Welcome mountain climbers, pilgrims and nature revelers!
Hike-in to your fully outfitted off grid yurt and stay the night on a mountain top enjoying magnificent southerly views with a bonfire and watching the stars put on a show. Bring your sleeping bag, linens, food, and musical instruments to begin your incredible Maine adventure. The mountain is waiting, get on your way!
Mountain report: blueberries are starting to ripen. Get them while they are plump and blue.
The space
“I’ve loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.”
-Galileo Galilei
May 4-5: Eta Aquariid meteor
shower
July 29-30: Delta Aquariid meteor shower
Aug. 11-13: Perseid meteor shower
Oct. 8-9: Draconids meteor shower
Oct. 21-22: Orionid meteor shower
Nov 8-9: Taurid meteor shower
Enjoy sleeping under the stars in a Mountain top yurt with access to more of walking trails on our land. Views of Branch lake to E and surrounding mountains. Views of Acadia SE and Camden SW from the summit. This is a hike in only mountain top yurt with rugged terrain that ends in awe-inspiring views at the summit.
Park at the base and hike a 1/4 mile up the mountain that contains slopes of nearly 45° on worn moss, roots and granite. Not a park-groomed trail. A real mountain trail. No rungs. Not for the weak of heart or those expecting a casual stroll in flip flops. You'll hike on roots of spruce and fir that cling to the granite that 100s of mountain pilgrims have climbed before you. The hike up is between 10-30 minutes depending on your level of fitness. The first hike up is the longest. You’ll get the hang of it as you traverse up and down.
Our dogs will guide you to the top where I’ll be waiting to give you the quick tour. Once at the top, you'll be able to walk among wild blueberries, mosses, lichens and huckleberries, spruce, pine, fir in random open areas.
“Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
When you arrive to the yurt area, you will be greeted by a wind that welcomes the most tired trekker, including the mountain tops, lakes, tops of trees, valleys, ocean views and may even see hawks and eagles hovering with views that go on for miles. You will see Acadia mountains to the east and Camden Hills to the west.
Airbnb tries to compare other listing to this experience, but there is absolutely no comparison. Yurt, mountaintop, privacy, awe-inspiring views. Sleep with the wind in the mountaintop pines. We love to bring a big fat Sunday NYT, make a vat of good coffee, have bagels and lox and enjoy catching up on world affairs from the mountain top. All day. Perspective.
Amenities include: Beautiful 20' yurt, wood stove, 3 burner gas cook stove, solar patio lights, solar shower, 100 watt solar array that powers lights, USB ports and small 12v DC appliances. A large stone fire ring, chairs, and total privacy. 5 gallons of water/day is available at water refill station at the trail head. There are 2 full futons (you bring warm sleeping bag/bedding/NO bedding provided in this space). Bringing your own bedding is not optional, it's a must. The bathroom is a comfortable composting toilet with a solar shower in the great outdoors (you bring towel). Bring your sleeping bag, towel, food, knapsack and mind open to inspiration.
“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.”
-Rachel Carson
Minutes from Acadia, Ellsworth, Bangor, Belfast. For those who desire privacy, beauty and peace. Ideal for writers, painters, hikers, retreaters, honeymooners, photographers, nature lovers, and revelers of summer Maine fun. No check ins after 8:00 July, 7:30 August, 7:00 September, 6:00 pm Oct, as it takes 15 minutes (in shape) or 20-25 (not in Shape) minutes/non stop to get to the top and 20 minute orientation. And Ol’ LB has a hard time descending the mountain in the dark.
The yurt is fully outfitted with a woodstove for heat (including firewood for your splitting enjoyment--lessons provided by request), propane stove for cooking, small kitchen with cookware and kitchen basics, solar lights for overhead lighting, two full size futons, dining table, 3 coolers for cold items, games, small library, and an outhouse with composting toilet and complete with solar shower.
There are 4 kayaks (along with vests, straps, paddles) available to use. Most people bring them to Branch Lake State Park or Moosehorn Stream.
The yurt is insulated with reflective insulation on the walls canvas. Bringing a warm sleeping bag will enhance your stay in cool Maine summer and autumn nights or when the clouds roll in. The key to staying warm is closing the windows at sundown, and then feeding the fire in the woodstove. We provide hardwood, you provide the human power to get the wood in the stove.
Blueberry season: mid-July to mid-August
Lobster season: year round
As a special offer to guests, we usually offer a sampling of our garden/orchard through a garden basket with fresh eggs. However, this year the gardening went by the wayside. A dozen eggs are $5. Please tell me if you’re interested before checkin.
