Deer (ME) 10/18

[buckyball1]

Deer (3450') is a bit west of Oquossoc (Rangeley)

Pushing my luck a bit after a good trip to Lobster on Friday, I decided to squeeze in another hike Saturday before heading to NH to hike the Ossipees Sunday with Amicus.

I think the "conventional" approach to Deer for most of the 3kers (a feat beyond my aspirations) is from the west, off the Old Lincoln Pond Road and a 0.85 mile 'wack up the town boundary line. After looking at maps/pics, I decided to try from the east off Rt16.

A forest service ranger suggested I try driving up on some new logging roads SW of Deer which might get me near the saddle south of the peak, then 'wack to the ridge and thence to the summit. After the obligatory moose running in from of the car on Rt16 (they seem to be everywhere in this corner of Maine as I've had them run on the road in front of me 3-4 times in the last few years), I was able to park about 2.5 miles from the peak. Not knowing anything about that 'wack, I thought I'd explore the route I planned from the east going in on Cold Brook Rd.

I was able to drive in this way a bit, but the road was "rocked", so I parked and started up the roads for the east side of the mountain-a cold (25 degrees) clear day. The going was easy for 2+ miles on good dirt roads until I reached a large "landing" at the "base" of the climb about 0.75 miles from the summit. Logging activity has long ceased in here and most of the skidder trails/small landings higher up are a newly overgrown mess My options were trying to thread my way higher on old skidder roads, perhaps find the old fire wardens trail (even the Ranger had no clue on this) or go straight for the peak--as usual, when in doubt, I go straight up.

This approach was a mixed bag; early on not so bad travel, then some spots as thick as I've encountered. There was a 0.2 mile section of tight balsams grown over lots of blowdown where it was fighting tree to tree with lots of what I call blowdown boxes where you just can't move up and have to retrace your path and try a different angle-by "as hard as I've seen", It took me 25 minutes of very hard work to go those few tenths-just ugly. The it thinned out, got very steep, rocky and moss covered, tuff, but was very doable. The top was only moderately thick and I found a "bump" on the east side when I reached the summit plateau, but the true summit was a slightly higher bump on the west side which had limited views of Aziscohos Lake area. The was a metal "quadrapod" about 4 feet high, the old fire tower cement anchors (one inscribed with initials "WGH") and a white PVC canister. Inside the canister was a small glass jar with the register placed by Dennis Crispo in 1986. There were only 25-26 entries with none since early 2005-the current crop of 3kers (guys I know who have climbed this) were not represented?? Another jar somewhere? Unlikely as the top is pretty clear once you find it. I think the reason is because the cap on the pipe was really frozen shut-it took me 3-4 minutes of whaling at it with a rock to finally open it. So now you can go back and sign in .

I neglected to mention that after so few visitors since 1986, another of our number summited just a few hours after I pounded the canister open--strange/coincidental world

For the descent, I tried a route a bit more to the north on the east side which I hoped would lead to some "trails" I "saw" on the sat pics. The going was some better this way, but there was still a pretty rough band about the same elevation as the one I hit coming up. I finally hit a "trail" which i felt might be the fire warden's trail, It just "felt" right , was worn down to the ledge rock in places, had some big "steps", etc It was overgrown, had sizable trees in it, water/mud over my boots in many places. After a few tenths, I gave up on it and just headed into the woods which was easier going. I reached the big, open landing again and had a nice walk out. There's nothing better than an open dirt road exit stroll in bright sunshine after a reasonably challenging hike. As I looked back up the south side of the "cone", I think a direct line a bit south of the one I ascended would be easier as the hardwoods reach higher on the mountain there.

As I was packing up, an amicable hunter (bird season and moose again)arrived and we chatted. He asked me where I'd been, I pointed to the top and he said "me too". I said I meant all the way up. He said "me too" . It turns out here's from Raymond, ME and has owned a modest a camp near where I parked. He's been up to the "summit" 3-4 times, but never knew there was "anything" there and had seen no views. I apologized for stereotyping him; he laughed. When I told him about the "real top", we talked at length looking at our respective maps and his mapping GPS. As far as I can tell, he was really close, but his GPS "beeps" and stops navigating at 100' from the "destination". He was all excited about going up next weekend to find all the "stuff" and sign the register. He also told me the approach from the south ridge that I was contemplating was "really awful", so be forewarned. Oh, he also confirmed that I was on the fire warden's trail coming down.

Then a nice drive all the way down Rt 16 with several stops just to chill out and look at the water/mountains. An excellent hike followed today (Sunday) with Amicus, but that's his story to tell.

jim

 

[Gamehiker]

Yes the Deer cannister was frozen solid on 11-5-06 when I visited. I remember a fairly easy trip up from the west in 3-5 inches snow near the top.

Jim from Barnjum

 

[dRitter]

It was funny to see you signed in the same day as I did Jim, we must've missed by only a few hours, I was on top at 4 pm. I came in from the north a few hundred yards from the plane crash site on Lincoln Pond Rd. Mixed bag like yourself, everything from open woods to nasty thick crap, a lot of that route was the latter.

