| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Deer Ridge Peak (Milan) , NH |
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 | Trails: |
Mill Brook Trail, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, October 1, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Just over 5mi along York Pond Rd, turn right where there’s a sign indicating which way to drive for the various trails in the area. At the end of this short road there’s a trail sign next to a building. It would appear that you’re to park here although you could drive a teensy bit further along the rough road toward the trail. |
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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: |
I don’t think the trail actually ever crossed the brook. Maybe some minor tributaries. In any case, all easily rock hopable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I don’t recall any blowdowns or the trail was blazed (I don’t think it was). Not too hard to follow in this section though other than finding where it enters the woods at the very start. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
The brush up near the summit may be difficult for some |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
Day 335, Peak 316. 1st if the day. From where I parked next to the fish hatchery building, I continued on foot up the road, now shown as a gray line on Gaia, to the small pond shown on the map that’s now dry. The trail, enters the woods behind/to the right of the pond. There’s a sign where it enters the woods but it’s not exactly easy to see from the other side of the pond. Though Gaia shows the trail going around the west side of the pond, it appears to actually go to the east of it. In any case, the important thing to know is to turn right here and not continue toward the dam.
The trail had a few spots of deeper mud but all in all wasn’t as muddy as I would’ve that it would be given its location and recent rain. I walked 1.5mi down the trail to 2100ft at mostly easy grades to the start of my whack. I then whacked N/NE, then due north to the summit. Woods were open but steep as anticipated. No cliff bands though. I generally stayed just a couple hundred feet west of the drainage that starts from the col between the main peak and the next bump south along the ridge. The woods were mostly dry. As I approached the summit area and the grade eased up the woods transitioned and became more ferny and overgrown. In fact, the ferns became quite high at times. The jar wasn’t too hard to find though I had to walk along the summit ridge a little to come to it.
Though this peak is not on the official NH500 Highest List, LiDAR has it with 200 feet of prominence so perhaps it ought to be. I’m counting it. Also, for clarity, the bump I went to and that’s recognized is is the tallest bumps along this ridge that’s south of Rogers Ledge. It’s above 2800ft and is the third major bump south of Rogers Ledge. To descend, I headed S/SW of the summit, a bit west of my ascent like. I hit some pokier woods but not that thick and it was short lived. I then came to a rather bouldery section. It reminded me of what you find below Cabot’s southern talus field. I contoured east a short ways to avoid this poor footing. Amazing how different things can be just a few hundred feet away from where you came up. Still had good woods on my descent though. As I neared the trail again, I returned close to my ascent line and hit the trail in roughly the same spot. Quick walk out.
Gaia had me just shy of 4.5mi with about 1300ft of gain. Took me 2.5hrs to complete. 30 more days and 49 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: |
2022-10-04 |
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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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