West Mill brook 87 access

[buddy]

Thanks for the imput for my earlier thread. Sounds like the winter trailhead is a mile longer than in summer. An extra mile in the beginning is one less mile further in for this guy, especially with 3 or 4 days worth of winter camp gear. Anybody have any imput about this idea? Drop two of my hiking friends off at 87 rest area with our gear. Remaining two drive cars to trailhead parking and hike, pack free, to rest area saving about one mile with packs. On the way out our packs will be somewhat lighter, it'll be down hill so we can probably make it back to the cars without the car shuttle or not. What is the access to the trail from the rest area like?....bushwhack, obvious trail, hike along highway to culvert(poor choice propbably). If the car shuttle isn't feasible perhaps pulling a sled the first mile or more would be. Think any of the trail will be broken, assuming there's snow at the end of Feb.

 

[Guinness]

I do not know what weekend you are planning, but we are in there Feb. 26/27. I also am looking at all the possible entry points. Currently my first choice is off route 73 since I have no experience from West Mill Brook. If I can hook-up with a group heading in West Mill, possibly we can help each other. Thoughts?

 

[Doc McPeak]

The rest area is about 1/2 mile from the WMB road. And yes, you follow this road for about 3 miles before branching off to ascend the northern ridge to Macomb or the Carson/Macomb col.

Much more of a pain in the ass to do what you are planning than to just sled in along the snowmobile trail ... right now you could probably almost drive a 4X4 into the culvert. There is barely 2 to 3 feet of snow on the summits!

The rest area problems weren't as much about parking as tromping down the road or bushwhacking along the frindges, or just using it as a trailhead. I think all hikers would appreciate it if you would use the route 9 parking area like everybody else.

Thanks.

 

[adk-46r]

We did this two weeks ago. I would imagine you could drop off your gear as long as the border patrol is not set up. While it is an extra mile it is an easy one. You could pull your gear on a sled from route 9 to the northway and beyond a ways. There was an area of blowdown on the way up you have to skirt around but it is really no big deal. Here is the map of the route we took.
http://www.the-boogiemen.com/hiking/mbTopo.jpg

 

[TCD]

I strongly recommend starting from Route 9, not from the rest area. Both the State Police and the Forest Rangers have made it clear, including the Forest Ranger posting on this board last year, that the rest area is NOT a trailhead. Our continual use of it in the face of repeated direction not to, could cause further restrictions.

It's essentially level from Route 9 to the gate, so there's no issue of uphill vs. downhill.

Here's a description: From route 9, the road goes down a gentle hill to the ford of the brook at about 0.2 miles. After the ford, the road climbs and rolls gently, into a confusing area with a network of logging roads. The correct route bears generally West towards the peaks. Just prior to reaching the Northway (around 0.6 miles), the route swings left (S), over a small rise, and then turns right into the underpasses. After the underpasses, the road forks. The left fork is private, and has a sign and usually a cable. The right fork continues straight for another 0.3 to the parking area at the gate.

How the travel is depends on snow. Late last winter, a friend and I were able to get to the clear area before the Northway in an Isuzu Trooper with chains. We were able to ford the brook, but we couldn't get traction to get up the small hill due to deep sugar snow.

If you plan to ford the brook on foot, watch water levels, and if it is high water, bring a towel and a sock / boot change. In the summer I drive it, but in the spring I walk across in sandals, and then dry off and boot up after the brook.

TCD