Got outside one last time this winter for a little backpack last weekend. My friend Jeff and I stayed with some of his friends on Kanc Friday night. Saturday morning we spotted a car on the top of Bear Notch Rd and went over to the hairpin and started in towards the Hancocks. Not a lot of cars in the parking lot for a Saturday at the end of winter, six maybe. Perhaps the low turnout was due to the crossings? At the turn for the Hancock Loop, we continued along the Hancock Notch Trail (corrected, I first wrote Sawyer Pond Trail), which was not broken out and poorly blazed, given the us the fun opportunity to say "You go left and I'll go right" more than a few times. We say maybe eight pieces of tape, very low to the snow and far below the blazes, perhaps put there earlier by a trail maintainer to mark where work needs to be done.
But the real type 2 fun were the numerous river crossings. The water was open at times, black ice or ice on almost every rock, and while we were able to walk on ice where it existed, it was spicy at times. I would not recommend after last weekend, quite honestly. I think we got quite lucky with the crossing conditions.
The snowmobile trails were universally packed out nicely. There was evidence that folks had stayed at the shelter, and the Sawyer Pond Trail, which we picked up from Sawyer River Rd was easy to follow. We arrived at Sawyer Pond to stiff winds, which the Garmin said meant -2 with the wind chill (temperature of 14). Zippy operated the stove just outside of the tent with his body inside, and fell asleep to stiff winds.
However, that provided us with a joyous contrast the following morning when we woke up to blue skies and no wind and a glorious view of Sawyer Pond.
After 10 miles the first day, the second was under 6, and we had the pleasure of some friends who parked on Bear Notch Rd hiking out to meet us, so we got to finish with a bigger group. Spent a few miles on snowmobile trails and saw quite a few riders Sunday morning.
Please be very cautious on river crossings going forward! Big fluctuations in temperatures with ever-increasing warm temps as the days get longer make the risk of either getting to a place you cannot cross or going through.
Can't say I enjoyed the Hancock Notch Trail, and my buddy said he would be interested to go back when there is no snow to see if it is equally as awful then. But I had excellent company, and Sawyer Pond was lovely. Plus, there is something really really fun about heading down a bunch of trails I have never been on before, and seeing how things link together.
Brian
But the real type 2 fun were the numerous river crossings. The water was open at times, black ice or ice on almost every rock, and while we were able to walk on ice where it existed, it was spicy at times. I would not recommend after last weekend, quite honestly. I think we got quite lucky with the crossing conditions.
The snowmobile trails were universally packed out nicely. There was evidence that folks had stayed at the shelter, and the Sawyer Pond Trail, which we picked up from Sawyer River Rd was easy to follow. We arrived at Sawyer Pond to stiff winds, which the Garmin said meant -2 with the wind chill (temperature of 14). Zippy operated the stove just outside of the tent with his body inside, and fell asleep to stiff winds.
However, that provided us with a joyous contrast the following morning when we woke up to blue skies and no wind and a glorious view of Sawyer Pond.
After 10 miles the first day, the second was under 6, and we had the pleasure of some friends who parked on Bear Notch Rd hiking out to meet us, so we got to finish with a bigger group. Spent a few miles on snowmobile trails and saw quite a few riders Sunday morning.
Please be very cautious on river crossings going forward! Big fluctuations in temperatures with ever-increasing warm temps as the days get longer make the risk of either getting to a place you cannot cross or going through.
Can't say I enjoyed the Hancock Notch Trail, and my buddy said he would be interested to go back when there is no snow to see if it is equally as awful then. But I had excellent company, and Sawyer Pond was lovely. Plus, there is something really really fun about heading down a bunch of trails I have never been on before, and seeing how things link together.
Brian
Last edited:
