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“The other phenomenon is that as the snow pack gets wetter and freezes at night, you can ride off trail on unused logging roads,” says Polstein. “You can go with a guide and explore some incredible areas.”
Dave Weatherbee guides in the Millinocket and Caratunk areas for the New England Outdoor Center. One of Weatherbee’s favorite late-season trips takes riders to the Wild Kingdom and Logan Pond Trails and incredible views of Mount Katahdin. The trails connect to ITS-86 and are located about eight miles north of Millinocket.
“The great thing about spring sledding is that if you step off the trail, you won’t go up to your neck in powder, and it is very unlikely that you will get stuck,” says Weatherbee. “The disadvantage is that you can run into some bare spots. I shudder as I do that. It doesn’t hurt the machine as much as it bothers me.
“It is warmer – that is for sure. You can stop along the trailside to have hot chocolate and it is so much more enjoyable. You can take off your helmet and feel the sun on your face and see views of Mt. Katahdin. I remember one day out on the trail in late March when it was sunny and we had a big snow squall. It darkened up all of a sudden and great big snowflakes fell. Then the sun came out, and there was Katahdin in all its glory.”
Off-trail riding is especially popular during the end of the season.
“It is awesome in the late season, and there is still some great snowmobiling,” says Gary Pelletier, a retired game warden who guides off-trail snowmobile trips in the Allagash area. “The backwoods roads don’t get plowed, and the scenery is breathtaking in places above the Allagash, where from the top of hills you can look out over Canada. The crust in the morning will take you places that are just out of this world. There are no leaves to obstruct your view either, so it is a unique time of year to be out riding.”
Safety should always come first, though. If you plan to do off-trail, backcountry riding, do it during the daytime with someone who knows the area. Getting lost in the Maine woods can be dangerous, even in late winter and early spring when the weather is milder. Temperatures during the night can drop down to zero or below, and spring snowstorms aren’t uncommon or unexpected in northern Maine compared to other sections of New England.
“I think when people in southern Maine and New England see green grass, they think the riding is over, when in reality, we can have great riding in the Katahdin region,” says Polstein. “It is great weather for riding, and then you can go back to your camp for some barbequing because the sun doesn’t set until five or six. My favorite time of year for snowmobiling is late March and early April.”
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