Previously on LOST- in the Ossipees?!!!!

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wardsgirl

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After recently realizing that I only had a couple hills left to climb before achieving O-10 status, I set off yesterday afternoon to climb Big Ball, AKA Tate, Mountain. I wasn’t sure where the trail began, so I parked at the intersection of McDuffee Road and the right turn for the “camp.” I hiked up the road, looking for the trailhead, and came to a white Subaru parked on the left side of the road in a small parking area. So, is this where the trail starts?

I decided that my car was parked rather precariously back at the intersection, so I walked back and moved it into position next to the Subaru. I still didn’t see a trailhead, so I walked along a logging road and soon came to a road. I scratched my head for a bit, and a car came along. The driver opened his window and I asked about the “Gorilla Trail.” The friendly fellow told me that I should follow his car tracks and I would eventually see the blue blazes. I asked where this road went if I continued to follow it, and he replied, “My house.”

Ooops! Sorry to bother the guy by hiking on his driveway! His directions were good, and I soon came to the blue-blazed trail. A light coating of snow made the leaves slippery, so I wore my imitation Chinese knock-off prototype traction thingys over my Sorells. No snowshoes were necessary. After awhile, I noticed that I was following another set of footprints- white Subaru hiker, perhaps.

The trail was easy to follow, although there were a lot of twists and turns. I set a few waypoints with my GPS as I hiked. Eventually I reached the first of a few false summits. The wind picked up a bit. Although it was snowing when I left home and the weather was predicted to be crappy, this was shaping up to be a beautiful day. I could see all of the Belknap Range and I thought I could even make out some skiers on Gunstock.

I pushed on to the true summit of Big Ball, after a slippery descent into the col between the two highest points. At the summit, I layered up and enjoyed a coffee/cocoa concoction that I had made at home. There were plenty of views from the top. It was about 2:45 when I began my descent, following the same path that I had ascended.

Somehow, I have no idea how, on the way down, I realized that I was no longer on the trail, AKA LOST. I was at a weirdly-shaped cairn, that may have not been a cairn at all. I went back to the last real cairn I had passed and looked for the trail. My footprints in the snow had been wiped clean by the wind. No matter how many different angles I considered leaving the last real cairn, none seemed even remotely trail-like.

I checked the good ol’ GPS and struck off for a waypoint I had previously set at a brook crossing on my ascent. It was easy ‘whacking in the nice snowy open woods. I eventually came to a set of descending footprints. I considered following them, but when they headed off more toward the west, and Route 171, I decided that the owner of those prints could be more lost than me, so I decided to stick to my heading.

When it started to get dark, I checked my cellphone and was happy to see that I had reception. I kept laughing out loud about zman’s Bushwhacker Commandment- “Thou shall not tell your significant other you will return at a certain time!” Although my bushwhack was unplanned, I called my S/O and apprised him of the situation. I told him I would call him periodically with my progress, and assured him that I had enough food and gear in my pack to rival Bear Grylls in a hotel room.

As the sun set, I could make out a road in the distance, maybe a mile ahead of me. I repeatedly counted a hundred steps and checked my progress as I headed for my waypoint. Eventually, I came to a gorgeous solar powered cedar-sided house! There didn’t appear to be anyone home as I skirted around to the driveway. The house was at the end of a dead end road. I bet it was the house of the guy who gave me directions to the trail.

I followed the long driveway downhill, passing close by to the waypoint that I had set at the stream crossing earlier in the day. Just before I really dropped into the valley and lost cell phone reception, I called my S/O to let him know that I thought I would be at the car soon.

Although I never needed to put my headlamp on, when I reached the car, it was dark! Fortunately, I didn’t have to spend a night LOST in the Ossipees. I even made it home in time to make Chicken Marsala for dinner.
 
I wasn’t sure where the trail began, so I parked at the intersection of McDuffee Road and the right turn for the “camp.” I hiked up the road, looking for the trailhead, and came to a white Subaru parked on the left side of the road in a small parking area. So, is this where the trail starts?

That is where the Banana Trail started for rocket21 and me when we hiked a Banana-Gorilla loop in May. A month or two later, however, a landowner told Trail Bandit that he had created your "small parking area" for use in logging and that people should not park there (although I have not seen any sign to that effect). For that reason, on hikes from that area since then, we have parked at the intersection (including 20 of us and three dogs on the big group hike last month).

I'd like to see your GPS track. There is an old trail running south from the Banana Trail to Little Ball that Trail Bandit and Mary have explored, and that might account for your stray cairn. They said there were good views from Little B.

I am happy to discover that I am not the only one who mixes up "Banana" and "Gorilla" (the latter of which runs from Flagg to Shaw). If we ever hike together, feel free to bring along some of your Chicken Marsala. :)
 
Indeed, the odd shaped cairn marks the beginning of the unofficial trail to Little Ball Mountain.

The Banana Trail is a bit hard to follow in places right now up high, as the snow is covering some of the blazes (and the randomly placed cairns from who knows how long ago don't help). I suspect this may be easier to follow at some point next year.

Personally, I've found that the nicest way up to Big Ball is via Route 171 - Mt. Shaw Trail to the Tate Mountain Trail to the Banana Trail.
 
I know...

exactly which cairn you mean. Sort of looks like a duckbill. On the "Big Group" hike last month we were ahead and started off in that direction towards Little Ball, luckily the others were close behind and said, "This way kids!" The trail takes a sharp left (East) and heads down, but there is no indication that I saw until I walked over and started down. The trail seems to naturally flow towards the duckbill cairn. It might be a good spot for an arrow.

KDT
 
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