Popular Western Maine Mountain Hike Perfect for All Seasons

I believe Warren Zevon said it best, "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

I have lived by this notion for decades. Sleep is overrated. Sleep is boring. Being awake means being full of life. Plus, you can miss a whole lot when you aren't awake.

That's why on the last day of 2023 my alarm was going off at 4:30am. I was not going to miss the final sunrise of the year.

I slowly got up, got dressed in my hiking gear, threw a coat on Cliff, our 10 year-old redbone coonhound, and jumped in the car.

Cliff and I's destination was one of my favorite local hikes, Pleasant Mountain in Denmark (not the country). We were meeting a friend of mine early enough so we could enjoy the final 2023 sunrise from the popular mountain's summit.

Pleasant Mountain is mostly knows as a ski resort. However, the hiking trails adjacent to the resort are fantastic. Numerous routes can wind you right up to the summit, a spot that gives you clear panoramic views of the surrounding area and beyond.

On this morning we would be hiking the Ledges Trail, probably the most popular and direct route to the summit. All Trails rates the route's difficulty as hard. The conditions tend to vary, and it does have a few tricky scrambling sections. However, it's very doable for most skill levels.

The Ledges Trail is out and back at a total length of 3.3 miles, and includes a beautiful overlook about two-thirds of the way up.

We started the hike just before 6am in total darkness, with headlamps as our only light.

The bottom section was extremely wet. Much of the trail was basically water runoff, which was not surprising considering the days leading in had been mild. This actually made for easier conditions, considering spikes weren't needed.

This would change as we passed the halfway point of the climb. Traction slowly started to worsen, and by the time we reached the overlook, both of us had slipped on our crampons.

The final push had a few very tricky icy sections. The exposed rocks were very slick and even forced Cliff to seek a safer route through the snowy trees.

As we neared the summit, the sun had started to sneak over the horizon, giving us a great preview of what was to come.

The final push to the summit was the first time I got to experience some real snow this winter. In fact, there was a considerable amount after we passed 1,800 feet of elevation. Honestly, it was great to see. Sadly, snow has been scarce this winter, so it just felt right to wade through it to finish the climb.

Pleasant Mountain's summit is unique, because its quite large and includes a beautiful, old fire-tower. And the views are some of the best you will find on a hike in this part of Maine.

And as always, it did not disappoint. It was a perfect morning, with perfect views at one of my favorite spots in the entire state. Just a phenomenal way to finish out 2023.

If you have never hike Pleasant Mountain, you are missing out. I highly recommend it to folks of all skill levels, especially in warmer months. But, to all you winter enthusiasts, head out now, it's in great shape, a testament to the many wonderful folks who keep it in great condition.

Happy New Year to all. Here's to another wonderful year of hiking.