Shoal Pond Peak - 12/8/2007

[campsite]

Ethan Pond Trail upper parking lot not plowed, so we parked by Rt. 302. Leaving the cars at 7:15, Fran, Laura, and I headed up the EPT on a broken trail, but only up to the Ripley Falls turnout - after that we were on our own. We encountered unconsolidated snow depths on both the EPTand SPT of 4" to 18", or more in drifted areas. The real challenge was staying out of the innumerable water hole traps. The wet portions of these trails hid some mean water holes from which snow depths of up to 24" did not protect us. At approx 2400' (3/4 +/- mile beyond Shoal Pond) we started our bushwhack on a bearing of 280 degrees (correcting occasionally with GPS help). As luck would have it, we immediately encountered a nasty band of snow laden spruce/fir laced with significant blowdowns. After about 20 minutes of thrashing about, and with the troops wondering out loud who the idiot was who brought them here, the forest opened up. We then crossed Shoal Pond Brook only to encounter another band of spruce for another 20+ minutes. We were however then rewarded with wide open woods to approx 2800'. The woods then became mildly thick with a few thick spots/blowdowns in the immediate summit area. We initially found what looked like a summit bump without a register. Using the GPS, we found the summit a few hundred feet away. The register is actually located on the summit's coordinates. The register is a red nalgene bottle tied to a spruce tree next to a big rock. The tree has flagging tape which is visible from a short distance. (looks like the register bandito hasn't made it up there yet). Leaving the summit at 2:30, we reached the cars at 6:45.

 

[Barbarossa]

I'm planning to do this from Lincoln Woods as an overnighter in late winter.

I'll look for your tracks

 

[forestgnome]

Nice Tr, sounds like you had a great time. Any moose sign in those open areas? Thanks.

happy trails

 

[grouseking]

Really cool! I've been to Shoal Pond several times, but never really ventured off trail to any of the unnamed peaks. That area is crawling with moose.

grouseking

 

[HikerDoc]

Shoal Pond Peak

Great trip report. Have done this trip twice now, summer and winter, and it was one of the toughest because of that nasty ridge. Didn't have the benefit of GPS; had to resort to old school technology. The only time I was attacked by a spruce grouse in winter! Had to defend myself with a ski pole or he would have stolen my hat. We did it from Zealand/Hale parking lot the first time; from Ethan trail like you the second. You make it sound easy, all you readers of this out there, it ain't! Keep up the bushwacking and the nice reports!