November is deer hunting season in Maine. Our property and abutting trust are posted, but that doesn’t always stop the person who makes their own rules. Wear hunter orange and put some on your pet. This is the course of action for Mainers who enjoy hiking outside in November. Safety outside will avoid any mishaps. This orange is sold in most stores along the way to the mountain.
Water is the essence of life, and the yurt being on a mountaintop does not afford plumbing, city water, a well, or aqueduct. There is a water station at the base of the mountain with free gallons of water that needs to be human powered up to the top for your enjoyment. Instead of running water, it’s climbing water. It’s part of the experience. Use as little or as much as you like. But, replacing what you find at the top is the rule. If you leave more than you found, you are paying it forward and building good karma. If you take more than you find and don’t replace it, it is $10 a gallon which will be deducted from your deposit.
Your choice.
Your water.
Your life.
We are pet friendly. However, we do not accept all pets. Send a request to bring your friendly, well-trained, well-behaved pet. Please include breed/name/history/good pet report to get approved. We do not discriminate against large dogs. We have large dogs. Your dog will be expected to meet me and my dogs and interact appropriately. If your dog cannot do that, it is not welcome. Do not bother to inquire. We do discriminate against mean, biting, untrained and misbehaving ones.
Also, Maine is very dog friendly. There are few places you can’t take your pet. The yurt is not a good place to leave a pet and go hiking for the day as it heats up and does not maintain a constant temperature. Example, it may be 70 degrees in the morning, but with the sun and closed up yurt can get to well over 100 degrees. Take your pets with you or find a better place to leave pets. Maybe a dog daycare place in Orland (we like Kamp K-9), Bucksport, Ellsworth or BarHarbor.
Cleaning/Pick up
You, as the guest, have your part for leaving a space that you have used and enjoyed. Guest and host review each other on this criteria. If you do it, it is free/NO CHARGE. If you don’t complete the checkout pick-up, you will be charged for extra services for us doing it.
The following is the checkout pick-up procedure:
Cleaning sink/pots and pans $10
Quick Sweep the floor and futon covers, $10
Wiping surfaces: counter, table $10
Bring garbage down to garbage dumpster $10
Picking up garbage (inside/outside the yurt) $10
Replace water $10/gallon
Locking yurt and outhouse $10
If you think that is not a big requirement and doable, please book. If you think it is beyond what you’re willing to do to use a space, please do not book.
We really enjoy hosting the adventurous and inspiration-seeking guest. We enjoy meeting you and knowing who is staying in our place. We want you to have the optimum experience. If meeting us and going through a 20-minute orientation to show you how systems work on a mountain is beyond what you can socially/interpersonally do, please seek out other accommodations that are more simple and impersonal. And please sign the yurt journal, we love reliving your experience and remembering you!
Guest access
Views, land, secure parking behind locked gate and more views.
The cut hardwood under the yurt and in a woodpile is for the inside wood stove. This is NOT for guests to burn in the fire pit. Hardwood is a premium on top of a softwood topped mountain. Guest who burn cut hardwood in the fire pit will be charged according. $700/cord. If in doubt, please ask.
There is ample brush, dead small trees, wood that is useable for the fire pit. You will be shown the difference between the two fuels.
You may use whatever is in the yurt. We have coffee, tea, sugar, creamer, salt and pepper, spices, oils, and someone always leaves pancake mix for homemade blueberry pancakes (in-season). Currently there are 4 bottles of syrup (corn-based). There are iron frying pans and cookware to make your own camp delights.
There are a few board games, cards, cribbage board and a budding library. Keep it simple.
“When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Likewise, when the water container at the mountain top is dry, we know the worth of water. We provide gallons of free water at the base of the trail head for refilling. If you find water at the yurt, say thank you to past revelers and replace it for future guests. Part of the experience of mountain top living is hauling water. There’s no magical delivery system. If you don’t replace the water you find on your arrival, it is $10 a gallon. If you replace it, free of charge. Sorry, consequence is the mother of experience.
There is a fun solar shower that requires water. So worth it after a long, hot hike.
Other things to note
Pet fee is per pet
1 pet $30
2 pets $60
3 pets $90
Etc.
For those bringing pets and hiking in Acadia National Park trails, there are several trails not friendly to dogs.
“Pets should be kept away from more difficult park locations that have ladders, including Precipice, Beehive, Ladder Trail to Dorr Mountain Beech Cliffs, Beech Cliffs Trail, Perpendicular Trail (Mansell Mountain), and the Jordan Cliffs trail (between Penobscot East Trail and the carriage road).
There is a great doggy daycare down the road at Kamp K-9. Call Courtney to check it out. You need a reservation and shot records.
