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March 14, 2004
Winter hike feels like sweet, if muddy, spring
Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | |||||
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Other Hiking with Children Columns: | ||||
Our hike at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm in late February felt more like an early-spring hike than a late-winter one. The temperatures, in the mid-40s, felt balmy after the subzero ones we've endured this winter. Even though snow pants and boots were a little warm for the kids on this hike, the gear kept them dry and complaint-free while they jumped and splattered through all the mud we found (instead of the snow and ice for which we'd originally planned). There are 7 miles of trails at the reserve. After reviewing with the kids the trail map available at the trailhead kiosk, we decided to begin on the Knight Trail and head toward the ocean. We'd seen several sets of animal tracks in the snow during recent hikes and decided to bring along our animal tracking book to see if we could identify any we discovered on this hike. We did find some deer tracks and droppings, but all the mud and the general lack of snow made conditions unsuitable for our amateur tracking abilities. From the Knight Trail we turned onto the Barrier Beach Road Trail, which led us to the ocean. It was a struggle to keep my 6-year-old out of the water, so I just let her go and splash around in it after a while. She was already covered in mud, so I figured it couldn't get much worse. Some of the mud washed off, but was replaced with sticky sand. I'm not sure which is worse to wash off, but sand feels like summer and that made it not so bad. The beach felt like a long-lost friend, and the kids did everything they would do in warmer weather — except swim. They made small sand castles with their hands, walked along the rocks looking for seashells and watched the gulls. They also made lots of sand drawings. The kids thought they saw a seal pop its head out of the water in the distance and that added an additional element of excitement for all of us. After spending more than an hour by the water, we chose to hike back to the car by way of the Laird-Norton Trail. That trail had a long, wooden boardwalk and was a good way to avoid some of the mud. Along that trail we saw a bunch of flags indicating a research project under way. There are actually several information panels throughout the reserve explaining current research projects, as well as the types of animals and birds that visitors might encounter. There were also plenty of benches scattered along the trails for rest stops. Because these trails are at the coast, hikers should always be cautious of poison ivy and ticks. It may be a little early to worry about these nuisances in late winter, but, as spring approaches, so do these pesky issues. It's best to stay to the middle of the trail and avoid brushing up against plants and bushes. It's been full year since we did an early-spring hike and I forgot how messy it is to be out on the trail at this time. Mud-season hiking with kids is not for the faint of heart, but you can minimize the mess with some preparation. Even if it seems too warm for snow pants and boots, have the kids wear them anyway. And don't forget to wear some rubber boots yourself. You'll be glad you did.
Update During last month's hike on the Mountain Division Trail, my 7-year-old found a sign about a missing dog. She tried to look for him while we were hiking on the trail but was disappointed not to find him. After reading the column, Barbara Corriveau of Gorham e-mailed to let my daughter know that she had found her dog, Mel, and that he was back home safe and sound. My daughter was thrilled to know the dog was back home and I appreciate that Mel's owner took the time to let us know.
WENDY ALMEIDA is a content producer for the Outdoors section at MaineToday.com. She welcomes comments and ideas from readers. She can be reached at (207) 822-4079 or at: wea@mainetoday.com. |
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