Northeast Wild

  THIRTEENTH LAKE hiking & camping - warm days with a fair amount of sun, no snow. April 21, 2019 Easter Sunday - walked down the W side of the lake (elevation 1,675'), which still had ice over 90% of its surface, passing 2 bc campsites, then turned NW on trail toward Peaked Mtn  Pond -several wet spots on marked trails, but not too muddy.  Peaked Mtn Brook had many nice waterfalls thanks to high water.  A brook crossing would mean wet feet.  From brook crossing, bushwhacked E up LITTLE THIRTEENTH LAKE MOUNTAIN - mostly open hardwoods & dry underfoot.  Got a peek at Peaked Mtn thru the leafless trees.  Summit is a bit over 2,500'.  Dropped a little to the SE to open rocky area with view.  Dropped down to the E then NE, crossed a brook, then to a ledge (2,000') with view of N end of lake & Gore Mtn.  NE down to 2nd brook & followed that down to campsite #11 near the trailhead.  Loon (& calls), mergansers, gulls, r...

  Mar 5, 2022 - Started at the Dirgylot Hill trailhead (el 885'), woods road thru giant culvert under the Northway.  0.7 miles to a T, then R.  Gain (gross uphill travel) of 213' in 1st mile (makes for a fun run out at the end of the day).  The woods road soon fades into a path marked with ax blazes & leaning sticks - noted some cedars in here & some large white pines.  Steep drop to a stream crossing & steep uphill to pick up the path again.  Gain of 177' in 2nd mile.  Joined an old road that parallels 17th Brook - now climbing moderately, sometimes steeply - some lovely ash trees in this stretch, unfortunately some were blowdown across our route & made the going more challenging.  Gain of 459' in our 3rd mile.  The old road finally levels out a bit & is quite clear going thru softwoods.  Our highest elevation 1,705'.  Crossed the brook & bushwhacked N to a small remote pond that lies W of Wyman Hill.  ...