| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Patience, Mt. Metalak, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Bushwhack, herd paths, road walk |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, September 15, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
From where I parked for Millsfield Mtn (see that trail report), I drove. Ack out to Newell Brook Rd and drive it for just 0.1mi south before turning left onto a spur rd that led up to the two peaks. It ends SW of Patience but I parked at the northernmost point of it. Mid-clearance needed for this spur rd. I’d say it’s even needed for Newell Brook Rd this far in. Pretty rocky. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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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: |
Woods up Patience would be tricky for a dog. Also, see naked below about beers and hunters. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
Day 319, Peaks 301 & 302. 4th hike and 4th and 5th peaks fo the day after Kelsey, East Kelsey, and Millsfield/West Patience. I THOUGHT I didn’t need my blaze orange yet but…
So evidently bear hunting season starts in NH on 9/1. Imagine my surprise when I prepare to park and see two other cars…and people with guns! Hahah! I explained what I was planning on doing and asked if I’d be in there way. They were adamant that I not descend down into the valley south of Metalak (the easiest way to get down) since they didn’t want to shoot me. He also said something about the land being owned by some paper company (hence the logging) and he pays them to hunt there and set bear bait thus I could NOT follow them down the “trail”. It was agreed that I’d ascend back toward Patience after summiting both it and Metalak so as to avoid the valley. My recommendation: don’t come here during bear hunting season. I seem to be the only one that’s run into this problem.
I forgot to start my track on Gaia here so forgive me but from the northernmost point on the road, I set a bearing for Patience (knowing I’d likely not go straight up but end up on the NW ridge) and entered the brush around the clearing. Brush soon turned to woods as I approached the base of the steep western flank of the mountain from the valley. Woods were open in the valley but once I started ascending the woods become spruce. I seemed to generally find my way to the more open sections but it was still very thick at times. I wound up heading NE from my car and hit the ridge 0.2mi NW of the summit. I followed very old skidder roads which proved defent enough walking up toward the summit. I signed in and followed the NW ridge down into the col. Brushy going through here but herd paths and old skidder roads helped. Brush wasn’t that bad either; mostly of the ferny variety. Brush stopped shy of the col and the woods became pencil-like. Followed a herd path right on through though. The col itself was open hardwoods. The ascent up to Metalak was pretty moderate and in mixed woods that were decent enough to walk through most of the time. Again, there were some herd paths you could follow at times. Register wasn’t hard to find.
I swung too far east on my descent and got myself on the steep eastern side of the mountain and had to get back over to the ridge. I then followed a similar line into the col. I began to ascend Patience briefly too so as to avoid the hunters in the valley. I began to swing south on herd paths that slowly took me down the west side of the ridge. Of course it had to be that this is where the thickest woods were. I fought through pencil pine then through spruce down lower. If you weren’t worried about hunters just to your west, you could’ve stuck to better woods though. I finally came back down into the open but young woods down low, then hit an overgrown logging road which I followed south to hit the road I forge in on 0.1-0.2mi east of where I parked and walked the road back to my car. No gun shots were heard ;)
These may be a little off as I forgot to start Gaia at first, but, extrapolating, I think the hike was about 2.25mi with 750ft of gain and it took me a little over 2hrs to complete. 46 more days and 63 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: |
2022-09-15 |
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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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