| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Lamb Valley Brook Peak, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Bushwhack, Hell Gate Pond Trail, Lamb Valley Pond Trail, abandoned trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, July 22, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked where West Branch Rd touched the 1400ft contour on Gaia, just north of the start of the trail. The reason that I didn’t drive to the actual start of the trail is that Dead Diamond Rd is gated according to other reports as it’s within the Dartmouth Second College Grant. To get here I turned left off of Rt 16/Dam Rd in Wilson Mills ME and followed Parmachenee Rd for about 3.6mi, then bore left onto Abbott Brook Rd which I followed for about 5.6mi before turning left onto West Branch Rd which I followed for about 0.4mi to where I parked. All of these roads are wide dirt roads in good shape and should be doable by low clearance cars with caution around potholes and divots. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Bridged and/or trivial |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trails are blazed in a now somewhat faded, old, yellow. The blazing doesn’t start immediately and wasn’t all that frequent though seemed to be blazed regularly once a ways in. Though lightly travelled, there was some evidence of maintenance. I don’t recall any blowdowns that hadn’t been taken care of. Note that although the abandoned trail is still signed at its jct with Lamb Valley Pond Trail, it is most certainly not still maintained (see below). |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Not sure if there’s any rules about dogs within Dartmouth’s Second College Grant but if not, then sure. |
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 | Bugs: |
The bugs were MUCH worse here than the other hikes I’d done today. Presumably due to the ponds but they were actually worst not at the ponds but on the trail that led to them. Lots of mosquitos. Lots of those big flies that hurt terribly when they bite you too. Quite unpleasant. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
Day 264, Peak 260. 4th hike/peak of the day after Camp Seven/SE Diamond Ridge, Garfield Falls Peak, and Tracy Brook Mtn.
From my car, I whacked steeply down the bank info flat woods which I walked for all of a couple hundred feet, if that, the small parking lot (for a cabin?) and bridge over the Dead Diamond River). A path takes you through a field where you’ll see the trailhead on the opposite side. I followed this pleasant looking trail into the woods. It’s wide at first but soon becomes narrow and overgrown. Experienced hikers worn have any trouble following it but novices may find it unnerving. Gentle uphill for just over a 1/2mi to the short spur to Hell Gate Pond. I backtracked then continued about a mile further to Lamb Valley Pond. Both ponds were scenic but a bit hard to get a full view of due to the overgrown trail and encroaching mud. Some PUDS along the way to Lamb Valley Pond but still a generally flat/gentle trail.
Shortly before reaching the pond you’ll come to a sign that points right to Lamb Valley Rd. Once I visited the pond, I backtracked to this point and followed this trail to take me toward the peak. I assumed this was the abandoned trail that other reports had mentioned but it didn’t seem abandoned to me given there was a sign at the jct and I could see a yellow blaze a short ways down it. No fear though, as I began to walk along it, if soon disappeared and I agreed that this was most certainly an abandoned trail (perhaps they ought to take the sign down). The blazes have been etched out mostly and vegetation has reclaimed it in many spots destroying the footbed and corridor. With care, it’s doable to stay on or close to it though. Unfortunately it’s not terribly pleasant with many pricker bushes in spots, wet footing, and being just generally overgrown. Near its start, watch out for a left hand turn toward the marsh where the trail seems to disappear. It’s easy to lose here. The trail generally heads NW though and follows the pond’s inlet NW just above (NE) of the brook. Buswhackers use it to get around the marshy, wet areas surrounding the pond to access Lamb Valley Brook Peak.
About 1/4mi from the abandoned trail’s start, it entered a marshy, grassy area that had wet footing, here I backtracked slightly to cross the drainage in a still wet, but drier area and steeply attain the W/NW ridge of the peak. After a very steep pitch up through ferns and hobblebush I attained the minor ridge and ascended more moderately through open woods. Just above 2000ft I believe, I hit a brushy area that must’ve been previously logged. It was obnoxious but not as wet as other ones I’d been in earlier in the day and it was at least relatively short lived as I got back into some real woods shortly before reaching the true high point and register. I signed in (congratulations Brian and Mary!) and returned roughly the same way.
One last note about the abandoned trail: it was signed as heading toward Lamb Valley Rd, which, according to Gaia is south of the pond and yet the trail travelled NW along the inlet. I’d love to know more about this trail and how long ago it was abandoned. I’m guessing it was pretty recently but it’s amazing how fast nature reclaims it! The hike was almost 5.5mi with a little over 1000ft of gain due to some ups and downs. It took me just shy of 3.5hrs go complete. 101 more days and 105 more peaks to go… |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-07-24 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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