The mountain is named for its granite peak, which is mostly bare with a few scrubby trees. From the mountain there is a panoramic view of western Maine, the Western Maine Mountains, and the eastern portion of the White Mountain National Forest.[3]
Background
Black Cap consists of a range of hills, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, with an average breadth of 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide.[2] Both Boy Scout Camp Roosevelt and Fitts Pond sit at the base of the mountain.[4] The summit is home to a number of microwave,[5]radio and television broadcasting antennas, including WMEH of Maine Public Radio.[6]
The mountain is prominent in the area and is part of the southeastern vista of Bangor.[7] It can also be seen from the Penobscot Bay and the sea.[8] The area around the mountain has been affected by several natural disasters. The 1938 New England hurricane leveled the surrounding forest,[9] and a spruce forest was planted in its place.[3] The mountain also has beech trees and blueberry bushes. The latter began to grow after a series of forest fires swept through the area in the 1800s clearing the forest and opening the land.[3]
The Katahdin Area Council, owners of the 1,800 acres (730 ha) Camp Roosevelt,[10] own two-thirds of the mountain. Private landholders own the rest of the land, with energy company Emera owning one acre on the summit of the mountain for a radio tower.[11]
Recreation
The mountain has a popular hiking trail, whose trailhead adjoins the parking lot for Camp Roosevelt.[12][13]
^Lefebvre, Paul (October 19, 2016). "How a hurricane changed New England's forests"(PDF). The Chronicle. Barton, Vermont. pp. B1. review of book: "Thirty-Eight, The Hurricane that Transformed New England", by Stephen Long 2016
^"Camp Roosevelt"(PDF). Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section. July 22, 2016. p. 2. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
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