BANGOR DAILY NEWS • February 7, 2022
Last winter, friends informed me about a new trail at Saddleback Mountain Ski Resort that led to the summit of Saddleback Mountain. For a fee, hikers and skiers could ascend Uphill Trail to the mountaintop while separated from downhill skiers. I lauded the hiker-friendly concept. However, near the summit a member of the ski patrol abruptly halted us declaring that climbing above the hut was prohibited. We asked why. Her explanation was unclear but she stated we should have taken the Appalachian Trail. Since AT access begins about 15 miles away, that advice was not helpful. Back at the base lodge, a gentleman in the ticket office agreed to refund my money. However, he was unapologetic and asserted their policy had changed because they didn’t want responsibility for rescuing hikers above the ski lift. That settled it. If “you can’t get there from here,” next time I’ll take the AT. And it’s free! ~ Ron Chase