Mount Kineo

Overview

LINK Mt. Kineo from Rockwood

Mount Kineo presents a sheer east face over Moosehead lake in northern Maine. A trip to the top is the best way to view Moosehead lake which at 35 miles or so in length is one of the larger lakes contained in any one state. Kineo sits on a peninsula jutting off of the east shore of Moosehead Lake across from the hamlet of Rockwood Maine. According to the native Penobscots, the deity Gluskap who amused and provided for the people, shot a large moose when the people were hungry. The moose is now called Kineo and hence the name of the Lake is Moosehead Lake. On the earliest map of about 1761 or so it is called Orignal but this may have been to disguise its name. Montressor, a British Officer, writing in a diary entry of July 1,1761 refers to the moose or deer mountain on what he called lake Orignal(Canadian French for moose). "We now had a view of the mountain from which the lake takes its name. It resembles a deer or moose in a stooping posture."
This is probably the earliest written reference to Kineo. Modern climbers come here to do the Ice climb "Maine Line" that forms in the middle of the precipice.
Kineo is considered the largest chunk of flint in North America and arrowheads fashioned from its stone are said to be widely distributed. Kineo divides the large Northbay from the southern part of Moosehead with its many islands. The first to record a climb was Thoreau who traveled in late September of 1853 taking the steamer to Bangor and a carriage from Bangor up to Greenville and then canoed up to Mt. Kineo before crossing North Bay to the Penobscot River. Thoreau climbed in misty weather and said he preferred the view with clouds shifting between him and the lake.

How to Get There

Travel north on I95 to Newport Maine from Portland. Go north from Newport to Dexter and Dover-Foxcroft about 30 miles north of Newport on Route 7. Follow Route 6 west through Abbot Village and Sangerville (Home of Hiram Maxim inventor of the machine gun) and thence to Greenville at the south end of Moosehead Lake. Continue on route 6 north 20 mile up to Rockwood and view Kineo across the narrows of the lake. Perhaps a private boat can take you across the lake to the mountain but be sure to arrange your return trip. Avoid this crossing if the wind is heavy. There is a steamer that goes up the lake from Greenville, but I don't know if it stops at the Kineo peninsula.

How to climb

Just follow the trail to the top. You will be aware of the big drop.
I don't know too much about the rock climb on flint.



Mainline ice climb

Dining, Camping, Cruising

Accomodations: Kineo House, Restaurant and Inn; 207-534-8812; Chip/Laurie Foster; Open January-March and Memorial Day-Columbus Day; Great Lunch (11-4); Dinner, reservation only; $35/night including breakfast!

Anti M's in Greenville offers a great Breakfast with home made bread.
Auntie M's
(207) 695-2238

Campgrounds
Moosehead Family Campground • Greenville (207) 695-2210
Casey's Spencer Bay • Lily Bay (207) 695-2801
Leisure Life Resort • Greenville (207) 695-3737
http://www.katahdincruises.com/cruises.html
Moosehead Cruise

Weather

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Ferry Rockwood to Kineo (non-auto)

Mt. Kineo is not accessible by car, there is a small ferry that runs 8 am – 4 pm and cost $8 per person round-trip. Ask. The distance is a mile but if the wind is heavy you may not be able to cross.
Ferry: Call The Oak Lodge
Summers (207) 534-7415
Off-season (407) 889-7971

Picture of Mt. Kineo on Moosehead Lake

Kineo and Moosehead

External Links

• Maineline
  Ice climb on Mount Kineo
  Location: Mt. Kineo, Moosehead Lake, Rockwood, ME
  Grade: WI 5+ Height: 350'
  
  

Images

View Mount Kineo Image Gallery - 6 Images