December 6, 2008
It was a cold 6 degrees in Campton when I got off the highway at 7:30am. The rest of the gang, Fat Tuesday, MindlessMariachi and Juniper, had called to say they were running behind due to "you can't get there from here" carpool meet-up problems. I drove to the Waterville Nordic Center, one of my favorite places, which coincidentally opened today. I poked my head into the touring center and said hello to the staff which I've know now for 12 seasons. Unfortunately, I let them down when they learned I hadn't come to sample their 15Km opening day treat. I always enjoy the view of Tecumseh and the Osceolas from Corcoran Pond. I enjoy it even more than before I had climbed these peaks.
I headed back to the trailhead for 8:30 and got geared up. Fat Tuesday, Juniper and MindlessMariachi pulled in shortly thereafter and we were off by 9am. There was 3-6" of snow, combined with bare and/or wet spots, down low. The crossing of Drake's Brook was fairly straightforward -- use caution to avoid icy rocks. I stepped on rocks just under the surface and make it across right between the blazes. The trail goes up pretty quickly and within 10 minutes we paused to adjust layers.
The first views were from the outlook above Noon Peak, to the north / northwest, including Tecumseh, Osceola, Tripyramids, and way off Washington and the northern Presidentials.
Beyond this point the number of boot prints diminished somewhat, and the snow depth increased to 6-9" and continued with a light Styrofoam texture. At the junction with Drake's Brook, we bumped into one the groups that had departed while I was waiting. They were debating heading down (which, based on the tracks on our way back, they did.) Shortly beyond this junction is the spur for Jennings Peak - 0.2 miles each way. This trail was a bit steeper and icier than anything so far. I was able to kick steps in most of the way up, but debating our descent from the top, the microspikes came out (I managed to bareboot it without incident thanks to a few rocks poking through and using the surrounding trees.)
The views from Jennings Peak include Sandwich Dome itself, along with the Squam Range, Tenney, Ragged, and Cardigan. The filtered sun was right in the camera so the photos from here aren't very good.
Having made it safely back to the Sandwich Mountain Trail, we turned right and continued on to Sandwich Dome itself. Along this stretch the idea of snowshoes first became attractive, as the depths increased to 12"+ with an occasional knee-deep (or high on the calf for the taller folks) drift. We had passed 4 of the 5 people I knew had left before us, and met the 5th on his way down. The junction with Smart's Brook passed and right before the Algonguin Trail junction, we stopped to eat, and put on warmer layers. While it was breezy on Noon and Jennings, it was almost dead still on Sandwich Dome.
MindlessMariachi, Fat Tuesday, Juniper, BikeHikeSkiFish
The panorama from the summit begins at Moosilauke and goes all the way around to Chocorua (this shot stops at Whiteface.)
Having already eaten, we spent only a few minutes on top before heading down. At the junction with Drake's Brook we turned right and immediately gave up a good chunk of elevation (800' in half a mile.) After the steep section though the trail is wide and feels nearly flat. Following its namesake brook, there are numerous feeder creeks to step over. One of the larger ones had a bog bridge which has snapped in the middle and sits in the brook. Somewhere in this stretch, we came across a kill site (on top of a large rock in fact), which had been lightly covered with snow, eliminating any tracks. The bits of black in the photo are fur, which on the skin side were nearly white, progressing to a charcoal gray, and finally a rusty brown at the tips. The blood spot in the middle was about the size of a powder basket on the hiking pole. Anyone care to opine on what ate what?
After the trip the three Bostonians went to the Common Man, but I had to bail.
Thanks to Fat Tuesday for organizing this trip. It was a good time and a good group.
All photos
Tim
It was a cold 6 degrees in Campton when I got off the highway at 7:30am. The rest of the gang, Fat Tuesday, MindlessMariachi and Juniper, had called to say they were running behind due to "you can't get there from here" carpool meet-up problems. I drove to the Waterville Nordic Center, one of my favorite places, which coincidentally opened today. I poked my head into the touring center and said hello to the staff which I've know now for 12 seasons. Unfortunately, I let them down when they learned I hadn't come to sample their 15Km opening day treat. I always enjoy the view of Tecumseh and the Osceolas from Corcoran Pond. I enjoy it even more than before I had climbed these peaks.
I headed back to the trailhead for 8:30 and got geared up. Fat Tuesday, Juniper and MindlessMariachi pulled in shortly thereafter and we were off by 9am. There was 3-6" of snow, combined with bare and/or wet spots, down low. The crossing of Drake's Brook was fairly straightforward -- use caution to avoid icy rocks. I stepped on rocks just under the surface and make it across right between the blazes. The trail goes up pretty quickly and within 10 minutes we paused to adjust layers.
The first views were from the outlook above Noon Peak, to the north / northwest, including Tecumseh, Osceola, Tripyramids, and way off Washington and the northern Presidentials.
Beyond this point the number of boot prints diminished somewhat, and the snow depth increased to 6-9" and continued with a light Styrofoam texture. At the junction with Drake's Brook, we bumped into one the groups that had departed while I was waiting. They were debating heading down (which, based on the tracks on our way back, they did.) Shortly beyond this junction is the spur for Jennings Peak - 0.2 miles each way. This trail was a bit steeper and icier than anything so far. I was able to kick steps in most of the way up, but debating our descent from the top, the microspikes came out (I managed to bareboot it without incident thanks to a few rocks poking through and using the surrounding trees.)
The views from Jennings Peak include Sandwich Dome itself, along with the Squam Range, Tenney, Ragged, and Cardigan. The filtered sun was right in the camera so the photos from here aren't very good.
Having made it safely back to the Sandwich Mountain Trail, we turned right and continued on to Sandwich Dome itself. Along this stretch the idea of snowshoes first became attractive, as the depths increased to 12"+ with an occasional knee-deep (or high on the calf for the taller folks) drift. We had passed 4 of the 5 people I knew had left before us, and met the 5th on his way down. The junction with Smart's Brook passed and right before the Algonguin Trail junction, we stopped to eat, and put on warmer layers. While it was breezy on Noon and Jennings, it was almost dead still on Sandwich Dome.
MindlessMariachi, Fat Tuesday, Juniper, BikeHikeSkiFish
The panorama from the summit begins at Moosilauke and goes all the way around to Chocorua (this shot stops at Whiteface.)
Having already eaten, we spent only a few minutes on top before heading down. At the junction with Drake's Brook we turned right and immediately gave up a good chunk of elevation (800' in half a mile.) After the steep section though the trail is wide and feels nearly flat. Following its namesake brook, there are numerous feeder creeks to step over. One of the larger ones had a bog bridge which has snapped in the middle and sits in the brook. Somewhere in this stretch, we came across a kill site (on top of a large rock in fact), which had been lightly covered with snow, eliminating any tracks. The bits of black in the photo are fur, which on the skin side were nearly white, progressing to a charcoal gray, and finally a rusty brown at the tips. The blood spot in the middle was about the size of a powder basket on the hiking pole. Anyone care to opine on what ate what?
After the trip the three Bostonians went to the Common Man, but I had to bail.
Thanks to Fat Tuesday for organizing this trip. It was a good time and a good group.
All photos
Tim
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I gave you a greenie just the same.
