation included towers, top and bottom terminals, and the completion of Sugarloaf’s standard safety checks.   The chairlift was opened to the public at 9:55 am.

At 10:23am, the Lift Operations Department received a maintenance request for Tower 8 from a Sugarloaf ski patroller.  Two chairlift mechanics were dispatched at that time.  The chairlift cable was observed to be running toward the outside of the rubber liners of the sheave train (the wheels on which the cable is supported) on Tower 8.

At 10:30am, one lift mechanic arrived at Tower 8 and another arrived at the bottom terminal of Spillway East.  Working in tandem, the mechanic at the bottom terminal of Spillway East communicated with the mechanic on Tower 8 while he made an adjustment to the sheave train per Sugarloaf’s operating and maintenance procedures.  The lift was slowly started to enable the cable to settle back into the correct location on the sheaves.

The realignment effort was unsuccessful. The mechanics repeated the procedure, again unsuccessfully.   The mechanic on Tower 8 determined that it would be inappropriate to run the chair at normal operating speed and the lift should be closed.

Mechanics started the lift at a slow operating speed to begin off-loading the guests who were on the lift.

Shortly after starting the lift at reduced speed, the lift cable deroped from Tower 8, leaving the cable suspended between Tower 9 and Tower 7.  Lacking the support of the sheave wheels on Tower 8, five chairs struck the snow below.

When the deropement occurred, the mechanic on Tower 8 immediately notified the mechanic at the bottom terminal of Spillway East about the deropement.  The lift was immediately stopped and locked out from further movement.

Ski patrol was immediately notified of the deropement, and lift evacuation procedures began at 10:45 am.  At 12:14pm all guests had been evacuated from the lift.  Sugarloaf ski patrol estimates that 150 people were evacuated.

Members from ski patrol, grooming department, snowmaking department, resort ambassadors, lift maintenance personnel and the Carrabassett Valley Fire Department responded to the scene.  In total, 54 people contributed to the evacuation of the lift.

Update on injuries:
Six people were treated for injuries and sent to Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, Maine.  A seventh person, who initially was cleared to leave the scene, was admitted later in the day.  Today, Sugarloaf Mountain learned that an eighth guest, who was initially cleared to leave the scene, checked into Franklin Memorial Hospital.

Three patients were transported from Franklin Memorial Hospital to Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Due to patient and family confidentiality regulations, Sugarloaf cannot release information regarding the identity or nature of injuries to individuals. Further updates on the conditions of those injured can be obtained by contacting the hospitals.

Three guests who were unhurt requested to be transported to the base of the mountain after they were evacuated from the lift. One was taken via toboggan and two were taken inside a heated snow grooming tractor.

Status of the Spillway East Chairlift:
The State of Maine Elevator and Tramway Board has noted that there was some damage to lift components due to the deropement. All mechanical components remained in place after the incident and those components are currently being removed and will be analyzed further. The resort plans to replace the damaged parts with new equipment and go through safety testing and inspections prior to reopening the lift to the public.

Other lifts at Sugarloaf continue normal operations.

“Sugarloaf Mountain wishes the best for the people injured in the accident,” said Austin.  “The resort remains committed to guest safety and its culture of safety instilled in every employee.”

Maine shrimp recipes, chapter 3

Hilary Nangle
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Backatcha with more recipes for Maine shrimp. Bangor News foodie Emily Burnham collected recipes from chefs and fishing folks, including Chef/Owner Kerry Altiero of Rockland’s Cafe Miranda and Port Clyde Fresh Catch’s Carrie Yardley, and shared them here. By the way, Maine shrimp meats freeze very well, so you might want to hit the fish trucks or your local fish store to stock up on them. I sure have.

Maine shrimp recipes chapter 1: from Jay Villani

Maine shrimp recipes chapter 2: from Nancy Harmon Jenkins

Some thoughts on Sugarloaf’s lift incident

Hilary Nangle
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I love the word incident, it’s so understated, so British (I was stuck on a train once in Scotland during a rail incident, actually a suicide attempt up the line that stopped all train traffic passing on that track, but I digress). Unless you’ve been off line and out of range of TV and radio, by now you know there was a lift accident at Sugarloaf resort this morning. Yes, that’s where I spend a good deal of my winter, and no I wasn’t there today. But I’ve followed reports and talked with friends who were there.

What happened: Short version, the Spillway chair derailed and six [updated to seven eight] people were injured after their chairs fell about 30 feet, more than 200 others were stranded on the lift and had to be evacuated.  The cause of the derailment hasn’t been determined.

Is it a story that merits worldwide attention: Not really, but when there’s a CNN reporter stranded on the lift and it’s the slowest news week of the year, well, it was inevitable that it went viral.

Have I talked with friends who were there: Yes, and most first heard about it from other friends who were calling them from distant places asking if they were okay. In other words, at the ‘loaf, the incident was under control.

