Bear Mountain in Hartford features magnificent views, and is a perfect example of the two major geologic events that shaped the current Western Maine landscape. The heavily foliated metamorphic schist bedrock is a remnant of the major Paleozoic mountain-building events that uplifted the Appalachians. The rock was later smoothed out on the North side and plucked away on the South side by the southward-moving glaciers during the last ice age. That left the “roche-moutonee” formation (smooth, gently sloping North side, followed by broken-up craggy cliffs on the South side) that you find here today.
Looking Southeast over the foliated schist bedrock. March, 2005 
Eastern view. October, 2013 
The magnificent summit of Bear Mountain, looking South over the schist bedrock. May, 2013 
Looking West toward the Presidential Range (far background, center). October, 2013 
Southwest view over Bear Pond toward nearby Streaked Mountain. July, 2011
Western Maine Views 