Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Auburn, MA
    Hammock
    JRB BMB
    Tarp
    JRB 11'x10'
    Insulation
    JRB TQ / UQ set
    Suspension
    JRB tri-glide
    Posts
    398

    Black Mountain Pond, NH

    I still have a lot to learn about hiking and backpacking...

    I started the day off by parking at the wrong TH. I wanted to park at Bennet St TH and somehow ended up at Ferncroft. I didn't realize my mistake til the first trail intersection about 1/2 mile into the woods. Ooops. Would have just continued but my wife had an iternary and I felt like I should stick to it.

    OK, so lets try this again, right TH ?, Check, and away I go.

    Enjoyed a nice walk along the trail bed of the old Beebe River R&R. Tried to go take a look at Guinea Pond but it was way too wet. Not even 100 yards along the spur which is suppose to be 400 yards (0.2 miles), I was stopped by a nice little bog that extended as far into the woods as I could see in all directions . Spotted what looked like the remains of a bog bridge about 50 yards into this bog. So no Guinea Pond from me.

    When I got up to Black Mountain Pond, I saw the USFS 1/4 mile sign that shows no camping areas. But where is the call out for the shelter? Pulled out my WODC map and my NH F&G topos, both show a shelter. Huh?

    After lots of searching, including hiking the trail until it starts up the ridge to Black Mountain/Sandwich Dome, I realize another shelter is no longer with us and I feel even more foolish that I did eariler in the day.

    Found a "just legal" site with a nice view of the Pond and Ridge and hung my hammock and tarp. Enjoyed a nice supper and played with starting a camp fire in wet conditions [still having trouble getting from tinder and twigs to a sustained fire].

    Later that night, a torrential rainstorm woke me up. While thinking about what I will do if my tarp fails, I learn what a thunderstorm is like in the mountains. WOW. WOW. Good fun in retrospect but kind of scary at the time.

    The next morning the fog was so thick I couldn't see the pond, so I decided to forego looping over Sandwich Dome and just hike back the way I came in.

    All the easy rock hops of the previous day became much too interesting after a night of rain. At the first crossing I had to move some small diameter blowdowns to make a bridge. At the next crossing I bushwhacked upstream a bit to a swampy area and crossed at a spot where it was over my knees with a strong current but I could see the bottom very clearly and there were a nice bed of pebbles.

    At the Beebe River, the trail crosses at a river bend. Fortunately, the USFS or WODC had placed three big flat boulders in the deep part near the "elbow". From the previous day, I knew that the water level on the boulders would be the same depth as the rest of the crossing. SO if I was ok on the first stepping stone then I could get across ok. The water was about mid-thigh but the current was gentler than the previous knee-high crossing due to the width of the river at that point. I used my hiking poles to maintain three points of contact.

    Then I finally hit a stream I wasn't comfortable trying to cross [north branch of the Cold River]. The stream had steep bankings and a goodish slope. I tried bushwhacking upstream and downstream but things looked worse in both directions.

    Thought about just camping there next to the stream and spending a second night out but that would mean my wife would report me missing.

    Sat down, had something to eat and drink, and started looking at the map and the topos. Decided to hike out via Sandwich Notch Road. Walked out to the intersection of Sandwitch Notch Road and the road over to the Boy Scout camp and ditched the backpack in the woods.

    Figured about an 11-12 mile road walk back to the car but at least I could call home when I got to Sandwich so Claudine wouldn't call for a rescue The third car stopped and drove me ALL THE WAY BACK TO MY CAR. A big thank you to that couple.

    So now I know to not be in rush at the TH, make sure the shelter is still exists, think twice before camping out when thunderstroms are expected, and finally I totally understand how people get stuck in the Great Gulf behind the Prescott River, or behind Wild River or behind Lincoln Brook...
    Love my JRB BMB

  2. #2
    Senior Member Pipsissewa's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Yancey Co., NC - Home of Mt. Mitchell
    Hammock
    Too many to list
    Tarp
    Cuben with doors
    Insulation
    FlThrwr UQ+DIY TQ
    Suspension
    Whoopies + straps
    Posts
    1,741
    Images
    7
    I miss hiking in New Hampshire!! Sounds like you're becoming a very level-headed backpacker who learns with every new experience. I'd hike with you with confidence!!! Thanks for posting a great report!!!

    For the uninitiated: WODC = Wonalancet Out Door Club
    "Pips"
    Mountains have a dreamy way
    Of folding up a noisy day
    In quiet covers, cool and gray.

    ---Leigh Buckner Hanes

    Surely, God could have made a better way to sleep.

    Surely, God never did.

  3. #3
    Senior Member MAD777's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    White Mountains, New Hampshire
    Hammock
    DIY, WBBB & Switchback
    Tarp
    HG cuben,OES Spinn
    Insulation
    DIY 3/4 UQ/TQ, UGQ
    Suspension
    Dynaglide / Dutch
    Posts
    10,950
    Images
    39
    Great trip report! I have hiked that area.
    Good illustration of what happens after rain in the mountains. Definitely need a "Plan B"
    Mike
    "Life is a Project!"

  4. #4
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Hammock
    DIY
    Tarp
    DIY
    Insulation
    Dream Puff
    Posts
    70
    I am planning on doing some hiking and fishing and hanging for about a three day stint in a few weeks, Black Mountain Pond is on my short list. Were the streams you ran into large enough for fish before the storm?

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Rochester, NY
    Hammock
    Hennesy
    Tarp
    various
    Insulation
    pads, foam
    Posts
    4,687
    Images
    17
    nice report, good thinking. Thanks!

  6. #6
    Senior Member SamyK's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    NH
    Hammock
    WBBB 1.0
    Tarp
    WBBMJ- MacCat
    Insulation
    Leighlo, JRB MT 4
    Posts
    324
    Images
    1
    Nice report.

  • + New Posts
  • Similar Threads

    1. Replies: 3
      Last Post: 01-03-2014, 17:48
    2. Flat Mountain Pond
      By islandhanger in forum Trip Reports
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 04-15-2013, 22:11
    3. Black Pond White Mountains National Forest.
      By ferball in forum Trip Reports
      Replies: 3
      Last Post: 06-25-2012, 13:57
    4. Short Hike: Black Mountain, NC
      By JCINMA in forum Trip Reports
      Replies: 5
      Last Post: 08-22-2011, 21:44
    5. Black Rock Mountain GA
      By GGT in forum Trip Reports
      Replies: 6
      Last Post: 09-08-2010, 06:51

    Tags for this Thread

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •