Phil Somers loves hiking  — and is appropriately is a veteran sales clerk at L.L. Bean and has taught numerous classes for its Outdoor Discovery School.

We asked Somers to share a list of his favorite treks in Maine and New Hampshire. Though he likened the task to choosing a favorite child, he gamely agreed. Below are his choices:

Half-day hikes

These short, but rewarding, hikes will please beginners and veterans alike.

Streaked Mountain: Oxford County, Maine. Five miles out of South Paris, this is a steep but short hike over rock slabs that provide immediate views within 10 minutes of the car. Except for the clutter of towers at the summit the view is vast. You can see the wall of the Whites, the Mahoosucs and all the way to the coastal plain.

Mt. Zircon: Rumford area, Maine. More than half of the hike is along a well-used dirt road. The last half-mile is the steepest, and perhaps most interesting, as you transition from a mixed forest to a spruce fir forest. An old Maine Forest Service fire tower is lying on its side at the summit, however the views are 360. To the east you will see Black, Bald and Speckled mountains, which are all of similar height and difficulty. The White Mountains and the Mahoosuc Range fill the horizon. Further north, the Bemis Range, Tumbledown and the Jacksons come into view.

Rumford Whitecap: Rumford area, Maine. There are two trails more or less paralleling each other and connecting higher on the mountain and continuing together to the summit. Mixed forest leads to coniferous forest leads to open ledges along the southern spine of the mountain, bringing magnificent 360-degree views.

Tumbledown Pond: Near Weld, Maine. Using the Brook Trail, you ascend gradually for approximately a mile along an old dirt/gravel road (not passable by vehicle) and then a half-mile on a steep trail topping out above the trees at the outlet of Tumbledown Pond. Many parties stop here, and for good reason: There is swimming and excellent views. The trail to the summit of Tumbledown continues to the west and on to the Loop Trail and descends to the Byron Notch Road a mile and a half west from the start of the Brook Trail. Looming high above the pond to the northeast is Little Jackson and to the east is Parkers Ridge. Both summits can be accessed from the pond or from other trailheads in the valley below.

Half-day to full-day hikes

Depending on one’s fitness level or pace, these could be done in half a day but could easily turn into a full day with lunch, lounging or picture taking.

Kearsarge North: North Conway, New Hampshire. Views start about halfway up and the 360-degree vista from the summit and/or tower is breathtaking. The tower is enclosed with glass, so on a brisk winter day not only does it offer wind protection, but you also have some solar gain and can sometimes take off your heavier layers.

Little Jackson: Near Weld, Maine. We find this summit with phenomenal views to have an alpine feel without having to put in a full day. The whole upper cone of the mountain is above tree line and a few steps from the top you can look what seems like straight down into Tumbledown Pond. When you hike much above 2,500 feet, the forest often changes into birch before it transitions into the spruce and fir. The birch glades often have mountain ash and a lot of ferns. The Little Jackson trail offers this forest type.

Caribou Mountain: South of Gilead, Maine. Evans Notch. This seven-mile loop hike not only has different forest types, but also some interesting waterfalls along Morrison Brook. The 360 views are also impressive. On many of these hikes, it is amazing to realize how unpopulated this part of Maine and New Hampshire is. Years ago, camping was allowed at a designated site a quarter-mile below the summit. After dark, we hiked to the summit to see the illuminated Portland skyline, yet in all other directions there were no lights at all, with the exception of a just few scattered through the forest.

Aziscoos Mountain: Near Wilsons Mills, Maine. Another beautiful summit with commanding, vast views into the North Country. Names like Magalloway, Cupsuptic, Umbagog and Kennabago appear on your map. This exceptional view shows 15 lakes (or ponds) from the summit. Can you name them all?

Doubletop Mountain: Baxter State Park, Maine. There are many higher summits in the park, but sometimes the views are better when you are looking at those higher peaks, rather than from them. The Nesowadnehunk valley, approximately 3,000 feet below, appears to be straight down. Directly across the valley are stunning views of the Brothers, Coe, OJI, Barren and The Owl, and above all those towers looms the mass of Katahdin. Behind you is the relatively flat North Country with Chesuncook Lake in the distance.

