| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sandwich Dome, Jennings Peak, Sachem Peak, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Smarts Brook Trail, Sandwich Mountain Trail, Jennings Peak Spur, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, August 6, 2016 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
plenty of parking at Smarts Mountain Trailhead |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
no issues - all streams were minor |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
a couple of MAJOR blowdowns on Smarts Brook Trail - one near the top |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
a little annoying but I didn't need bug spray - was windy occasionally |
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 | Lost and Found: |
On the eastern ledges of Sachem Peak, I found 1 microspike, size small. Email me if it's yours!!!! Unfortunately, somewhere near there, I lost my (full) water bottle - the one I found on Eagle Cliff last spring :( Sure, it was old but I liked it :( I think it fell off the cliffs - I heard something rolling down and I think that was it... |
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 | Comments: |
Excellent day! I forgot how nice Smarts Brook Trail is!!!! Really cool boulders!!! ANYWAY, I tagged Sandwich Dome (no views due to clouds) and then headed down to Jennings Peak - my original, spur-of-the-moment plan was to bushwhack southwest off Jennings Peak but when I was up on Jennings, I decided it was too far and too thick - may as well go from the trail (Smarts Brook). So, when I got back down to about 3000', at the bend in the trail, I headed WSW. Woods were thick to start but then opened right up into a virtual forest of pick-up-stix: hundreds upon hundreds of really small blowdowns to step over but generally easy/open forest.
I headed down to the col and then up, keeping ledges to my left. Some huge rocks to find my way up in between the scrub. I hit a few disconnected ledges (had to go into scrub again a few times). Somewhere in those scrubby ledges I lost one of my 2 water bottles - the one with most of my water, of course. I had maybe a cup left if my remaining water bottle. I'm a little freakish about water and am always afraid of running out, especially when there are no streams near the top. SO, I canned my plan to head to Bald Knob. After hitting much of the top of Sachem, I headed due south through some AMAZING boulder areas - WOW!!!!! Not bad woods though pretty steep off the cliffs. A few holes to avoid but nothing really thick. Eventually I hit the Smarts Brook Trail at about 2200'.
Amazing area!!! :) |
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 | Name: |
Becca Munroe |
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 | E-Mail: |
beccahiker@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2016-08-06 |
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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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