success pond road question

[bruno]

how hard is it really to find the southern (berlin) start of success pond road? any tips? thanks!

 

[patrickbrusil]

It is not too bad.

In the newest AMC guide they claim that there is an OHRV PARKING 1 MILE sign but I did not see that for the life of me. I found that most of the directions that were given in the AMC guide shoudl be thrown out the window.

As of a month ago the road began directly across from a giant lumber yard/mill it was marked by two fairly big boulders and you could not see too far down the road as it went directly up a small hill. If I remember correctly it was within a mile of going across the Androscoggin river.

If you miss it (like I did) it seems most people in the area no were it is. I went into a lumber yard about a mile past the road enterance and the gentleman easily directed me towards it.

 

[peakbagger]

The OHRV sign has been gone for awhile. As mentioned there are a couple of large rocks with steel cables attached to them about 100' in from the main road. Usually if you make it around the various false turns onto side streets, finding the road isnt that bad. The standard approach is to turn off of RT 16 opposite the first Irving gas station in Berlin and cross the Androscoggin river on the Cleveland bridge. At the 4 way intersection with traffic lights (Big Apple gas station on the right) go straight. Almost immediately pass an old train station and follow the main road as it bears right around the Fraser Paper pulp mill. Now follow the main road keeping the fence of the pulpmill to your left. Keep an eye out for a small neighborhood of homes that are surrounded by the woodyard operation (Napert Village), then go about 1/4 of a mile and take the first ungated road on your right. If you encounter another neighborhood on your right, you have gone too far. Once you turn on the road read your odometer and start keeping track of your mileage. The first stretch of Success Pond road goes through an old landfill with large mounds on the right. Once you cross a gas line right of way and a power line right of way you are in the woods. Keep an eye out for logging trucks and speeding pickup trucks while on the road.

 

[arghman]

Once you turn on the road read your odometer and start keeping track of your mileage.

The new landowner has put up mile markers -- any of you who are used to having to navigate this road via odometers, you will be spoiled. The sign for the Success Trail that used to be on the main road is gone (signpost + wooden square still present), the Carlo/Goose Eye trailhead sign is easy to spot. (observations as of 7/31/05)

 

[galaxy]

A word of caution:
We hiked Mahoosuc Notch on 7/30/05 and found the road/trailheads without a problem.
However, upon finishing the hike and heading south toward Berlin, we found Success Pond Rd closed for a "rally", and ended up having to drive out the north end to Rt 26. Needless to say, it was many miles out of our way.
There were no signs posted regarding the road being closed when we drove in that morning.
Has anyone else encountered this?

 

[David Metsky]

However, upon finishing the hike and heading south toward Berlin, we found Success Pond Rd closed for a "rally", and ended up having to drive out the north end to Rt 26. Needless to say, it was many miles out of our way.
There were no signs posted regarding the road being closed when we drove in that morning.
Has anyone else encountered this?

There was a thread here on VftT about it before the race. Several people modified their hiking plans for the day based on that. I think it was a one time thing, or at least once per year.

-dave-

 

[arghman]

There were no signs posted regarding the road being closed when we drove in that morning. Has anyone else encountered this?

I was there that day also (but had the advantage of seeing the VFTT thread on the race). There actually was a sign saying the road would be closed from 2:30pm-6pm -- but instead of being right at the beginning of the road, it was about 1 mile in from the south end of the road, on a post with some other signs, and the sign lettering wasn't very large. They may have put up a sign on the north end of the road; I don't know.