![[100k JPEG Image]](map.jpg)
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October 22th 2005 |
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Today we led a group of friends up one of the Bushwhacks on the New England Hundred Highest List.
Eleven of us met at 8:30 in the Beaver Brook parking area in order to car pool to the start of the hike, where there is only parking for 2, maybe 3 cars. From the 3 boulders blocking the road, we began the hike. We expected to follow a compass heading of 210 degrees most of the way to the summit. The hike starts up an old logging road. In @ 1000 feet, bear right on the logging road, for another 500 feet where you will pass a sand hill on your left. Just after this bear right once again and follow the road up a hill where in @ 1/3 of a mile you will come to a large clear cut area with great views back to Twin Mountain, the Presidential, and Mt Waumbek. We went across the clearing and found what looked like an old water run off with large rocks. We started out on this and worked our way up the hill following the path of least resistance on @ 210 degrees. The woods for the first 1/4 miles are open hard woods, making it easy to move through them. We then came to a patch of spruce that we managed top force our way through. From here the route became steeper as we worked our way around some small rock cliffs until we came to the top of a rise where we had a view to the West of Mt Washington, marked as View 1 on the map below. After enjoying the view and taking photos, we continued on to a higher summit, marked as View 2, where we had views of North Twin, and our goal - PAtN. At this spot they was a 12 foot circle where one could setup a tent if they desired. As we left this spot we encountered the heaviest spruce so far - enough that we decided to try to bypass this section on the return trip by staying to the north. The last section of the hike went fast, mostly following a well defined herd path to the summit of PAtN. The most difficult part of this section was the many blow downs right before the actual peak. Everyone went their own way here, with Amy being the first to spot the canister! More views, lunch, and we started our descent, this time bypassing the thicker spruce area. On the maps below, our ascent is in blue, and the descent in red. A nice hike with fun people - a bushwhack that we would do again, so if you want some company - just ask us! |
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![[100k JPEG Image]](3d.jpg)
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Directions to the trailhead: FRom Route 3 in Twin Mountain, head West @ 2 miles to Haystack Road on your left (gated during the Winter). Follow Haystack Road for 1.8 miles to a logging road on your right blocked by 3 large boulders.
Time to summit: 2:30
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and our