Post by percypeaks on Oct 24, 2011 14:56:23 GMT -5
The long obliterated Deer Mt. Trail near the Canadian border has been flagged about three-fifths of the way up the mountain to the high-elevaton bog on the east flank of the peak.
You can find the flagging and give the hike/bushwhack a try. Drive to Deer Mt. Campground four miles south of the border. Just before the campground, pull to the right off Route 3 into a large pull just across the Connecticut River bridge.
Walk back over the bridge, cross over to the other side of the highway, then walk down the wide old tote road, past the bar-gate. Hike straight west past an intersection kiosk and keep going. The route will bend to the north. Follow the tote lane another quarter mile until the way splits in two. Take the left branch, uphill, an walk to the height of land on that spur lane. Just before the height of land, look for red flagging blowing in the wind on the left.
Follow the flags across a little weedy opening and then climb a moderately steep of skidder path uphill and soon reach Deer Mt. Brook. Cross the brook and begin a moderate climb and bushwhack on the old eroded skidway that obliiterated the original way up the mountain.
Most of the way is not difficult and if you follow the flagging, and stay fairly close to the stream there will be no getting lost.
Eventually the "trail" crosses the stream one last time, rides the bank of the stream in tight confines and then emerges at a high-elevation spruce bog. Cross the outlet of the stream and walk on the high ground alongside the east flank of the bog to get a good view of the wetland and of the high ridge that looks like but is not the top of the mountain.
If you decide to bushwhack to the summit (no flagging and no easy route to follow) take real care in steep terrain with blowdowns hidden among tightly growing spruce and fir. Pass over the ridge you can see from the bog and push northwestward to a second slightly higher ridge nearby. Gain the top of that ridge and turn north. Follow the height of land north almost on level ground and after a mile bump into the tall steel superstructure of the former Deer Mountain firetower, standing without stairs, railings or cab at the top now.
You can find the flagging and give the hike/bushwhack a try. Drive to Deer Mt. Campground four miles south of the border. Just before the campground, pull to the right off Route 3 into a large pull just across the Connecticut River bridge.
Walk back over the bridge, cross over to the other side of the highway, then walk down the wide old tote road, past the bar-gate. Hike straight west past an intersection kiosk and keep going. The route will bend to the north. Follow the tote lane another quarter mile until the way splits in two. Take the left branch, uphill, an walk to the height of land on that spur lane. Just before the height of land, look for red flagging blowing in the wind on the left.
Follow the flags across a little weedy opening and then climb a moderately steep of skidder path uphill and soon reach Deer Mt. Brook. Cross the brook and begin a moderate climb and bushwhack on the old eroded skidway that obliiterated the original way up the mountain.
Most of the way is not difficult and if you follow the flagging, and stay fairly close to the stream there will be no getting lost.
Eventually the "trail" crosses the stream one last time, rides the bank of the stream in tight confines and then emerges at a high-elevation spruce bog. Cross the outlet of the stream and walk on the high ground alongside the east flank of the bog to get a good view of the wetland and of the high ridge that looks like but is not the top of the mountain.
If you decide to bushwhack to the summit (no flagging and no easy route to follow) take real care in steep terrain with blowdowns hidden among tightly growing spruce and fir. Pass over the ridge you can see from the bog and push northwestward to a second slightly higher ridge nearby. Gain the top of that ridge and turn north. Follow the height of land north almost on level ground and after a mile bump into the tall steel superstructure of the former Deer Mountain firetower, standing without stairs, railings or cab at the top now.