Full-day hikes

These hikes feature more elevation gain and loss, more miles and sometimes more than one summit.

The Baldpates: Grafton Notch, Maine. The east peak of Baldpate (which now appears to be called East Baldpate) is more interesting than West Baldpate because of its 360, wide-open view. One must hike over West to get to East if using the Route 26 parking area, but it is well worth the effort, not only because of dramatic views but also because of the high alpine bog between the peaks at around 3,000 feet.

The Goose Eyes: northwest of Bethel, Maine. This mountain lies in the center of the Mahoosuc Range and holds the most interest to us because of the extensive endless alpine meadows and box canyons. The two highest summits, East and West Peaks, offer tremendous views and can be accessed from either Maine near Bethel or from the Success Pond Road in New Hampshire. The approach from the Maine side is up the Wright trail and travels along Goose Eye Brook, providing plenty of opportunity for rest on the smooth rock slabs and little pools to soak in. The Success Pond Road is a rough gravel logging road that parallels the range from Grafton Notch to Berlin, N.H., and was passable by my low-clearance sedan as of mid-July.

Bigelow Mountain: Carrabassett Valley, Stratton, Maine. This range runs east–west and has two lower summits on either end with the four highest summits at the middle of the range. The majority of Bigelow Mountain and surrounding land is on the public reserve land. There are several campsites along the range and also at lower elevations on the north and south sides. The campsites are free and are first-come first-served. The Appalachian Trail climbs four of the summits. There are several trails giving the hiker a lot of options for day use or multi-day trips. There is a caretaker at Horns Pond campsite (the busiest) to facilitate camping options and to educate and inform hikers on where to camp, “Leave No Trace” camping and general information about the range. On the nicer days, Katahdin can be seen from Avery Peak. Far below is gorgeous Flagstaff Lake, which is as long as the range itself. This is a manmade lake dammed by Central Maine Power for power generation many years ago. Residents of the town of Flagstaff, including Darleen’s great-grandparents, were displaced by the damming of the Dead River. They were the owners of the round barn that is now a walk-in campground on the shore of Flagstaff Lake. You can see the round barn foundation at this location along with the old road that descends into the lake. Maine Huts and Trails are also on the doorstep of the range, and will provide lodging for a fee. One can have excellent meals, hot showers after a day of hiking, skiing, mountain biking or paddling. The possibilities on this range are endless. The best!

Carter Dome – Mt. Hight: Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire. This 10-mile loop provides hikers with stunning views of the Presidential Range, a large mountain brook and a high elevation notch. It is a long day, however, overnight accommodations can be made at the Appalachian Mountain Club hut at Carter Notch. The most strenuous part of this adventure is the climbing into or out of Carter Notch. The views north along the Carter-Moriah Range, and on to the Mahoosucs and North Country, are exceptional.

Mt. Adams: West of Gorham, New Hampshire. This is the second highest mountain in the northeast and provides commanding views of neighboring Mt. Washington and down into the depths of the Great Gulf Wilderness. Several trails from Route 2 are possible. Our favorite trail is Valley Way because of the moderate grade and access to Snyder Brook’s pools and cascades. Once above tree line, the trail changes character and difficulty and you have about a mile to ascend the rocky cone of Adams.

Mt. Carragain: Crawford Notch, New Hampshire. This summit can be seen from many places in the White Mountains. As a result, from the observation platform, you find yourself in what seems like the center of the White Mountains and provides extensive views of one mountain and range after another. Far below is the Pemigewasset River drainage.

Resources for hikers

Books:

“Maine Mountain Guide”; Appalachian Mountain Club

“White Mountain Guide”; Appalachian Mountain Club

“Guide to the Appalachian Trail in Maine”; Maine Appalachian Trail Club

“50 Hikes in Coastal and Southern Maine”; John Gibson

“Maine Atlas and Gazetteer”; DeLorme

“New Hampshire Atlas and Gazetteer”; DeLorme

Web sites:

weather.com

wunderground.com

mountwashington.org

viewsfromthetop.com

newenglandtrailconditions.com

www.mainetrailfinder.com

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