House Rules
Treat the yurt the way you'd like to be treated.
This was our only simple rule. However, after eight years of Airbnb hosting the mountain yurt, and several hundreds of guests, we have had to implement the following rules. When you book the reservation, you are agreeing to these rules.
1. No smoking in the yurt
2. Pick up after yourself (cig. butts, dishes, trash, etc)
3. Lock yurt and sheds when you leave premises
4. If there are issues during your stay, please contact us.
5. Checkout: Call one hour before checkout to meet LB
6. Only burn stove wood in stove, not fire pit. $700/cord if there is stove wood in the fire pit.
7. You must bring bedding/sleeping/bags/pillow case/etc. You'll be asked to go buy some if you show up empty handed. Sorry, experience.
8. We do now charge for hauling water, if you use and enjoy it, do the work and replace it. If we have to replace the water you used, $10 per gallon will be charged.
9. Leave the mattress covers on the futons. Do not remove. These are for your safety, protection, and cleanliness. They are locked. If the covers are removed and we have to launder the futons, there will be a $200 laundry service fee. Laundry is expensive on top of a mountain.
10. There is a $10 a night fee for pets pre-approved
$100 for pets that show up unannounced or snuck in.
11. There is a $15 charge per day/person over 3. There's a $70 charge per day/person for unannounced guests not on the reservation or snuck in. Note the sneaking theme.
12. Please treat the yurt the way you want to be treated. Again.
13. Checkin before dark. This yurt is hike in and up a mountain. LB has to get down the mountain with light.
Don't leave trash outside, it attracts animals. Please tell me if you've stored additional garbage in the outhouse.
As you see there is a cleaning fee attached to the yurt, although we do clean it before every guest. We do the hike and haul required to make a clean start for all guests. And as you will see the yurt is pretty clean when you entered. So for checkout:
You, as the guest, have your part for leaving a space that you have used and enjoyed. If you do it, it is free/NO CHARGE. If you don’t complete the checkout cleaning, you will be charged for us doing it.
The following is the checkout cleaning procedure:
Cleaning sink/pots and pans $10
Sweep the floor and futon covers, $10
Wiping surfaces: counter, table $10
Bring garbage down to dumpster $10
Picking up garbage (inside/outside the yurt) $10
Replace water $10/gallon
Locking yurt and outhouse $10
If you think that is not a big requirement and doable, please book. If you think it is beyond what you’re willing to do to use a space, please don’t book.
We do NOT expect deep cleaning, e.g. Scrubbing, mopping, toilet cleaning, dusting, etc
Water
We now charge for hauling water, and no longer use the honor system (it failed); if you use and enjoy it, do the work and replace it. Easy. Don’t replace it, pay for it. $10/gallon
“Do unto those downstream as you would have those upstream do unto you.”
-Wendell Berry
How to maximize your mountain yurt experience
Once you've passed "the way life should be" welcome sign on your left coming across the bridge into Maine, I would take the Franklin St exit for Trader Joe's in Portland and stock up on vacation food/wine. My suggestion is to next stop and get supplies because we are located in a rural setting and stores are at least a 20-25 minute ride one way.
There is good shopping at Brewer's Hannaford, and the GM Variety (locally known as Grandma's) in Holden is small/well stocked grocery. Don't forget to grab a Maine whoopie Pie treat.
Please note as of July 1, 2021, Maine has gone “no plastic bags,” so you may want to bring your own shopping bags at the stores. $.05 for a paper bag.
Then, make your way to the yurt, because it is a beautiful day and you might not want to leave once you get to the top. I know I don't!
Cheers!
LB
Packing List
Food
drinks
clothes
sleeping bag (note: a blanket is NOT enough for 50-60° degree nights)
Bath towel for showers
Pillow case
flashlight
Ice for the cooler
1 gallon containers for hauling
Provided at Yurt
salt, pepper, oils, coffee, tea, sugar, powder creamer,
Honey
Pancake mix
Pancake Syrup
A few cans of food for emergency meals
Pots and pans
Plates and bowels
Silverware
Melitta coffee maker
Percolator coffee pot
French press
Pour-over coffee with filters
Coffee thermos
Coffee cups
Wine glasses
Paper plates
Pillows
Propane stove
Propane gas
5 gallon water container
3 Ice coolers (small, med, large)
Dish soap and dish towels
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Garbage bags
Garbage can
Recycle deposit can
First Aid kit
Games
Trail maps
Battery operated candles
A few solar lights
Round Firewood
12v solar system for lights and USB charging
Ryobi Bluetooth speaker
Pink Guitar
Books
Yurt journal