Aren’t you understating it: No, this is a very serious issue. The lift derailment itself is a big problem; compounding it were the frigid temps and high winds. I’m very thankful that no one was killed or seriously maimed (one update two, make that three people were evacuated from Farmington’s Franklin Memorial Hospital to Maine Med., in Portland—two by ambulance, on via LifeFlight heli—but no updates yet on their conditions; five were treated and released from Franklin). But the rumors are egregious. (Someone actually called me to let me know that a gondola had dropped and there were dead bodies all over the mountain: Sugarloaf hasn’t had a gondola in ages, and no one was killed).

Isn’t that an old lift: Yes.

The Spillway East chair is A 2 passenger monocable fixed grip chair manufactured and installed by Borvig in 1975. This lift was modified in 1983. Spillway East is 4,013 feet long with a vertical of 1,454 feet. This chair moves at a speed of 500 feet per minute and the chairs are 50 feet apart. There are 162 chairs on this lift each weighing 140lbs. Spillway East has a 250 horsepower motor and has a capacity for 1,200 skiers per hour.

The chairlift receives routine daily inspections for safety.  Additionally, the chairlift receives weekly, monthly and yearly maintenance and testing.  The lift is also inspected annually for it’s safety from the State of Maine Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety.

—Sugarloaf statement

Who do you trust for info: I’m reading  stories in the Portland Press Herald and Bangor News and augmenting that with updates from Sugarloaf’s media page and its Facebook page. I don’t expect much more info to be posted on the ‘loafs pages until a full inspection is done and a cause for the derailment is determined. I do expect reporters from the local papers to stay on top of the story and to provide updates when new info is uncovered.

Will you ski Sugarloaf: Only reason I wasn’t there today is because of vehicle troubles. I hope to be carving turns on the mountain later this week. Maybe I’ll see you there…

For Asian fare in Mid-coast Maine, Camden’s Long Grain delivers

Hilary Nangle
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With the exception of Suzuki’s Sushi, in Rockland, most Asian restaurants in Mid-coast Maine are of the Chinah Dinah variety: lots of Americanized foods, too much brown sauce, gloppy textures, and soul-less flavor. Not so Long Grain. Wedged between Rite-Aid and Zoots on Camden’s  Main Street (aka Elm Street), Long Grain promises “Asian home cooked & street foods,” and makes good on it.

We arrived on a snowy winter’s night, hankering for some authentic Asian fare. Judging from the parade of folks picking up take-out orders, this place already has a strong local following. And on a cold, blustery night, take-out is a wise choice. The space is small, and there’s no air-lock entry, so every time the door opens, diners are greeted with a blast of cold air (which can seem endless as some folks hold the door open for straggling friends and family). So dress warmly or let the food warm your night; which it will. (Also see update, below).

The space: Small and tight, long and narrow, with a fewer than a dozen tables and a full bar with some seating (reservations are wise, call 207-236-9001). Decorations are sparse but fun: hung artwork comprises old kitchen utensils tacked on boards. Note: Restrooms are up a narrow back stairway, a challenge or impossibility for anyone who is mobility impaired.

The food: The menu is divided into appetizers, soup, rice, noodles, stir-fried, and daily curry. Our table of four began by splitting three appetizers: fresh spring rolls ($6), house-made steamed bun with braised pork shoulder ($7), and steamed pork, shrimp, & local seaweed dumplings ($6). We split the bun four ways, so I only had a nibble and it wouldn’t be fair to judge it solely on this, since as our server noted when he split it, it wasn’t easy to get all the ingredients in each bite. That said, I liked the moistness of the bun paired with the meat, but it was all made better with a tad of the hot sauce accompaniment. The dumplings were meaty and delicious, although dominated by the pork flavor. The spring rolls were just what a spring roll should be: bright with color and flavor and crisp. I could have a meal on these apps alone, perhaps paired with a cup of coconut soup (next time).

For entrees ($9.50-14,) we ordered pad Thai chicken (hands down, best in the area), spicy night market noodle soup with ground pork & peanut (thick with ingredients, enough spice to clear the sinuses), ginger chicken with mixed mushroom (nice presentation with meaty mushrooms) and ramen noodle duck soup (I had this—came with a full duck leg—flavor was good, but doesn’t compete with Portland’s Pai Men Miyake; next time I’d order something different).

We split the sole dessert offered: creme brulé with sticky rice and coconut sauce. I had expected kind of an Asian version of sticky pudding, but no, the brulé (which was a bit gritty) was served adjacent to the rice, with the sauce drizzled over it all. Eh.

Bottom line: As we left the restaurant, we were making plans to return, probably for lunch next time. I hope this place makes it; this location seems unstable, as restaurants in this row are like waves in the harbor, they rise and swell, then often disappear. We’re all hoping this one stays.

Update, November, 2011: I returned with friends, and this time the food was even better. We shared two appetizers, four entrées, and dessert. The pan-fried garlic-chive rice cakes with sauteed bean sprounts ($7.50) were a delight. I’d return just for those. Ditto for the ramen with kimchi soup, pork belly, tofu, and poached free-range egg ($12.50), which had a subtle kick, and the beef massaman curry with root vegetables and cucumber ajad ($15). Those two entrées were rich in texture and flavor. This time the creme brulé with sticky rice and coconut sauce dessert was creamy and addictive. Love this little gem. Do make reservations, it’s tiny. Or consider going for lunch.

