| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
West Branch Abbott Brook Peak , NH |
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 | Trails: |
Bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, July 22, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked NE of the peak alongside Abbott Brook Rd at about 1900ft. To get here, turn left onto Parmachenee Rd from Rt 16/Dam Rd in Wilson Mills ME, follow it for 3.6mi, then bear left onto Abbott Brook Rd and follow it for about 2.25mi to where I parked. Both roads are wide dirt roads and should be doable for low clearance cars with caution around the potholes and divots. Most rocks jutting out on Parmachenee Rd are blazed in orange for our convenience ;) There seems to be some active logging going on along Parmachenee Rd so watch out for huge tractor trailers on the road. I saw two in the morning. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
N/A |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure |
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 | Bugs: |
Yeah, lots of mosquitos. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
Day 264, Peak 261. 5th hike/peak of the day after Camp Seven Mountain/SE Diamond Ridge, Garfield Falls Peak, Tracy Brook Mountain, and Lamb Valley Brook Peak.
I headed SW into the woods between two clearings shown on Gaia, but unsurprisingly, it was still pretty brushy in here. Wet, muddy, old, overgrown skidder roads for a ways. Moderate-steep grade. I soon found my way into actual woods then came to the small stream that drains the minor col between the peak and a small knob just to its SE. I followed this mostly dry brook bed for a ways and had good walking but it soon seemed to veer right into more overgrown stuff. I stayed left instead which led to ascend up the ridge to the knob instead of the actual peak. This would’ve been a small price to pay had the woods not become sprucey and thick. Some fun blowdowns in there too. It opens up briefly and was absolutely beautiful for maybe 50yds though lol. Reminded me a lot of Hell Gate Mtn which I did this winter. Once I was nearly parallel with the top of the drainage, I slowly made my way down into it. Thick and steep but more doable than it looked like it was going to be. And it’s very, very short. The col was ferny and had lots of vegetation but not logged and prickly like the skidder roads down low. I made my way up at a moderate grade to the summit of the true peak which became wooded but not too thick near the summit. Actually some nice softwoods with hints of herd paths in here. Not hard to find the register. A small cairn is next to it.
After signing in, I took a direct bearing down and thought I’d just try to follow the best woods since I knew the woods were bad on the other side of the drainage. I headed NE off the peak, partway between the ridge and the drainage. I knew the ridge would more quickly lead to brushy logged areas. I eventually chose to descend into the drainage. Not as bad as it looked from the ridge of the other peak. If I stayed on the left (west) side of it the footing wasn’t too wet. Some moose beds in here. Once below the bad woods on the other side of the drainage, I crossed it, to follow the good woods I had earlier by the drainage on the other side. I followed them until I inevitably hit the brushy logged areas again. I followed an overgrown, wet skidder road back down to the road, popping out next to my car.
The hike was a little over a mile with about 500ft of gain. Took me 1.5hrs due to the brush down low, thick woods up high, and having to cross from the knob to the actual peak. 101 more days and 104 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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