Moose mountain - july 30, 2011

[LCCRUISER]

Thanks very much for your patience. I'm old and mostly retired, so I don't have the time to spend my day at work or the office doing online stuff like you working stiffs.

Click on each image to open the video if you dare. If I have a duplicate in there from the other camera, sorry. I also will have to work n the camera mounting. I think a fender or hood mount would be better than on the driver's window. I think I did OK without really reading the instructions. I think this will be good with a bit more experience i

The GoPro is almost surreale attached to a vehicle. I was bouncing around the inside of the truck and the camera makes it look like we were surfing.

This is VERY ugly, make sure you have the camera facing the right way before turning it on!!!!

 

[LCCRUISER]

24hrs later, and......





Thanks for the video Scott, always cool to watch your rig from a different angle.





"Junior, Are you sure that is only 9 pounds? They still look stiff to me "



...........................

Looked like you had some trouble here and there, maybe you should check your guage for accuracy?

 

[HJ-45CrewCab]

Removed the interior panels and pushed out the dent in my rear right quarter panel. Looks 70% better. Also replaced the taillight today. Parts were ordered from one of our FG sponsors, Rockauto.com. CV axle should arrive on Tuesday.

 

[LCCRUISER]

IMHO, Moose Mountain deserves some more exploration, particularly by you hardcore guys. From what we saw, it hasn't been used much. Other than the main access trail and Boulder Bash, the other trails are barely used. Most are grown up with grass and weeds. I'm sure there are some real challenges on some of those and maybe some easier stuff for those who are less inclined to beat up on their rigs.

My one question is, where is the trail map?

The Boulder Bash loop is a bit confusing. The arrow to the left says harder and identifies the trail as Boulder Bash. The arrow to the right only reads easiest. We went up the easiest only to find that this is Boulder Bash run counter clockwise which will put you into the boulder field going down hill. If you go the other way, it would be much harder. We turned around at the top of the boulder field and back tracked.

Junior was quick to agree with me when I said I heard "mama calling me to come home for supper" when I looked at the boulder field and voted to turn around. I'm not sure if he was just being understanding that the 2 FJC's might be badly bashed or if he was tired of all the work that it had taken to get as far as we had (just over a mile in over 3 hours). In either case, the turnaround was the smart thing to do since it took another 5 or so hours to get back out towing a partially disable rig.

I don't think Moose Mountain is getting much use and YT should be able to reserve it on a regular basis in the future. I'm not so sure that the trail use we saw wasn't just locals, it is that grown up. It is far enough away from Mass and hard enough not to be an easy day trip for most NEA members. There aren't any real opportunities to camp on the property unless you are into really primitive stuff where there isn't even a large clearing or field. I haven't looked into it, but there should be some camping opportunities within a 1/2 hour or so. The road in is probably good enough to trailer in a dedicated trail rig or park close enough to drive it up the class 6 road.

I'd like to go up there again in my 40 with the 34 LTB's on it instead of my skinny 33's that I have on it for regular trips and do some exploring. Maybe the club could reserve it again for later in the season and a few of us could get a better look at the property. I'm thinking later October when the leaves are mostly gone and you can see something besides the immediate 100 feet in front of you. Any interest? Junior? Others?

 

[rain76king]

I would be up for going in the Fall to check it out. Not in the 80...... Always down for camping. I enjoy Fall/early winter camping.

 

[rapovt]

you guys went up there when it was pretty dry. How is it going to be after some moderate rain?

 

[LCCRUISER]

It rained some a day or two before we went, but I was surprised it was as muddy as it was after 3-4 weeks time that we barely got an inch of rain. My understanding (from Junior) is that it is always muddy. There must be some springs or something like the drainage down the slope of the hill that keeps everything damp. It's not that uncommon in NH hill country.

I would think the place would be real muddy in the spring/early summer when it is usually damp in these parts. Also any time we have 2-3 days of hard rain.

What's your point of asking?

I don't see it as place to camp at the trailhead unless the landing area is bushhogged and the grass is mowed down.

 

[fourlow&go]

you guys went up there when it was pretty dry. How is it going to be after some moderate rain?

Soupy.

It's always wet there, the other weekend was as dry as I've ever seen it and it was still muddy.

 

[LCCRUISER]

Think tallish Swampers, lots of clearance, no aversion to having your taillights popped like zits, and a tolerance for the possibility of body damage. Oh yeah, make sure you have a working winch.