 

 

Maine’s lobster trap Christmas trees

Hilary Nangle
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Maine’s lobster trap Christmas trees

Maine’s lobster trap Christmas trees light up many harbors along the coast. Every season, more villages seem to add them, and the designs get bigger and more elaborate. If you’re visiting the state during the holiday season, consider seeking out these fun and festive trees.

Here are photos depicting a few of Maine’s lobster trap Christmas trees.

Cape Porpoise’s

If you’re visiting the Kennebunks for its annual Christmas Prelude, mosey over to Cape Porpoise to see this traditional wooden lobster pot tree.

Lobster trap Christmas trees brighten the Maine coast during the holiday season.
Cape Porpoise, Maine, uses traditional wooden lobster pots for its village center lobster trap Christmas tree. ©Tom Nangle

Rockland’s lobster trap Christmas tree

In Maine’s Midcoast, Rockland’s lobster trap tree lights up Harbor Park each winter as part of its annual Festival of Lights.

Here's a holiday trap tree in Rockland
Rockland uses metal lobster traps for its lobster trap Christmas tree in Harbor Park. ©Hilary Nangle.
Rockland tops its trap tree with a lobster
A close-up of Rockland’s 2010 Lobster trap tree, on the waterfront, in downtown Rockland, Maine. ©Hilary Nangle

Of course, many other coastal towns build lobster trap trees each winter, so it’s worth the effort to detour down peninsulas and into harborside villages.

Maine’s International Cryptozoology Museum

Hilary Nangle
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Maine’s International Cryptozoology Museum
Loren Coleman, founder of The International Cryptozoology Museum with an 8-foot tall model of Big Foot.
Loren Coleman, founder of The International Cryptozoology Museum with an 8-foot tall model of Big Foot. ©Hilary Nangle

Maine has more than its fair share of quirky museums, but the quirkiest of the lot has to be The International Cryptozoology Museum, in Portland. Say what? Cryptozoology: the story of hidden animals, such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Abominable Snowman.

Loren Coleman is the big kahuna of cryptozoology experts. A collector since 1960, the former university professor is the author of 15 books, including The Field Guide to Bigfoot, Yeti, and Other Mystery Primates Worldwide,  Mysterious America, and Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents, and Other Mystery Denizens of the Deep.

The museum began in his Portland home. Now, Coleman’s impressive collection of artifacts and kitsch is housed at Thompson’s Point. What’s to see? For starters, an 8-foot-tall likeness of Big Foot; skulls and footprint castings, that lend credence to the existence of these rumored beasts; movie props and souvenir memorabilia. Consider it a perfect place to take the kids during school break.

NOTE: Coleman plans to move The International Cryptozoology Museum to Bangor.

 

Chef Jay Villiani shares two recipes for Maine shrimp

Hilary Nangle
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Chef Jay Villiani shares two recipes for Maine shrimp

Even if you hate snow, ice, and everything winter, you can’t help but love Maine shrimp, a.k.a. Northern Shrimp or Pandalus borealis. These oh-so-delicate crustaceans are a Maine food highlight; I like to think of them as a bonus to Mainers for sharing their state all summer with the lobster-loving visitors—they’re kind of the year-rounders little secret. Now that the season is here (Dec. 1–Apr. 15), I thought I’d ask some of Maine’s chefs to share a recipe or two.

First up is Jay Villiani, owner of two of my favorite low-key Portland restaurants, Local 188 and Sonny’s, where he was also the chef. Both are now gone, sniffle, sniffle.

“There are many ways to prepare shrimp,” Villani says, “but I like this recipe because Maine shrimp is so delicious that it doesn’t need much tampering—they are the ocean’s equivalent to Life Savers candy!”

He’s actually shared two preparations, both of which are so simple that you—yes even you, my kitchen-challenged friends—can manage either.

Really Simple Shrimp

Ingredients

Maine shrimp
garlic (chopped)
salt & pepper
touch of butter
splash white wine
Oil (for pan)

Directions: (“This takes no time to cook!”)

Heat oil in pan.
Preseason shrimp with garlic, salt and pepper.
When the oil starts to smoke, add shrimp.
Deglaze with a touch of wine and add a little butter.
Adjust seasoning and enjoy immediately!

Maine shrimp ceviche

“If you’re fortunate enough to get them right off the boat and still twitching, you can also marinate them in fresh lime juice, orange juice, and a little rice wine vinegar and adjust the seasoning to any flavor profile—chilies, savory or sweet. Just wait 20 minutes and enjoy a real deal Maine shrimp ceviche.” —Jay Villani

By the way, another great resource for Maine shrimp lovers is The Original Maine Shrimp Cookbook, a collaboration between the Midcoast Fishermen’s Cooperative in Port Clyde, the First Universalist Church in Rockland,  and the Island Institute. It has 70+ recipes.

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Links to more Maine shrimp recipes here.

What’s happening in Maine, check these pages

Hilary Nangle
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A reminder to all that I often post news of current events and interesting doings throughout Maine on my Maine Travel Maven Facebook page, or, when appropriate to my Moon Acadia National Park page, so if you’re on Facebook, you  might want to like both.

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