buckyball1
New member
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
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
Last edited:
