GPS Co-ords for Owls Head Black Pond Buskwack

[Don]

Does anyone have the GPS co-ords for the Black Pond Bushwack?
Will be trying it in about a week and would like to have them "just in case".

Is the bushwack fairly dry? I did it a few years ago and seem to remember some wet spots.

Thanks

Don

 

[Paradox]

Check out the "Trail Conditions" report (not in forums) that I posted 4/22/06. The only waypoint I list is to where to head for the Lincoln Brook trail it will help you avoid the steep embankment and spruce thicket further West.

 

[TomL]

I did it all wrong

We couldn't find Paradox's Trail Report so took off on a heading of 340 degrees magnetic on a bushwack this week. No problems until the end where we hit the steep downhill and the evergreen thickets. For future bushwacks does someone have a better course? It looks like either right or left of the 340 we used would have been better!

 

[bobandgeri]

See our trip report:

http://rbhayes.net/latest/Owls-Head-02-11-06/index.htm

357 magnetic worked great.

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

Does anyone have the GPS co-ords for the Black Pond Bushwack?
Will be trying it in about a week and would like to have them "just in case".

Is the bushwack fairly dry? I did it a few years ago and seem to remember some wet spots.

Thanks

Don

Be careful relying on GPS around Black Pond, especially coming back to the pond from the LBT. Not a very good signal in there compared to other areas.

 

[Double Bow]

I agree with Bob & Geri. Shamie and I used 358 last month and it worked out very well.

 

[Rik]

I just walked north? Not really sure why one would need an exact bearing for that short whack.

 

[Double Bow]

You don't need a bearing, but it helps you to cut off as much as possible without getting into the thick stuff. Always a plus in my book!

 

[Paradox]

Be careful relying on GPS around Black Pond, especially coming back to the pond from the LBT. Not a very good signal in there compared to other areas.

Oddly enough my GPS (eTrex Vista at the time) picked up usable signals through the valleys, around Black Pond and the bushwhack. But going up the slide and on top of the mountain it achieved a lock only briefly.

Here is my trail condition report (I was using my email moniker at the time):
Trail: Wilderness, bushwack, Lincoln brook to Owls Head
Date Hiked: 4/22/06
Conditions: Dry, muddy, difficult water crossing,icy near top
Special Required Equipment: crampons - useful, waterproof "mudder" boots with gaiters -useful, dogs - essential
Comments: Could not find an Owl's Head summit sign. My GPS wasn't picking up any satelites and thus went about .11 miles north of the (old? new?) summit before it picked up some more. The last half mile above the slide is still icy and crampons were very helpful on the descent. I managed to find lots of boot sucking mudholes in the Black Pond to Lincoln Brook trail bushwhack. Heading north from Black Pond you want to head to the brook crossing at 19 T 0292860, 4888217 (NAD 27). Because near the brook the woods are much more open and the embankment is not as steep as it is 0.4 miles West.
Submitted by: JMMDDS, Zippy and Chips

 

[bobandgeri]

Oddly enough my GPS (eTrex Vista at the time) picked up usable signals through the valleys, around Black Pond and the bushwhack. But going up the slide and on top of the mountain it achieved a lock only briefly.

Your milage may vary! Differant models of GPSs will recieve differant strengths of signals. Other conditions will imapct your reception as well, such as tree cover, where you have the GPS located on your body/pack, weather conditions, etc....

The unit we use has an external antenna and recieved a steady signal throughout the entire hike (and multiple hikes) to Owl's Head from Lincoln Woods.

 

[Paradox]

Your milage may vary! Differant models of GPSs will recieve differant strengths of signals. .

To be sure! The eTrex Vista has a million bells and whistles, but was very poor at picking up signals. The 60CSx is much better at staying locked on.

 

[DougPaul]

To be sure! The eTrex Vista has a million bells and whistles, but was very poor at picking up signals. The 60CSx is much better at staying locked on.

My Vista always picked up satellites fairly well. There is unit-to-unit variation which might be a factor. Or perhaps you carried it in a sub-optimal way.

This picture shows a basic eTrex, but the same position and orientation is optimal for the eTrex Vista:
http://www.neil.webcentre.ca/outdoor pursuits/st1/IMG_0013.jpg
(pic courtesy of Neil)

Doug

 

[Paradox]

My Vista always picked up satellites fairly well. There is unit-to-unit variation which might be a factor. Or perhaps you carried it in a sub-optimal way.

This picture shows a basic eTrex, but the same position and orientation is optimal for the eTrex Vista:
http://www.neil.webcentre.ca/outdoor pursuits/st1/IMG_0013.jpg
(pic courtesy of Neil)

Doug

Great Picture! I walked North then South on the Owl's Head ridge at least a .10 of a mile with the Vista held up at arms length and only briefly got a signal. I'm 6'3" with long arms too. Yet walking through the trees on the Black Pond bushwhack it was usually picking up signals in either direction. It seems to me that the satellites might have been too low on the horizon when I was on the ridge.

I have the basic eTrex. Two years ago I took both of them with me on two hikes and found the Basic model to be much better at picking up satellites.

 

[DougPaul]

Great Picture! I walked North then South on the Owl's Head ridge at least a .10 of a mile with the Vista held up at arms length and only briefly got a signal. I'm 6'3" with long arms too. Yet walking through the trees on the Black Pond bushwhack it was usually picking up signals in either direction. It seems to me that the satellites might have been too low on the horizon when I was on the ridge.

I have the basic eTrex. Two years ago I took both of them with me on two hikes and found the Basic model to be much better at picking up satellites.

It is easier to acquire the satellites when stopped and then maintain a constant track on them. As noted earlier, turning off battery saver mode also helps. And WAAS is generally a waste of time and power in degraded conditions.

Maybe just luck of the draw--you got a good basic eTrex and a poor Vista. I would expect the Vista to be at least as good as the basic on the average.

Doug

 

[Paradox]

Yeah. I was rather PO'ed at the time. I got the Vista with premium points I get from ordering supplies from one of my venders. I would have tried to return it if I had paid $$ out of pocket.

The only time I have ever used the WAAS was when doing a boat delivery from Anapolis, MD to Marblehead, MA. The Vista worked great, out on the Atlantic. I found that with the WAAS enabled you could walk from bow to stern on their 42' boat and easily tell the difference.

 

[DougPaul]

The only time I have ever used the WAAS was when doing a boat delivery from Anapolis, MD to Marblehead, MA. The Vista worked great, out on the Atlantic. I found that with the WAAS enabled you could walk from bow to stern on their 42' boat and easily tell the difference.

Actually, the WAAS probably does little to improve the short-term resolution. Just the absolute accuracy under good signal contitions.

Did it at least tell you that you were in the Atlantic rather than Kansas?

Doug

 

[SAR-EMT40]

My Vista always picked up satellites fairly well. There is unit-to-unit variation which might be a factor. Or perhaps you carried it in a sub-optimal way.

I carry my Vista C on my backpack shoulder strap as high up as I can and it does pretty good at maintaining lock. I really don't have any probelms with it.

Keith

 

[Paradox]

Did it at least tell you that you were in the Atlantic rather than Kansas?

Doug

Ah, no. But when we were tied up at the the dock it told us exactly where the dock was! In fact, one time I was drunk as a skunk and it told me I was face down.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Am not sure quite sure how to avoid the steep bank and spruce thicket just before intersecting the Lincoln Brook trail - too far to the right and you'll end up in the brook, and those who've stayed too far left ending up paralleling the trail and not regaining it. As for the bearing - the times I've done the Black Pond section of the bushwhack have just used magnetic north as a bearing, and the "Owl" for a visual and have had good luck. Being precise is always good form, but this 'whack is rather straightforward. And yes - there's lots of boot-sucking muck. Have even run into the stuff in February, subzero weather - amazing, and no fun.