Sandwich Dome by Black Mtn Pond Trail??

[Mohamed Ellozy]

After today's very enjoyable hike up the Algonquin Trail I was looking at the map and wondered how interesting would a hike up the Black Mountain Pond Trail be. Something like up by Guinea Pond Trail to Black Mountain Trail to Algonquin Trail, down by Bennet Street Trail to Flat Mountain Pond Trail (possibly by Gleason Trail) to Flat Mountain Trail and finally out by Guinea Pond Trail.

My interest is not in red-lining, it is in getting more great views. Of course I see that the contours on the Black Mountain Trail are damned close to each other, but the WMG does not mention serious scrambles, thpough it does say that:

... the part from the pond to the ridge is very steep and rough.

Comments from anyone who has done some or all of these trails would be very much appreciated!!

 

[DougPaul]

I hiked Bennet Street Tr and/or Gleason Tr ~30 years ago. Don't recall any difficulties. I mostly recall a pleasant walk in the woods.

Doug

 

[jn316]

Black Mt Pond

I did a nice loop this summer by going up Black Mt Pond and down Algonquin...
Black Mtn pond is one of the nicest ponds in the Whites...a beautiful place, and the steep hike up to the ridge has many viewpoints down to the pond and then off to distant mountains. I didn't go to the summit of Sandwich; sometimes i think the summits of its sub-peaks---Jennings and Black--are better than the main summit.

 

[grouseking]

I hiked the Black Mtn Pond trail once...but only to the pond because that was what I was interested in that day. To the pond, there are no majorly steep spots, although the trail does rise significantly towards the pond. If you like beautiful birch forests, scenic waterfalls, new growth spruce and fir and an awesome secluced pond, then this route is for you! I gotta admit though...the hike up towards the ridge looked pretty intimidating...but then again it wasn't the objective as it was late in the day. Guinea Pond is very pretty too.


grouseking

 

[dentonfabrics]

I guess that was your car I saw parked at the Algonquin trailhead yesterday.

I hiked the Guinea Pond Trail yesterday - a very nice and recommended hike. It kind of reminded me of the Zealand Trail hike out to the hut, only not quite THAT nice. There are some swamp areas along the trail with well defined herd paths so you know there's plenty of moose/bear activity in that area. Guinea Pond is also very nice but you only have a single view point, unless you want to bushwack.

I'd also recommend a side trip up Mead Trail to Mt Israel (3.7 mi r/t). There are some great views of the Sandwich Range from it's summit.

By the way, were you at Acadia N.P. about a month ago? I saw a man who looked remarkably like your picture in AMC Outdoors.


bob

 

[RoySwkr]

Missed your chance, ME!

If you remember the woods road you turn off of on the Algonquin Trail, that goes to Black Mtn Pd and makes a nice loop with Algonquin. The end near the pond has been obscured so you might prefer the reverse direction.

Gleason-Bennett St is another possible loop, I have a trip report at cohp.org

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

I guess that was your car I saw parked at the Algonquin trailhead yesterday.

By the way, were you at Acadia N.P. about a month ago? I saw a man who looked remarkably like your picture in AMC Outdoors.

My car was parked at the Algonquin trailhead while Harry's was at the Drake's Brook end.

I have not been to Acadia this year.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Gleason-Bennett St is another possible loop, I have a trip report at cohp.org

I did Gleason-Bennett with Dave Metsky a few years ago, do not remember it as very memorable. I would rather go up the Black Mountain Pond Trail than down it, hence the loop I am inquiring about in the original posting.

 

[RoySwkr]

I would rather go up the Black Mountain Pond Trail than down it, hence the loop I am inquiring about in the original posting.

Well, I suggested that you take the woods road to BMP and come down Algonquin

As for the descent to BMP, I have done it downhill twice with no memory so it can't be too bad, of course one day we had just bushwhacked Black Mtn and anything would be better

 

[askus3]

Sandwich Dome Circular From Jose Bridge

Here is my report. Link to photo log will give you a good idea of what to expect especially since the wet conditions this year are similar to last year.