| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sandwich Dome, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Algonquin Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, August 31, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at TH off of Sandwich Notch Road. My old Civic did fine coming in from Rt.49. The road has been improved. It has some slightly un-nerving steep and blind one-lane hilltops, but it can be driven with care.
It is easy to drive by the Algonquin TH. There is a white house on a bend, with 'U.S. Male' on the mailbox. Right after that is a one lane bridge. The TH is on the left right after that. If you start going uphill again, you went too far. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Brooks were dry. On way back, one brook had accumulated a small amount of water, for an easy rock hop. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trail in great shape. Between the initial flats and the scrambles are 2 easy stepovers, the first is an ax worthy white birch, which is probably better left as a natural water bar. There's a barely ax worthy hardwood a bit further up that's no impediment. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
I wouldn't recommend bringing a dog, I don't know how you'd get a dog down two of the scrambles.. lower them with a rope? Dry trail as well. |
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 | Bugs: |
Spider webs. All day long I was going 'Effin spiders!' and all day long they were going, 'Effin Steve!'. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I really enjoyed this trail! Very dry conditions. Faded yellow blazes, but trail very easy to follow. Two scrambles were challenging, if you can handle the first tough one, you can do the other one. Plenty of rock/root footholds, always something to grab. I couldn't get my foot up high enough on the first tough scramble, but what you do is start by pressing a knee into a detent in the rock and then pulling yourself up, sort of crawling on your hands and knees to get started. It works great, and very satisfying to overcome the problem and add it to your skill set.
Gaia shows the southwest peak as Black Mountain. The Wonalancet Outdoor Club map does not designate it as a separate peak, and neither does Peakbagger. You're done with the scramble challenge when you get to this subpeak, it's just above the Black Pond trail junction. If you come up Black Pond trail just for redlining, I would recommend taking the extra ten minutes to attain this peak and check out the spectacular view point. I ate lunch there, and took a nap there on the way back. I liked it better than the Sandwich Dome summit, but you may like being able to pick out (35) 4000 footers at the top better.
There is a long ridge walk with limited partial views, but you have that cool feeling of the land falling away to valleys on either side of you. Parts of the woods are a very pretty blend of ferns, lichen, hobble, brush, and towering hardwoods and softwoods. Ideal for a sunny day, esp the way the trail weaves thru these areas, sometimes tough and other times easy, it all lends to the enchantment. I highly recommend this one.
Fortunately, I did not come across any dark shape of a bear above me in a crab apple tree! (See Steve Smith 'Wandering Thru the White Mountains')! |
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 | Name: |
Steve Marion |
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 | E-Mail: |
swampfoxsteve@gmail |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-09-01 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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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