The Katahdin Region of northern Maine is a winter playground for snowmobilers and snowmobile trail riding adventure, and home base for many riders is Shin Pond Village. Pay a visit to the town of Mount Chase, in the shadow of Mount Katahdin, for a journey to the fabled “Ghost Trains” of the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. Along the way, you'll stop for the night at remote and rustic Libby Camps, where sportsmen and winter travelers are always welcome and the food is delicious. Libby's also sells gas so you can refuel your sled.
The so-called Ghost Trains are a pair of massive locomotives and their fuel cars that were abandoned in the 1930s after being used to transport logs from Eagle Lake to Umbuzooksus Lake. Today, you can visit the trains by snowmobile on a ride from Shin Pond, a round-trip of around 120 miles. The route takes you along ITS 85, which is groomed for much of the way, save for the 13 miles of trail along Chamberlain Lake. Along the way, you may see bald eagles, deer, lynx, and moose.
If you don't have your own snowmobile, you can rent a Polaris Indy and Klim snowmobile gear from Shin Pond Village: www.shinpond.com
Shin Pond also offers housekeeping cabins, a store, gas, and a restaurant.
Watch a shorter version of the Ghost Trains episode here: • Snowmobiling to the Gh...
Looking for more snowmobiling content? Check out the ENE episode on snowmobiling in south-central Vermont: • Ep. 18: Okemo Valley A...