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Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Big Ball Mountain, Black Snoot, Mt. Shaw. Mt. Flagg, Sentinel Mountain, NH
Trails
Trails: Mt. Shaw Trail, Tate Mountain Trail, Banana Trail, Mt. Shaw Trail, Gorilla Trail, Mt. Flagg Trail, Canaan Mountain Trail, Sentinel Connector Trail, Sentinel Mountain Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Saturday, May 21, 2016
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Parking at Sentinel Mtn Trail only room for 3 cars by gate. Parking for trail is off of Bents Road just before the Terrace Pines Campground, I believe it is actually on their property. The access road is on the right, there is a metal bar gate 100 yards in, do not block gate. Look for sign that says "Mt Trail". The actual trail is about .1 mile up this road on the left. At Mt Shaw trail head, parking for 6-8 and then on 171. 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: Minor 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Step overs on Banana Trail, major washouts on the steep sections.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Tough trails for dogs except carriage roads between Black Snout and Mt Shaw 
Bugs
Bugs: Bugs everywhere 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
Comments: Decided to do a traverse from Rte. 171 (Mt. Shaw Trailhead across from Sodom Rd) to Sentinel Mtn. (off Bents Rd., on the way to Terrace Pines Campground. By the Trail Bandit map it is about 8 miles. It was a tough 8 miles. This is not the typical Ossipee Mtn hiking with signs on grass covered carriage roads. The Mt Shaw Trail starts off fairly level and wide and at the stream the Tate Mtn Trail diverges right and steeply goes uphill (marked red/green), no sign. This trail goes to Big Ball (Tate Mtn), after a few 10ths of a mile, the trail becomes a trail and continues to climb steadily to the viewpoint. After the viewpoint the Banana trail goes left (marked blue?) over Big Ball. This trail is tough to follow and washed out in many spots. It pops up on the carriage road to Black Snout. After a nice walk along carriage roads with signs from Black Snout over to Mt. Shaw we enter the woods, it looks like the Gorilla Trail is brushed in since we had to step over and around brush at the entrance. This trail marked yellow/Red goes along the ridge dropping through birch forests with nice views every so often, the birch forest then turn into large boulder fields. Then a nice viewpoint on Mt. Flagg. The trail goes down and becomes the Mt. Flagg Trail marked yellow, this is where we saw the only other people we would see after Shaw, a couple of teenagers from Camp Merrovista. We were looking for a trail going to the left, the Canaan Mtn Trail, we found it but it is not signed, there is a shelter and then a red marked trail which is extremely difficult to follow probably because not very many people use it. It leads to another shelter. From this shelter the Sentinel Mtn, Connector Trail is going north on ledges overlooking Dan Hole Pond, this trail is marked in orange, be careful since there is a white trail going off in the opposite direction and you have to look for the orange trail. Again tough to follow with a narrow or non-existent footpath. This trail takes you over to Sentinel Mtn. Once on top, the trail you want is off the backside i.e. north, marked in red. It is very steep and difficult. Once down off the top it is an easy walk to the car. This turned out to be an epic hike. Out of 12 people, more than half ran out of water and the other half was rationing and sharing water, i brought 3 liters and Gatorade and probably could have used more since i rationed and shared for the last 3 + miles.. No good water until the Sentinel Mountain Trail. Because these trails from Mt. Shaw are so lightly traveled there is a lot of route finding. But is was a great day out and interesting way to 5 of the Ossipee mountain list.  
Name
Name: Frinda 
E-Mail
E-Mail: Fredwijnenriems@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2016-05-22 
Link
Link: https:// 
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