| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sandwich Dome, Mt. Israel, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, October 19, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Significant, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
The goal of this trip was to do a single-day bushwhack traverse of Sandwich Dome and Mt. Israel without the aid of any herd path, old logging road or other trail. From my starting point on Rt. 49 in Waterville Valley, I ascended to the Sachem Peak-Jennings Peak col via the High Brook drainage. While ascending one of the ridges to the col, I came across some nice ledgy sections with interesting views to Noon Peak. I contoured across the 2800ft level of Jennings Peak, looking out for any signs of the 1966 plane crash, but didn’t find anything. After reaching the head of Sandwich Dome’s ravine in the Smarts Brook valley, I ascended Sandwich on a slightly different route than my previous bushwhack, since I wanted to continue searching for remnants of the 1850s trail that Nathaniel Greeley had built. Though I couldn’t find any other traces of the old corridor, I did come across a cairn at 3,650ft, possibly built by Greeley or some other Waterville guests. There was no discernible trail next to it — save for any cleared rocks, any such trail would have been reclaimed by the forest long ago. I found the snow line at 3,730 ft, but the snow was very patchy and less than two inches deep. I reached the Sandwich summit completely soaked from head to toe, as the spruce trees were dripping water from the morning fog — in this case it really paid off to bring a spare change of wool clothes/extra rain gear. I continued the bushwhack down the south side of the mountain, eventually reaching a secluded south-facing ledge that Steve Smith wrote about in his excellent trip report document titled “Snoopin' Around the South Side of Sandwichâ€. From here I took a bearing down to the beaver pond at the base of the mountain and continued to the eastern end of Guinea Pond, reaching the base of Mt. Israel six hours after my start time. For the ascent of Israel, I bushwhacked up the northeastern side, finding mostly open woods; I had the summit to myself and then made a tedious descent down the steep southeastern side of the mountain, eventually exiting onto Mt. Israel Road, where I got a ride back to Waterville Valley. |
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 | Name: |
timbercamp |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-10-19 |
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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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