Saddleback winter access, Jay Wilderness

[buddy]

I was thinking of camping and bushwhacking around the area that is in between Slip Mt. and Saddleback Mt. in the Jay Wilderness area. There seems to be a nice little beaver pond in there that would be ideal for an area to base camp then bushwhack Saddleback and Slip. Does anyone have any info or suggestions on the best place to park and an approach to that area that would be legal and or acceptable to the local property owners. I would like to do this trip in mid February so knowing what's plowed and what's not would be helpful. Any other knowledge of that area would be appreciated as well. Thanks, Buddy

 

[BlackSpruce]

Please note that the Jay Mountain Road is seasonal and when conditions allow a snowmobile route, and I personnaly would not leave a car parked alongside any of the roads leading to Jay Mt Road in winter, namelly Carlott, Goff, etc.

Have you ever been in the Jay Mountain Wilderness before?

 

[buddy]

I camped near Merriam swamp a couple of winters ago and explored the Jay Range and the little knobs just to the north/slightly west of Saddlebacks summit. The woods from Merriam swamp up to those little knobs were beautifully open bushwhack heaven. The area between Saddleback and Slip appears to be significantly more rugged than the north side of Saddleback. Seems like camping near the beaver pond that's SW of Slip would be a great place to explore the area from. We were thinking of hiking in from the Seventy lane/ Wells Hill road intersection. Am I correct in assuming Wells Hill road will be plowed to Seventy Lane from the east or possibly beyond? We were hoping to bushwhack up to the pond following a route just south of Derby Brook. Is there any public easements in that area to get access to the wilderness area? Buddy

 

[BlackSpruce]

If you have the National Geographic map 742 it shows clearly private and state land boundaries. I believe I already answered your questions about Seventy Lane on another thread you initiated.

 

[buddy]

Thanks for the info, Buddy