I have decided to post photos of past travels in general and our eight year sailing adventure on SV Irie in particular for Wordless Wednesdays. I hope you enjoy them. Also, I can’t manage completely “wordless”, but I try my best at “almost wordless”. 🙂
This week’s photo prompt of the Daily Post couldn’t have come at a better time! The theme is “edge“, while Mark and I hiked the Precipice Trail to the top of Champlain Mountain in Acadia NP yesterday. Precipice means “very steep and tall rock face or cliff”. We were literally walking and climbing on the edge of these vertical cliffs for an hour. Strenuous, exciting, and for some, a bit scary. You will have to wait for an in-dept Acadia report starting next week, but here is a little preview of our last morning in Maine’s National Park.
Hold on to the rocks, and your pants…
The trail is certainly wide enough here!
A bit scary… it is a long way down from the edge
Nobody has to convince us to stay on the marked trails!
On the edge of Frenchman Bay, Maine
View from the top of Champlain Mountain, Acadia NP – the edge offers front row seats
Have you been on (the) edge lately?
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September 14, 2016 at 11:26
I’m glad I have photos of this trail to look at, since nothing could induce me to hike on the ledge like that! It does look fun though, maybe some immersion therapy would cure me of my height phobia.
September 17, 2016 at 09:33
Mark is afraid of heights as well and debated a couple of days whether to join me on this one (or take another route up the mountain). Over the years he has been doing better (on our first boat, a monohull, I climbed the mast, on Irie, a cat, he was OK having me haul him aloft). He did join me on the Precipice and said there were only two spots where his heart beat faster and he was happy to reach the other side (while I was savoring the exciting moments and the views from those spots). Those places did not have hand rails and that kind of freaked him out a bit. The views are worth it! It was pretty exhausting and sweaty as well…
September 14, 2016 at 13:21
That kind of thing just freaks me out. I’ve got a little bit of a fear of heights. But I’m sure the views are worth it 🙂
September 17, 2016 at 09:35
As long as you don’t look down, but more off into the distance (or the footing in front of you and the stairs ahead), I think it is all right. There were two more scary ledges Mark was glad and relieved to be done with quickly.
September 14, 2016 at 16:49
I chickened out of this when we went to Acadia. A bit too edgy for me!
September 17, 2016 at 09:36
Luckily, there are other ways up this mountain, and other trails that offer scenery as spectacular!
September 14, 2016 at 16:52
Very cool – love it, this is my kind of trail 🙂
September 17, 2016 at 09:38
Yes, you would have loved it, Ingrid. Although, it was a bit tough on the body, muscles and endurance. Your last walk might have had a more balanced outcome of views and effort. 🙂
September 15, 2016 at 03:08
A beautiful walk and breathtaking views!☺
September 17, 2016 at 09:39
It was quite spectacular in more than one way. I’m glad you liked it, Xenia!
September 15, 2016 at 22:41
Liesbet this looks fantastic! I would love ot do the hike. Such incredible vistas and some good physical and mental challenge too. Fresh off of paragliding last weekend I had to run over the edge so definitely this theme fits nicely!
September 17, 2016 at 09:44
Yes, you actually jumped off the edge, Sue! I will read your blog soon. It has been open in my browser for a couple of days, waiting for a moment of my time, which seems to be very limited and precious in September. And, yes, you of all people would have LOVED this hike. It ticks all the boxes of your adventurous spirit with beautiful rewards – the challenge/excitement/beauty ratio is right up your alley. You should go to Acadia one day, but, be warned that this Precipice Trail is closed during the height of the summer season, because of bird breeding/nesting. Fall appears to be very attractive in the NP as well, as long as you are OK with cooler temperatures, which we are not (while camping).
September 17, 2016 at 15:04
The scenery is beautiful, Liesbet, so that would help take your mind off the climbing, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing! 🙂 I read in your comments there’s an easier way up. I reckon I might go for that. 🙂
September 17, 2016 at 16:08
Yes! There are actually two other ways up (to Mark’s point of “Why would they create this challenging path, when there are already two trails going up Champlain Mountain?” I guess for just that reason… the challenge) and we took one of them back down. I would never want to take that same vertical mile trail down. Up was fun and tough, down would be scary and dangerous! Few people go both ways.