dorset peak 7/5/12

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bryan

New member
Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
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Location
southeastern, nh
date: 7/5/12

trails: jeep road, various roads/snowmoblie trails

conditions: parked at the start of the jeep rd. (you follow much of the way to the summit) that leaves left about 1/2 mile from where upper/lower hollow roads join to become tower road. medium clearance vehicles could save a few minutes of walking by driving to a small field a short way up the road, but it really isn't worth it. just beyond that small field there is a serious washout that a large 4x4 truck could possibly get by and go another .4 or so until the road becomes inpassable due to washouts. parking at the field .7 up the road that people with high clearance used in the past is no longer an option. shortly after passing through the field at .7 the jeep road is completely destroyed, due to what i assume was irene, for a roughly quarter mile stretch. after this the road is ok though eroded and loose in spots (watch out for wet rocks which were extremely slippery) up to a fork in a notch where you bear right (left immediately goes downhill in the wrong direction). i bypassed the first road that leaves right to the ridge and took the second that became overgrown with ferns just before reaching the trail along the ridge .2 south of the main peak. sign and canister on the summit. headed to the tower on the southern summit, using the trail on the ridge, and found some significant mud before the junction with the door knob tree. a short ascent to the partially dismantled tower then down the road i initially bypassed and back to the original jeep road. there are no signs until on the ridge at which point there are some handmade signs and a couple worn out wooden ones that were helpful. the couple small brook crossings weren't an issue.

equipment: some navigational tools always a good idea.

comments: nice hike up to dorset peak. route was easy to follow and made sense once up there. some great info. can be found at www.franklinsites.com (thanks jeremy). the irene damage on the jeep road was mighty impressive.

bryan

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Gail and I are going to Dorset next week. Any thing to watch out for (road signs, etc.) on the drive there? I've never been in this area before. Thanks, Fred
 
Fred,

Will you approach from Dorset (south) side or Danby (north) side? Either way you can figure out with trail descriptions and google earth.

As you get into Dorset look for the white house. No seriously...

Dorset side; as you head on Rt 30 from Manchester to Dorset, just as you are pulling into the Dorset town center, on your right you will see the cemetery then Barrow's House and Dorset Hollow Road. Turn Right (E) on Dorset Hollow road. The road splits between upper and lower hollow but they rejoin a few miles up the valley. So it doesn't matter which you take, Lower (right) will give you better views. Where they join back together Tower Road continues up valley. Take that to the end where it turns into a 4WD trail. Park there and walk, and walk, and walk up the obvious trail to the notch in Dorset Mtn.

PM me if you have specific directions or want advice from the north side off Edmunds Rd.
 
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if you print out a map to the southern approach on Tower road, it's not terribly hard. A GPS will get you to tower road, dorset, VT without problem I would think but otherwise, a road map will work. I believe there is a split in the road (upper hollow) vrs (lower hollow) and I know I took lower hollow (bear right) on both the drive in and the drive out.. Both get you there though if I remember...

Jay
 
Gail and I did it from the south and had no problems, was a very enjoyable hike in an area we'd never explored before. The damage from Irene to the road before the hunter's cabin is incredible!
 
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