Ragged Mountain and Bald Mountain Focus Area 
Camden, Rockport 
Description: 
At over 1200 feet in elevation, Ragged Mountain and Bald Mountain are imposing peaks in 
the western part of Camden. Both summits are capped by exposed bedrock, and the side slopes of 
both mountains are largely undeveloped. Together these peaks form the core of a 5,500-acre block of 
largely undeveloped lands. 
Ragged Mountain MNAP photo, Lisa Windhausen 
Ragged Mountain straddles the Rockport and Camden town lines. The Town of Camden 
operates a ski area on the northeast slopes of the mountain, and a communications tower is located on 
the summit above the ski slopes. A new hiking trail, completed in the fall of 1997, traverses the 
ridgeline. Much of the ridgetop is exposed bedrock that supports a ~40 acre acidic rocky summit 
plant community. The bedrock outcrops are interspersed with spruce/fir forest, and further to the 
north, a 150+ year old but recently ice-damaged oak forest. A small population of the rare smooth 
sandwort (Minuartia glabra) grows near an exposed section of the hiking trail. The west-facing slopes 
of Ragged Mountain are ~30 acres of steep acidic cliffs with talus slopes at the bottom. The forest 
beneath the cliffs contains patches of mature oak forest in the upper ravines. 
The exposed southern face of Bald Mountain is similar to that described above, with 
characteristic plants including juniper (Juniperus communis), bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and 
low-bush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium). 
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Land Trust Assistance Project MNAP/MDIFW/MCHT/MAS May 1, 2000 

Rare Species/Natural Community Table for the Ragged Mountain/Bald Mountain Area: 
Common Name Latin Name Status S-Rank G-Rank 
Exemplary Natural Communities 
Acidic Rocky Summit n/a S4 not ranked 
Rare Plants 
Crawe's sedge Carex crawei E S1 G5 
Smooth sandwort Minuartia glabra SC S2 G4 
Other Resources Mapped by MDIFW: 
One Deer Wintering Area is mapped on the northern side of Ragged Mountain, and another is mapped 
on the south side of Bald Mountain. 
Conservation Considerations: 
¥ The Coastal Mountains have experienced rapid growth in the last decade (Krohn 1997), and many 
of the upland areas are under increasing threat. Growth and sprawl in rural areas contribute to 
habitat fragmentation, water quality degradation, and expansion of invasive plant species. 
¥ Many of the higher elevation oak forests in this region -- particularly stands facing the east and 
southeast -- were heavily damaged by the January 1998 ice storm. In light of this damage, some 
landowners have undertaken heavy salvage cuts to offset possible economic loss. Woodlot 
owners considering such options should be encouraged to develop a long-term forest management 
plan with the guidance of a licensed forester. 
¥ Old forests (e.g., greater than 100 years old) are becoming scarce in Maine. Retention of old 
forest stands and characteristics, such as coarse woody debris and standing snags, may augment 
habitat diversity and value. 
¥ Particular attention should be given to protecting large parcels adjacent to already protected lands. 
(Most of Bald Mountain lies within a few large parcels.) Furthermore, conservation priorities 
within this focus area should also be influenced by the development threat of each tract. The 
development potential of several areas is limited by steep slopes, restricted access due to adjacent 
conservation lands, or both. 
¥ The biggest threat to the summit peaks may be from two sources (1) the further development of 
communication towers and associated facilities, and (2) uncontrolled recreational use. 
Recreational use should be limited to existing trails. 
¥ Crawe's sedge (Carex crawei), a small plant with only one other known site in the state, grows 
near the summit of the open ski slope in a gravelly seep. All previously documented Maine sites 
for this species have been in Aroostook County. This small population appears to be surviving in 
spite of the maintenance of the ski slope. It typically prefers moist open soils, and it probably 
occurred historically in other naturally open seeps in the area. 
Protection Status: 
The Town of Camden owns several parcels on Ragged Mountain, totaling over 280 acres (the east 
side is a ski area). The Coastal Mountains Land Trust owns 28 acres. The Consumer's Water District 
owns several hundred acres around Mirror Lake. 
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Land Trust Assistance Project MNAP/MDIFW/MCHT/MAS May 1, 2000