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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Millsfield Mountain (West Patience), NH
Trails
Trails: Skidder roads, bushwhack
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Thursday, September 15, 2022
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: From my parking spot for East Kelsey (see that trail report), I continued east along that curvy road…I think it’s called something loop? Forgetting the name, sorry. The northern end of this loop shown on Gaia appears to be a quicker way to get back to Signal Mtn Rd and I was curious why I hadn’t seen it used in others reports; well in driving by it today, it would appear to be a narrow, rough ATV trail more than it is a road. Anyway, this road was easily passable with mid clearance and once back on Signal Mtn Rd, I turned right (south) and followed it to Millsfield Pond Rd. Note that on Gaia, Signal Mtn Rd is called Pond Brook Rd. I then turned right into a road that connects Millsfield Pond Rd to Newell Brook Rd by curving around the north and west sides of Metallak Mtn. In its section just south of the ponds especially, this road is quite rough. Lots and lots of rocks, some somewhat large protruding out of the road. Several culverts showing their sexy selves off too though not usually too exposed. The worst one required me getting up on the bank of the road just a little. So it’s doable with mid-clearance and FWD but I would’ve felt better with something beefier and I wouldn’t be keen on driving it again in this car. I finally turned right onto the road that the Bonds used to access the peak. On Gaia, this is also shown as Newell Brook Rd though I don’t think that’s accurate. This road was in better shape though mid clearance still recommended. I parked 1/4mi down it at what I believe was the first logging yard.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes:  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes:  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Very steep to the point of being a bit scrambly, though all dirt, the way I came up. Dogs would probably struggle here.  
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: Day 319, Peak 300. 3rd hike/peak of the day after Kelsey and East Kelsey. I’d parked at a logging yard and so began picking my way over the logs toward the woods. A couple hundred feet from kinder I saw an overgrown skidder road ascending roughly on my bearing and took it. I followed it briefly before following alongside it in the woods which were more pleasant to walk in. I soon found some old skidder roads in here to ascend along as well. Before long, I was back in the brush, descending slightly with a little view of the peak in front of me. I could here the windmills. This was more or less at the base of the mountain. I got back into the woods which were semi- open though lots of hobblebush began to appear and began ascending again. Before long, the grade became quite steep as I was E/SE of the summit. There was (almost) nothing to get cliffed out on from where I was standing though. Just crazy steep dirt! As I began to reach to summit plateau and the grade moderated I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. Don’t know why, but my first thought was that I was about to meet a fellow bushwhacker out here, lol! Of course that was not the case and I saw Mrs. Moose trotting away. She was trotting toward Mr. Moose who had a large rack and soon got up to stare at me. Not wanting to make Mr. Moose jealous with my good looks, I moved away from them.

I pushed through some ferns and soon found myself popping out on the “summit windmill” haha. No register here. I headed due east off the summit maybe a couple hundred feet north of my ascent line. Didn’t seem any steeper to me. Maybe a little thicker though. Once back in the brush, I reconnected with my ascent line. The hike was 1.5mi with 600ft of gain and it took me just under 1hr15min to complete. 46 more days and 65 more peaks to go…  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney 
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2022-09-15 
Link
Link: https:// 
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