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Sawyer brook and Black brook on the north and south of moody Mtn show no bridges and are listed as fords in some guides? Was wondering are they just little brooks that can be rock hopped or are they true fords that will make me want to take off the shoes and pull the pant legs way up?
looking at the end of AUG if that makes a big difference.
My 2016 ATTHC says ford on both. I would assume that means between ankle and waist deep. For traction I usually leave shoes on.
I'll be Sobo in that same section around the same time (I should pass that spot late on Sept 1, then going to Human Nature Hostel). Maybe I'll I'll see ya around.
We've made at least three trips to Maine, and have completed 80% of the state. Almost all of the "fords" we encountered were minor rock hops. Even the Pleasant River. While it was more than a rock hop, it was only ankle deep (a dry summer). I remember another ford where we waded through water above the knee, but I don't remember just where it was - just that it wasn't near Moody. Even that one could have been rock hopped if you were brave enough. The rocks were slick, and I didn't want to chance it. The stream was only about 10-12' wide.
Of course, feedback from a local would be much more valuable than mine.
I maintain the corridor boundary between the top of Moody and South Arm road and need to be over there one of these days but past experience is crossing Sawyer Brook is a non issue/ minor rock hop and Black Brook next to South Arm is equipped with large step stones which requires some rock hopping in high water. Those not into step stones would go knee deep to ford. Only an issue if its raining heavy and you don't like rock hopping step stones. The ridgeline acts like a regional water shed boundary so you are at the headwaters of the brooks so there isn't much flow except during the remains of a hurricane or spring run off. There is nice campsite with picnic table at Sawyer Brook and a relatively new set of tent sites and privy just before South Arm road. The campsite on Sawyer Brook is a nice alternative to Hall Mountain Lean To in dry weather as its shady with big mature hardwoods and picnic table (no privy) . Not so good earlier in the season as the mosquitos can be fierce. The landowner has blocked access to the south so the road only winter snowmachine traffic. If the tentsite by the brook is full there is plenty of flat space to tent in the road.
I used to encounter bears regularly when I walking in from the south before the landowner blocked access. Standard bear precautions should be used. FYI, the descent down Hall to Sawyer Notch and then back up Moody is calf burner. its not technical but very steep. Moody has a few metal bars here and there for assistance. It used to be far more interesting but after a big slide they rerouted around the worst parts. The corridor boundary to the north and south is much steeper and nastier.
An odd thing about Sawyer Notch is its the farthest north I am aware of for stinging nettles, they are not on the AT itself but the southern corridor boundary down the road is a bit of a floodplain and I managed to walk through a patch of them with shorts on once. :eek:
It's a ford as much your feet may get wet. It's usually a non-issue. As far as I know, it's the only picnic table on the AT in ME. It's a nice spot for tenting.
You shouldn't get wet. I was there over the fourth of July after it had been not dry and didn't get wet. I'd be more concerned about the climb up Moody Mtn. Straight up!
Thanks for the Info, is there parking in the area for three days two nights? I assume that the change by the southern landowner has not shut off auto traffic up south arm road?
AT guide does not indicate parking on South Arm road. There might be one at the campsite, but I seem to remember that was a pretty narrow notch and not much room for even the campsite. There is parking on East B hill road, which is the other road out of Andover on the south end and is where most get picked up/dropped off from the hostels.Quote:
Originally Posted by rdljr
The only other parking option is on ME17 at the height of land, there is a fair sized lot on the side of the highway. East B hill road to ME17 is a nice walk. I love the Bemis ridge walk, but the climb up Old Blue is another ball buster.
There is not a typical dedicated parking lot, the road is skinny at the trail crossing but there are plenty of wide spots in the gravel along the road for plenty of cars just north of the crossing if folks dont mind walking an extra 200 feet. South Arm is a public road that is effectively a dead end road servicing a marina on Richardson Lake. The Sawyer Notch lack of access from the south is specific to Sawyer Notch. One of the shuttlers in Andover reportedly used to drop people off to access the AT on occasion but the landowner south of the notch installed a gate and large no trespassing signs several years ago. I have not cared to do a lot of research on the legalities as in general the camp owners and homewoners along the lower part of the road also are unfriendly about access. My guess is they are feuding with what ever government entity exists in the area to maintain the road. All I know is it makes access to the East side of Hall Mountain difficult for me as I need to hike up and over Moody from South Arm.
I rock hopped the one by South Arm road a few weeks ago. Further north in ME there are several I switched to my Vivobarefeet, any where from ankle to knee to thigh deep.
I crossed Black Brook in early July this year. No way to rock hop. It was roughly knee deep. This was a day or so after a tremendous thunderstorm. Typically all the fords in Maine get easier as Summer progresses.
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I was there about July 9, when I crossed it as stated above. Was okay then. It must come up good with storms and go back to normal pretty quick.Quote:
Originally Posted by Heliotrope
Thank you all for the info.
There's a picnic table on the beach at one of the big lakes in the North part of the HMW...Rainbow I think. The campsite there also had a bunch of folding lawn chairs in it. Appears people come in on boats quite often from the hull marks on the shore. Had quite the break for lunch there.Quote:
Originally Posted by egilbe
Just finished the hike. Thank you all for the info. All the water was a rock hope. Parking was a bigger problem at Grafton Notch park than south arm road, he got the last lot spot on a Saturday. Water was available at all of the lean-to but the spring at Hall look low and had been used by a lot of people. Outhouses were extremely clean and look every well taken care off. Now if you could get some one to flatten out the hills it would have been a much easier hike. Thanks for all your efforts.
Grafton Notch parking was full due to the weekend. I was dropped off there during the week around a month ago and there was plenty of parking.Quote:
Originally Posted by rdljr