Jazzbo
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2005
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Elephant is supposed to be an easy bush whack. It depends on whether you've been there before and if you use GPS or not. I whacked the Elephant (no elephants were injured in process of this whack). I drove via south shore of Lake Mooselookmegantic locating Elephant Mt Road (no sign) between Clear Brook & Birch Brook. I drove 3.3 miles up the road to approx. 2600' to crossing of Clear Brook and parked near a red jeep I later learned belonged to Dale and Sherry.
I chose to follow FTFC suggestions of heading stream draining between two summits for whacking the Elephant. I also used strictly map & compass and the sun for navigation.
I walked to a big clearing on other side of brook afforded nice view of 2 summits of Elephant. I was aiming for the SW summit since it has the canister. I returned to cars and hiked up the haul road overgrown with Pearly Everlasting and Golden Rod. I came to a logging yard
with a cairn at upper end and headed for that.
I came to Clear Brook Trail and followed it. I also spotted a 2nd "trail" heading NW, but ignored it as it had some logs blocking it and didn’t jive with FTFC instructions. There was a cut over area to the north of the trail. I continued until it entered forest and topped out at around 3K in saddle between Elephant and Old Blue.
I observed a dry creek bed I thought might be the brook that FTFC instructions indicates drains between 2 summits. I opted to continue to connect with AT, but lost trail in some blow downs. I headed back to dry creek bed and started up the cutover area. I reached top cut area and worked way up slope picking my way through tree and rocks.
I topped out too far to right on shoulder leading to NW summit. I had to cross bottom of col between me and SW summit. I headed in that direction using combination of sun and compass and terrain alternating between thick spruce, blowdowns, and deep cushiony moss. I came across lots of moose tracks and trails leading no where particular. Scrub got pretty nasty as I worked my way up in elevation towards SW summit.
Woods finally opened as I approached SW summit. I arrived at the canister and noticed Dale and Sherry had come and gone. I wandered around a bit to see if there might be any views, but best I could do was filtered view of Northern Presi, Old Speck, Baldpate? I also glimpsed south end of Richardson Lake. I phoned my wife to inform her I summited and was heading down. I took a photo of myself returning to my Republican roots. Is this thing sanitary? Maybe someone should put some bleach up here?
The herd path from canister pooped out after 50 meters or so. Back to navigating by compass, terrain, and sun at my back. It was very thick at times. There's enough up and down such that you can't just follow the terrain and must constantly check your bearings. I wandered into a boggy area that was relatively dry due to recent dry spell. This boggy area could be pain during wet weather. I figured this boggy area was source for the intermittent brook that drains between 2 summits.
The boggy area drains into pleasant rocky creek bed that I followed ands woods finally opened up. I shortly reached the top of cutover area and noticed an obvious skid trail heading SE which I followed. The skid trail went in straight line and just kept on going with only minor overgrown spots. I came out right at the spot I first observed with the logs at the cairn at the top of logging yard I’d started from.
This bushwhack took longer than typical but was very rewarding. I've done number of bushwhacks this year, but this is first solo whack forcing me to rely strictly on my own judgement and no one in party with GPS to fall back on. It was fun battling my personal demons.
I chose to follow FTFC suggestions of heading stream draining between two summits for whacking the Elephant. I also used strictly map & compass and the sun for navigation.
I walked to a big clearing on other side of brook afforded nice view of 2 summits of Elephant. I was aiming for the SW summit since it has the canister. I returned to cars and hiked up the haul road overgrown with Pearly Everlasting and Golden Rod. I came to a logging yard
with a cairn at upper end and headed for that.
I came to Clear Brook Trail and followed it. I also spotted a 2nd "trail" heading NW, but ignored it as it had some logs blocking it and didn’t jive with FTFC instructions. There was a cut over area to the north of the trail. I continued until it entered forest and topped out at around 3K in saddle between Elephant and Old Blue.
I observed a dry creek bed I thought might be the brook that FTFC instructions indicates drains between 2 summits. I opted to continue to connect with AT, but lost trail in some blow downs. I headed back to dry creek bed and started up the cutover area. I reached top cut area and worked way up slope picking my way through tree and rocks.
I topped out too far to right on shoulder leading to NW summit. I had to cross bottom of col between me and SW summit. I headed in that direction using combination of sun and compass and terrain alternating between thick spruce, blowdowns, and deep cushiony moss. I came across lots of moose tracks and trails leading no where particular. Scrub got pretty nasty as I worked my way up in elevation towards SW summit.
Woods finally opened as I approached SW summit. I arrived at the canister and noticed Dale and Sherry had come and gone. I wandered around a bit to see if there might be any views, but best I could do was filtered view of Northern Presi, Old Speck, Baldpate? I also glimpsed south end of Richardson Lake. I phoned my wife to inform her I summited and was heading down. I took a photo of myself returning to my Republican roots. Is this thing sanitary? Maybe someone should put some bleach up here?
The herd path from canister pooped out after 50 meters or so. Back to navigating by compass, terrain, and sun at my back. It was very thick at times. There's enough up and down such that you can't just follow the terrain and must constantly check your bearings. I wandered into a boggy area that was relatively dry due to recent dry spell. This boggy area could be pain during wet weather. I figured this boggy area was source for the intermittent brook that drains between 2 summits.
The boggy area drains into pleasant rocky creek bed that I followed ands woods finally opened up. I shortly reached the top of cutover area and noticed an obvious skid trail heading SE which I followed. The skid trail went in straight line and just kept on going with only minor overgrown spots. I came out right at the spot I first observed with the logs at the cairn at the top of logging yard I’d started from.
This bushwhack took longer than typical but was very rewarding. I've done number of bushwhacks this year, but this is first solo whack forcing me to rely strictly on my own judgement and no one in party with GPS to fall back on. It was fun battling my personal demons.
I was wondering who owned the VFTT sticker attached to a silver SUV? 
