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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Southeast Horne Brook Peak (Two Grants Peak), East Horne Brook Peak (Hell Gate Mountain), NH
Trails
Trails: Dead Diamond Road, herd path, woods roods, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, July 14, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: We drove to Parmachenee Rd off route 16 in Wilson Mills Maine and followed it, forking left onto Abbott Brook Rd. After traveling just under 11 miles from rt 16 and took a fork left and parked just before a gate. We walked a short distance past the gate and took a left onto Dead Diamond Rd with signage for Dartmouth College and Stewardship Wild Life Area.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes:  
Bugs
Bugs: lots! 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Both these peaks are on the NH 300 Highest List. We decided to hit these mountains from the west side after reading other trip reports of folks hitting it from the east side and encountering logging sash.

From our parking location we walked a short distance past the gate and took a left onto Dead Diamond Rd with signage for Dartmouth College and Stewardship Wild Life Area and followed it for just about ¾ mile. We started bushwhacking heading east towards the southwest ridgeline of Two Grants Peak.

This approach turned out to be a good choice seeing we hit nice woods picking up lots of herd paths, a few older woods roads as things started getting steep and we dodged a few cliff bands just past the first bump. After this pump we turned northeast heading towards a flat area just west of the summit. Once again, we dodged cliff bands on the steeps but nothing to crazy. Once on this flat area we picked up lots of herd paths with some up and downs and soon enough we hit the recognized high point and summit register.

After signing in we set off back tracking to flat area to our next destination, Hell Gate. Once at the end of the flat we turned northwest dropping rather quickly towards the col. On this drop we picked up a boundary swath that helped us move easier seeing thing started getting thick and nasty.

After crossing the col we heading toward the southwest ridge of Hell Gate. Here where things started to really slow down due to the steepness, tight second growth pine and cliff and cliff bands. This area lasted for about 300 feet of elevation gain as we slabbed east picking up ledge area heading north that we could walk along with a nice mossy carpet and soon enough we hit the recognized high point and our last peak on the New Hampshire 300 Highest List!

After signing in we dropped of the west side of the peak heading toward that road walk we came in on. This route had a mix of steep down, cliff bands, herd paths, older woods roads and good of fashion bushwhacking.

Another great adventure finishing off the New Hampshire 300 Highest list with my beautiful bridge Mary.
 
Name
Name: Brian Bond  
E-Mail
E-Mail: brianbond@comcast.net 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-07-15 
Link
Link: https:// 
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