sandwich notch road

[TrishandAlex]

Hi there,

Can anyone tell me if Sandwich Notch Road is do-able in a regular 'ole car (with snowtires)? I'd be going from route 49 toward Ferncroft.

The WMNF page says it's open but to "use caution." How much caution? Like SO MUCH caution that I should just forget it and drive to 93 instead?

Thanks for any advice you may have,
Trish

 

[MadRiver]

It is not open in winter!!!

I stand corrected, I just say the sign on the WMNF. I will assume that it is like the Mt. Clinton road groomed for snowmobiles. I do not think I would take a car down the road without first walking a good deal of the road to test the surface. A German half-track might work.

Another point. Since we do not live that far from one another I never use the Sandwich road when I am heading to Ferncroft. It is quicker to use 175 to 113 to 113A.

 

[MichaelJ]

Sandwich Notch Road is barely if at all passable by "normal" cars in the summer. I wouldn't dare try to navigate it except high summer to early fall.

 

[--M.]

I read that it is maintained thus to discourage through traffic..., and that it is an excellent ski option in winter.

 

[rocket21]

No way to get a car down that in the winter - big snowbank piled up at the entrance on the Sandwich side.

In the summer, the big issue is large ruts and washouts, as well as dirtbikers who fly around blind corners. Nonetheless, it does shave a few minutes off going through Holderness, etc.

 

[TrishandAlex]

So I guess if I want to have a *real* adventure, I should try it. Kidding. Thanks, folks.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Like SO MUCH caution that I should just forget it and drive to 93 instead?

Another point. Since we do not live that far from one another I never use the Sandwich road when I am heading to Ferncroft. It is quicker to use 175 to 113 to 113A.

I agree with Mad River on both counts. I only use Sandwich Notch Road to reach trailheads on it, and there is no need to use I93 going from Campton to Ferncroft. Using Rt 175 shaves off quite a bit of distance, and saves driving through scenic Ashland.

 

[rocket21]

I agree with Mad River on both counts. I only use Sandwich Notch Road to reach trailheads on it, and there is no need to use I93 going from Campton to Ferncroft. Using Rt 175 shaves off quite a bit of distance, and saves driving through scenic Ashland.

Perhaps I should amend what I said earlier - Sandwich Notch Road is faster if you have a vehicle with high clearance and you've memorized the location of the ruts and potholes

 

[Silverfox]

We've been out walking up in there the last couple of weeks..From Sandwich to the height of the land at least the trail is well groomed out for upcoming sled dog race and also recieves heavy snowmobile traffic along the powerlines..

Now..with a good 8-10 dog team you could make pretty good time heading out that way

They used to show that road a s a shortcut to Waterville.. maybe on foot or skis but certainly not by car.. passable with high clearance and a step or 2 above CVR..but..

I took my dad through there once..after we unclamped his white knuckles from the grip bars he simply said.."don't ever take me there again"

as a side note..113 from Holderness to North Sandwich is notorius in spring and the heaves are starting..many of the locals would take the slightly longer but much smoother journey from meredith on 25 to 113 in Tamworth then to Ferncroft..

 

[TDawg]

Got a nice laugh once after finishing a hike up Sandwich Dome at the Algonquin trailhead. Some guy in a big BMW sedan with Mass plates, heading west, comes flying by doing maybe 20-30, hits a bump and absolutely bottoms out making a horrible sound, sparks, couldn't have been good. At this time the Waterville side was rutted out real bad and picturing him further down the road, beating the crap out of his expensive BMW, white-knuckled, cursing NH roads or his TomTom for sending him that way just brought a smile to my face.

 

[MadRiver]

When Sue and I still owned our Jeep Wrangler, we used to enjoy heading over to the Corner House for lunch with a mandatory stop at the League of Craftsmen shop; btw every lamp in my house is from that shop, before heading back home. It is a fun drive if you do not care about your car.

 

[Silverfox]

When Sue and I still owned our Jeep Wrangler, we used to enjoy heading over to the Corner House for lunch with a mandatory stop at the League of Craftsmen shop; btw every lamp in my house is from that shop, before heading back home. It is a fun drive if you do not care about your car.

