BillDC
New member
For this trip to White Cap, we used an initial approach using the White Brook Trail. This trail is reached from the KI road. We took the KI road from the Greenville side and entered the NMW at the Hedgehog gate. We drove to the access road to Hay Brook and High Bridge Campsites. The road junction is marked with signs for these campsites (Hermitage, Hay Brook, High Bridge and Greenwood). The road in is narrow at first, but gets wider as you go in. You eventually come to a bridge over White Brook which is in poor shape but is passable. We continued on past the last campsite on the right where the road immediately gets narrow and rough. We followed this road for several miles to a gravel pit. The road is passable for a short distance and then is blocked by narrow water crossings. We parked at the gravel pit.
The road continues on and gets narrow and crosses several streams and then widens again. This is the old White Brook tote road, was the original AT route up White Cap mountain from the south, and was also part of the original firewarden’s trail to the tower. There are blue blazes along this route and you can still see where the blue was painted over the original AT white blazes. The road ends up in an old logging yard where there is MATC signage for trail distances to the junction of White Brook and the AT. The trail now enters the forest and begins to climb. After hiking about .5 mi, the trail comes to a junction where the White Brook trail bears left (MATC signage is also here) and another trail branches right. The trail on the right is the continuation of the firewardens trail which is apparently no longer maintained and not mentioned on signage. We chose to take the firewardens trail on this trip.
At the junction of the White Brook Trail and the Firewardens Trail behind the MATC sign, is the site of the 2nd Fire Watchman's camp on the mountain. There were 3 total. There are piles of artifacts at this site, including parts of the stove and chimney. Bearing right on the watchman's trail, there are steel sections of the last tower on the trail. Continuing on, the trail gets very steep and is well eroded. There is phone line visible along the way throughout. Overall, the trail is in ok shape for an unmaintained trail. After a steep hike, the trail reaches the AT. Bearing right onto the AT, we proceeded to the summit. The AT in this area had a whole section where small brush had been cut, but left on the trail. This section was still passable, but it seemed a bit messy.
Reaching the rocky summit, a pile of rocks with summit sign marks the area where the former fire tower stood. The tower was removed in 1993. This mountain saw its first fire tower in 1906. There are excellent views from the ridge where the AT comes out. To get views of the other side, there is a side trail that brings you there leaving from the rockpile. Also on the summit hidden in the scrub is a commercial radio site. It's well hidden and not visible unless you know it's there.
After we took in the views, we planned to return down the AT and then to the White Brook trail rather than down the Firewarden's trail. Following the AT, it again passed the firewardens trail and then eventually comes into a clearing where the AT bears left. This clearing is the site of the first watchman's camp on the mountain. Just behind it, the old AT route runs. We decided to check it out and surprisingly the trail has been bushed out and flagged with orange tape. Just 3 years ago, this trail was in much worse shape. We followed this for a bit and found that it appears to be in use. This may follow the old West Branch Pond route from years gone past. Also leading off this old AT spur, the side trail that led to the site of the third watchman's camp. We looked but we did not find it as we ran out of time.
After a little exploring, we headed back down the White Brook Trail which forks left shortly after the watchman's camp clearing. All routes are well signed except for the old AT route which requires a few yards of whacking to get on. Overall, all trails were in good condition, even the firewarden’s trail.
A few photos are here, though my camera is in dire need of replacing. Most of my VFTT photos are overexposed due to a flakey camera (and likely my photography skills don’t help either). Apologies in advance!
http://picasaweb.google.com/BillDC3/WhiteCapMountainME8172010?feat=directlink
Bill
The road continues on and gets narrow and crosses several streams and then widens again. This is the old White Brook tote road, was the original AT route up White Cap mountain from the south, and was also part of the original firewarden’s trail to the tower. There are blue blazes along this route and you can still see where the blue was painted over the original AT white blazes. The road ends up in an old logging yard where there is MATC signage for trail distances to the junction of White Brook and the AT. The trail now enters the forest and begins to climb. After hiking about .5 mi, the trail comes to a junction where the White Brook trail bears left (MATC signage is also here) and another trail branches right. The trail on the right is the continuation of the firewardens trail which is apparently no longer maintained and not mentioned on signage. We chose to take the firewardens trail on this trip.
At the junction of the White Brook Trail and the Firewardens Trail behind the MATC sign, is the site of the 2nd Fire Watchman's camp on the mountain. There were 3 total. There are piles of artifacts at this site, including parts of the stove and chimney. Bearing right on the watchman's trail, there are steel sections of the last tower on the trail. Continuing on, the trail gets very steep and is well eroded. There is phone line visible along the way throughout. Overall, the trail is in ok shape for an unmaintained trail. After a steep hike, the trail reaches the AT. Bearing right onto the AT, we proceeded to the summit. The AT in this area had a whole section where small brush had been cut, but left on the trail. This section was still passable, but it seemed a bit messy.
Reaching the rocky summit, a pile of rocks with summit sign marks the area where the former fire tower stood. The tower was removed in 1993. This mountain saw its first fire tower in 1906. There are excellent views from the ridge where the AT comes out. To get views of the other side, there is a side trail that brings you there leaving from the rockpile. Also on the summit hidden in the scrub is a commercial radio site. It's well hidden and not visible unless you know it's there.
After we took in the views, we planned to return down the AT and then to the White Brook trail rather than down the Firewarden's trail. Following the AT, it again passed the firewardens trail and then eventually comes into a clearing where the AT bears left. This clearing is the site of the first watchman's camp on the mountain. Just behind it, the old AT route runs. We decided to check it out and surprisingly the trail has been bushed out and flagged with orange tape. Just 3 years ago, this trail was in much worse shape. We followed this for a bit and found that it appears to be in use. This may follow the old West Branch Pond route from years gone past. Also leading off this old AT spur, the side trail that led to the site of the third watchman's camp. We looked but we did not find it as we ran out of time.
After a little exploring, we headed back down the White Brook Trail which forks left shortly after the watchman's camp clearing. All routes are well signed except for the old AT route which requires a few yards of whacking to get on. Overall, all trails were in good condition, even the firewarden’s trail.
A few photos are here, though my camera is in dire need of replacing. Most of my VFTT photos are overexposed due to a flakey camera (and likely my photography skills don’t help either). Apologies in advance!
http://picasaweb.google.com/BillDC3/WhiteCapMountainME8172010?feat=directlink
Bill
