This wasn't originally on the weekend plan, but I added it last minute when we realized Elephant could be a short day. Gene's driving directions got us there with no difficulties, although sometimes the turns seemed to come a little bit early. The turnoff from 16 is completely unmarked and you have to go based on mileage. Just looks like a dirt driveway.
We parked at Gene's "second left" where the main travelled way makes a very sharp left turn uphill, and continued straight on foot. One could probably make it a bit further with a Jeep (and a chainsaw) but there's a bad washout not far up which would pretty much end that.
The road climbs fairly gradually but there are two points where we had to bear left to keep going uphill; the straight fork levelled out quite obviously at these points. Although the quad doesn't show the other roads, it does show the curve in the main road and these two points are about 2650' and 2800'. It's fairly evident (with some care) in the field but the second turn in particular is onto the more overgrown road.
Our target was the boundary line described by Papa Bear. The road had levelled and gotten a lot more blowdown-infested when we finally found it. It's not subtle; there's a large yellow post on the right hand side. We turned sharp left and followed the obvious line. There's either a narrow cut here or a real strong herd path; except for one blowdown patch it was an obvious straight line to the height of land.
As soon as the steep climb to 3300' was done an obvious herd path led up and right (although it had a right branch that was too far east). Following the bearing to the summit kept us on mostly herd paths with some easy open going and the return was equally easy. Very open woods.
This log, more than any other, reads like a VFTT who's who. PoisonIvy, I got a picture of your entry if you want it.
Baldpate on Sunday brought us to #95 but less to say about that, other than "pretty" and "wet trail!"
We parked at Gene's "second left" where the main travelled way makes a very sharp left turn uphill, and continued straight on foot. One could probably make it a bit further with a Jeep (and a chainsaw) but there's a bad washout not far up which would pretty much end that.
The road climbs fairly gradually but there are two points where we had to bear left to keep going uphill; the straight fork levelled out quite obviously at these points. Although the quad doesn't show the other roads, it does show the curve in the main road and these two points are about 2650' and 2800'. It's fairly evident (with some care) in the field but the second turn in particular is onto the more overgrown road.
Our target was the boundary line described by Papa Bear. The road had levelled and gotten a lot more blowdown-infested when we finally found it. It's not subtle; there's a large yellow post on the right hand side. We turned sharp left and followed the obvious line. There's either a narrow cut here or a real strong herd path; except for one blowdown patch it was an obvious straight line to the height of land.
As soon as the steep climb to 3300' was done an obvious herd path led up and right (although it had a right branch that was too far east). Following the bearing to the summit kept us on mostly herd paths with some easy open going and the return was equally easy. Very open woods.
This log, more than any other, reads like a VFTT who's who. PoisonIvy, I got a picture of your entry if you want it.
Baldpate on Sunday brought us to #95 but less to say about that, other than "pretty" and "wet trail!"
