| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Sandwich Dome, NH |
|
 | Trails: |
Smarts Brook Trail, Sandwich Mountain Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 27, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The trailhead at the Smarts Brook Trail had a fair number of cars, but didn't look like it ever got full. Lots of people walking the cross-country trails there, rather than hiking up to Sandwich. This lot is much easier to traverse than the lot at the Sandwich Mountain Trail/Drakes Brook Trail. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Wet/Sticky |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Stream crossings on the Smarts Brook Trail can be rock-hopped with care. Wouldn't trust any ice bridges right now. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There's 5 or 6 large blowdowns total on the full length of the Smarts Brook Trail, with the snowshoe trench presently routing around each one; all blowdowns are before the trail starts climbing up to the ridge between Jennings Peak and Sandwich Dome. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
A few pups today, mostly being walked on the cross-country trails. Hikers with dogs might need to help them navigate around blowdowns. |
|
 | Bugs: |
No bugs today, still wintertime. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Black toque laying on the ground in the parking lot at the end of the day. |
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|
 | Comments: |
Hiking pal and I decided to climb Sandwich Dome today to check off another Winter NEHH. Initially we were going to climb the Sandwich Mountain Trail, but the lot at that trailhead was already full so we decided to use the Smarts Brook Trail as an alternative. Longer climb with more elevation gain, but we could use the exercise. Snow was very soft today at lower elevations and it didn't take us long to feel like we ought to wear our snowshoes once we passed the cross-country trails; hikers using this trail over the next few days should probably follow our lead for better trail compaction. The network of cross-country trails was slightly confusing at the start; just follow the signs for Smarts Brook Trail and you'll be fine. The line of glacial erratics (huge boulders deposited by glacial action thousands of years ago) before the trail climbs is impressive! Crust of snow got pretty hard once the trail gained elevation, and stayed that way until the summit of Sandwich. Smarts Brook Trail is very well-graded with a few steep parts right before the ridge between Jennings Peak and Sandwich Dome is gained, but the much shorter distance of the Sandwich Mountain Trail and less elevation gain to boot can't be ignored. Seemed like the Sandwich Mountain Trail, at least just past the junction at the ridge, was pretty well-compacted. |
|
 | Name: |
Sheamus |
|
 | E-Mail: |
Sheamus.Fagan@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-01-27 |
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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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