Fire me a pm, I tried to find whatever that private alerts thing I sent you a message on yesterday and can't find my way back in. Friggin' technology changes kill me.

BTW, yes, I am actively pursuing the 3Ks.

Damon

 

[mhrsebago]

Buckyball1 -

"3kers (a feat beyond my aspirations)" ???

You seem to love obscure peaks! When you finish the prominence list you're pursuing, consider the 3000 fters.... All the same planning and navigational challenges, another excuse to continue playing in the woods after finishing the "traditional lists", unexpected views/critters/birds/rockfaces/waterfalls, and some interesting folks.

The length of the "list" and travel seem daunting, but think about some of the great 3000' peaks in Maine. Whether you "finish" or not, I suspect you'll find this to be a rewarding adventure.

 

[onestep]

I 'whacked this peak on May 12, 2007. From my log;

solo from Lincoln Pond Rd. 45 min up, 30 down. Followed yellow town line up till blowdown/thick. Then headed N to ridge... much better, PVC canister placed by Michael/Andy crew. A little snow above 3000'

I've often wondered how the approach from the East side would be.
Thanks for the Trip Report!

 

[buckyball1]

Really didn't mean to suggest an issue. I know "many" of you have been up there since 2005; --It was a white PVC canister, attached to the tree with two metal straps (one broken) and with an old glass jar inside-pages and pencils inside plastic bag inside the glass jar-the "register" pages were all "singles-loose" except the as yet unused ones--i didn't read every entry, but know the earliest was DC saying he placed the original? glass jar register in 1986--many names i didn't recognize at all and unless i missed them, no entries since 2005........I've found many "stuck" jars/PVC tubes, but this was by far the worst; I banged away at it long after I normally would have quit

thanks for 3K encouragement, but i think this body may be a smidge too old and I'm not sure i want to continue this lonely, perhaps obsessive pace;but there HAVE been many good surprises on these guys

jim

 

[audrey]

Deer holds a special place in my heart because it's the first "official" 3K Pat and I climbed after meeting the Paisleys on Cranberry Peak in July 1990 and feeling let down after ending the NEHH on Boundary. We had often stared at Deer across Mooselook Lake and so off we went with new purpose.

We chose to go in from the east also, from a road that paralleled Otter Creek (I don't know if that's what you are calling Cold Brook Road). We had to park very soon and then set off along the old road/fire warden's trail, paralleled Cold Brook for a while, squished through a very wet meadow, picked up a skidder road that led to a marked and cleared town boundary (Parkertown-Adamstown), and scooted up that steep section to the ridge, ending very near the summit.
18 years ago it wasn't even really a bushwhack.

I recall a funny Deer tribute in the register that the Romanos wrote, something like,

"We doe love this mountain, it was so much faun. We'll be buck!"

 

[buckyball1]

A--yes, the road parallels Otter Brook until where I parked, then "splits", I hiked the "rocked off" left fork SW which parallels Otter for a bit, then swings due west, then NW and parallels Cold Brook until reaching some log landings and the warden's trail which is pretty much obliterated (though followable for a good way)-there is also a (not rocked) right fork from where i parked that more closely hugs Cold Brook and ends up in the same area near what i call the "big" landing. My friendly hunter acquaintance went that way.

I missed the warden's trail going up and instead turned straight up into the woods toward the peak . I actually saw a few signs of the yellow blazed town boundary going up, but the blazes were sparse on that side and many on downed trees of which there are all too many (the line is not open at all any more and i lost it quickly). I mentioned that I hit the warden's trail on the descent, but it was very overgrown/wet/deep mud and not as useful as you'd expect --headed back thru the woods to the "big" landing and easy walk out.

There were numerous register entries from the 88-95 period and I must say I only skimmed the dates (was looking for later, probably more familiar names) as I'd have recognized your name.

jim

 

[RoySwkr]

There was a trip report from some local on the wardens trail posted here years ago, don't know if it still exists.

 

[buckyball1]

R--the thread is still there-- 2/2/05 Crusoe--sorry don't know how to link directly to it--several replies that confirm comments in current thread--includes one from DC about seeing that small "tower" i mentioned when he was up there years ago

jim

 

[albee]

Hmm... I was up there about a month ago. I specifically remember what I wrote in the PVC register by the tower footings and metal "quadropod", too. Maybe I signed the back of a page to conserve space. (Just like the jar on Big Jackson that you didn't see my name in...)

 

[buckyball1]

Al-- perhaps i am losing it in my old age --i went through all the loose sheets twice and the entries just "ended" at 2005--I then signed what i thought was the "first" page of the intact register (just a small tablet/notebook)---could i have looked at and signed the "wrong side/end" of the register pages that were still intact with post 2005 entries??-feeling a bit foolish and certainly didn't mean to cause any consternation--i know you were up there--maybe dRitter saw something i didn't??, he was there just hours after i was

jim