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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Sandwich Dome, NH
Trails
Trails: Algonquin Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, May 21, 2018
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: There is room on the side of the road for maybe 3 cars. Sandwich Notch Road should be driven with a high clearance vehicle. My Subaru Crosstrek did fine. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Leaves - Significant/Slippery 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: The only major crossing is not too many tenths from the trailhead, and it was rock-hoppable today. 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Many blowdowns, mostly minor. No trouble to get around any of them. Almost all had been limbed. A few small, fresh falls up high. 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Some steep boulder scrambles, one especially challenging. I'm not a dog owner, but I'm not sure how dogs would do. 
Bugs
Bugs: Early day, too cold and a little breezy for them. Only noticed black flies once back at the car. 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: Garmin Tempe sensor. If you find it, keep it! I had it clipped to a low center strap on my pack, and I did a lot of butt-sliding on the way down. Must have scraped the sensor right off! Useful if you're in the Garmin ecosystem. I'll buy another. About $20 last I knew. 
 
Comments
Comments: Algonquin is a lovely trail! First time up it was today, and I think it's a new "top 5" personal favorite. Rough, wild, remote. Flat-ish, then steep, then flat-ish, then steep, etc. Open ledges provide some outstanding viewpoints on the way up. The trail above the ledges along the shoulder is a classic ridge walk, where it feels open on both sides of the trail even though there are lots of spruce around. Plenty of blue sky visible.

A few areas are hard to follow, but with a little care, you'll spot the footpath again. Either a yellow blaze, nailed yellow marker, axe or saw work, or small cairn will sort any vagueness in the trail, which does twist and turn a bit, especially in the ledgy area.

The "rough" part of this trail is due to some boulder scrambling and steep ledgy bits. I was on my tush on the way down in several places, and even had to flip to my stomach and lower myself down by my hands in one spot. And yet...many tenths of this trail were idyllic, runnable singletrack. You get it all on Algonquin!

Moose poo everywhere up high starting on the shoulder most of the way to the summit. No moose sighted.  
Name
Name: ecbanks 
E-Mail
E-Mail: 020655@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2018-05-21 
Link
Link: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/2716161063 
Bookmark and Share Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

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