Success Pond Road and Mahoosuc Trail west end update

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peakbagger

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As of 5/19/05 the west end of Success Pond Road is still closed (blocked off with boulders) on the Berlin end. This would prevent access to all side trails that access the Mahoosuc trail from the north. I do not know if the east end is open at route 26 in Maine and I have no contact info for when the road may be open.

The Mahoosuc trail from the Gorham Trestle (Rt 16 to the other side of the Androscoggin River has not yet been relocated due to the closing of the dam crossing and may be difficult to follow unless the hiker has a good map. There is temporary signage in place that directs hikers to a crossing up river across a former railroad bridge. The signage on the east side of the river is also temporary and requires a long road walk to hook up with the former trail on the opposite side of the dam. Note; if you look carefully there are some very small blue signs at key points along the road walk. The overall detour is probably 1.1 miles.

The other option is to drive up the dirt Hogan road from Shelburne to the trail crossing just past the dam and start the hike there (note: you will need to park back near the dam as there is no reasonable parking at the trail crossing).
 
Hiking Mahoosuc Notch this weekend

Myself and two friends (all experienced hikers) are thinking about attempting a loop hike through Mahoosuc Notch from Success Pond Road on Saturday. We would enter the road on the Rt. 26 side and start at the Notch Trail.

None of us have hiked Mahoosuc notch before, but we are aware that it is "the hardest mile on the AT." We recognize that snow and stream crossings may mean that the notch is currently impassable, however we'd still like to see how far we can get. Does this sound like an unreasonably risky proposition? I'm looking for feedback from those who have hiked the notch in spring or early summer.

Thanks

PS. We won't be bringing the dog.
 
The east end of Success Pond Rd migh be a little difficult to notice at frist . I do not recall it being marked or signed. You can accsss the AT/ Mahoosac Trail From Shelbure in NH the Peobody Brook Trail and Austin Brook Trail will take you to it the Austin Brook trail ends near Gentian Pond. . I believe you can also hike up Goose Eye from Ketchum ME from the road that goes ot Sunday River Ski Area. If all else Fails you can go over Old Speck and stay At the shelter or tent site at Speck pond and day hike into the Notch. it is a steep rough hike
Here is a map that hopefully shows the location of the road from ME 26
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=4946453.00013507&e=344720.999981382&datum=nad83

If you do use the east end of the road to access trail heads be extreamly careful the area has lots of logging roads on it that can get you very lost very fast. Also there is a lot of moose in the area, if you are driving in or out early or late in the day take it slow and stay alert for them . they will be even more difficult to see than if you are on wider paved road.

Argman I belive the boulders are due to the person we had talked about in a PM. I am not100 % sure.
 
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An update as of 5/25 - The road is still closed on the west end. I was talking to a camp owner and he knows someone who walked in about three miles and the road is not passable due to major clearing work on either side of the road.
 
East end

If two city slickers with a Delorme and a big German SUV can find their way in from the East to Success Pond Road and all the AMC trailheads, and we can, then it must not be all that difficult.
 
Tramper Al said:
If two city slickers with a Delorme and a big German SUV can find their way in from the East to Success Pond Road
what about a city slicker with a Delorme and a Toyota Corolla? :D (finding roads is generally easy, i'm more worried about getting stuck / breaking an axle. My car has made its way over Sandwich Notch Road and through narrow meandering unmarked rough gravel roads in the blueberry barrens to the edge of the Great Heath, those are the only places I've gone & wanted not to repeat the experience.)
 
I drove my Honda Civic on Success Pond Rd a couple times last fall without any problems. Just go slow & watch for rocks that may be sticking out. I found it it be in pretty good shape last October (though it may have just been graded.)

-- Ivy
 
All I can say about Success Pond Road, which I drove many times in my major Mahoosuc days, is: do not get off the main road unless you've got GPS and a full tank of gas. I missed a turn coming home one night after a Mahoosuc hike and got really lost in the maze of logging roads back there. I was almost out of gas near dark when thank goodness I came across another car that led me back to civilization. That experience was far more difficult than hiking Mahoosuc Notch!
 
Waumbek said:
All I can say about Success Pond Road, which I drove many times in my major Mahoosuc days, is: do not get off the main road unless you've got GPS and a full tank of gas. I missed a turn coming home one night after a Mahoosuc hike and got really lost in the maze of logging roads back there. I was almost out of gas near dark when thank goodness I came across another car that led me back to civilization. That experience was far more difficult than hiking Mahoosuc Notch!
Waumbeck you are right about the maze of logging roads. Was the "car" that you followed out a large red 1 ton Pick up complete with plow mount and gun rack NH tags and a friendly driver . I have hiked out to Speck pond and Goose Eye and helped a lost person out. When I drive in there If it is ever going to be possible again I bring a chainsaw and a chain and hitch because One never knows when the road is re routred ,I have helped a few people be come un stuck or find there way out. it can be tricky even if you know the area espcially at night.The easten side has roads that lead to houses and are private roads. Some of the logging roads seem to go in circles . There are are also some summer camps near succes pond . If you go by them you are going in the wrong direction there used to be a large boulder near were the Sucess pond road goes and a sign saying trails. I am not sure it is there. With all the recent rain the road might not be passeble unless you have a high clearence 4x4 .
 
As of this morning 6/6, the boulders were removed from the west end of Success pond road in Berlin so the road is now open. I havent driven it so cant comment on what condition it is in.
 
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