Mount Division Trail/Sebago to Sea - Otter Ponds area, Sebago Maine Part II

When I got to where the chain is across the trail by the pond, I realized that whoever had been there before me had turned around and gone back the way they came. That meant the threat of being run over by the snowmobiles again, so I made an executive decision. There was a great crust under that bed of fresh snow so it should be pretty easy to follow the pond trail across to the railroad bed, right? This was a path I'd taken many times in the fall so I knew exactly where it lead. What I hadn't considered was the 18" of snow in total on the ground. 

I got to the top of the hill wheezing, sweating and laughing at myself for my stupidity. But, I was NOT about to turn around at this point (yes, I have some of my father in me). So I kept going. After getting my 'shoes caught repeatedly under that crust and flipping snow up the backs of my pant legs and then sliding down that last little slope and inching my way over, I got back on the snowmobile tracks. 

Maybe that 2 stroke oil smell isn't so bad after all.

I walked along the trail for awhile, then made my way back around the ponds and then worked my way across a Portland Water District trail to get back on the Mt. Division Trail, around and back towards the truck. I went just over 3 miles that day and I look forward to going back again soon. 

There it is - my snowshoe bushwhacking trail!

My trail from climbing up the hill. Ugh.

I pretty much slid down this entire thing - lol - so glad to be back on the trails

ITS90 - the superhighway for snowmobiles

The Sebago to Sea trail, shown on this map in pink and leading away from the Mt. Division Trail

Overlooking Snake Pond, all iced over

Ice Fishing on the western side of Otter Pond (the pond is split by the RailRoad tracks)

Trail crossings

Aha! Someone has already broken this trail in! I'm golden!

From the ridge, overlooking Otter Pond

And back to the trailhead. Phew! What a perfect day!