Sometimes it isn’t the top of a mountain that presents the best view. Such was the case a few years ago when I decided to hike Lead Mountain in rural Hancock County, Maine.

Not far into my hike I came upon a side trail that took me to the shore of Bear Pond. A small pond with no human structures, but plenty of mosquitoes. A beautiful spot, if you could deal with those mosquitoes.

The hike up to the summit was still a good hike, despite no view. Hiking guide books foretold the viewless summit, which I believe causes people to visit other nearby mountains with a view at the top. The results of few people hiking a trail, plus logging activity at some point before my visit, a trail that disappears. For me this just made the hike that much more challenging and in the end worth the time for a walk in the woods.