Exactly

done that trip in reverse to Mad River Tavern a few times...

 

[TrishandAlex]

Thanks, everyone. Wow, that road sounds like quite the interesting trip.

 

[Amicus]

Some guy in a big BMW sedan with Mass plates, heading west, comes flying by doing maybe 20-30, hits a bump and absolutely bottoms out making a horrible sound, sparks, couldn't have been good. At this time the Waterville side was rutted out real bad and picturing him further down the road, beating the crap out of his expensive BMW, white-knuckled, cursing NH roads or his TomTom for sending him that way just brought a smile to my face.

I can relate to that. In late July, 2007, driving west on 25 from Ossipee in my new Outback to meet rocksnrolls for hikes to Mts. Carr and Stinson, my Navigator assured me that, rather than the route I knew on main roads, I should take dirt roads in Sandwich that went by the Mt. Israel trailhead, through farms and finally to the south end of Sandwich Notch Road, which I took for its entire length. Ms. Navigator's calm, warm contralto instills confidence so I followed her blindly, but with that wild ride the scales fell from my eyes and now she is always muted. I also check my Delorme beforehand.

I knew enough to go slow and was lucky, barely missing some ruts that seemed about a yard deep. So, my car and I emerged unscathed. Still, instead of 20 minutes early, I was 30 minutes late.

 

[Caveman77]

So, my car and I emerged unscathed. Still, instead of 20 minutes early, I was 30 minutes late.

Lucky you. I was scathed. Needed a new muffler for my Nissan Maxima.
If I lived near Tecumseh and were driving to Whiteface/Passaconaway, I'd take I-93.

Does anyone know how Sandwich Notch Road compares to Jefferson Notch Road and Bear Notch Road? Are any of them reasonable alternatives to the US routes?

 

[NewHampshire]

Lucky you. I was scathed. Needed a new muffler for my Nissan Maxima.
If I lived near Tecumseh and were driving to Whiteface/Passaconaway, I'd take I-93.

Does anyone know how Sandwich Notch Road compares to Jefferson Notch Road and Bear Notch Road? Are any of them reasonable alternatives to the US routes?

I have only been on Jefferson Notch Rd from Base Road to Caps Ridge trailhead, but it is a HELL of a lot better than Sandwich Notch. Jeff. Notch is narrow and winding so you go slow to not get hit by other cars and not because of rutting or poor road surface (though that is not to say the pavement of Jeff. Notch is top quality). Bear notch....a little wobbly, but many people burn through there at normal road speeds. NO comparison to Sandwich Notch Rd.

Brian

 

[Silverfox]

I have been through Sandwich Notch many times...4wd Tacoma handles it fine but it is rough and rutted..waterbars worthy of hiking trails and deeply rutted particularly coming down from the height of the land towards Waterville

Jefferson Notch road Subaru friendly last fall..a dirt road but at least somewhat maintained..clearance not really an issue though it gets a little rough in places..got much better the closer you got to route 2

Bear Notch..if we are talking about the same road..from the burned down deli to the Kanc..is paved..been down that in a BMW

Sandwich Notch road somewhat resembles Caribou Valley (Pond) road over in Maine where many have been . Main difference is the bridges on Sandwich Notch road are good while on CVR they are suspect at best or non existant

 

[Caveman77]

Bear Notch..if we are talking about the same road..from the burned down deli to the Kanc..is paved..been down that in a BMW

Yep, Bear Notch Road connecting the Kanc to US-302 in Bartlett. I had been avoiding "notch roads" after my Sandwich experience, but will give Bear and Jefferson a try this summer. Will come in handy if US-3 gets washed out again this year.

On the satellite images on google maps, Sandwich Notch Road isn't even discernible. Bear Notch is quite clear.

Thanks for your help!

 

[peakbagger]

Jefferson Notch Road and its lesser known twin Cherry Mtn Road tend to be maintained for passenger vehicles, but given their location can get beat up in rainy conditions. Both should not be attempted with a passenger car until the state regrades them in the spring which is normally a week or so before Memorial Day.

Jefferson Notch road from the North to the Cap ridge trailhead can get quite washboarded in section especially in the spring. If you have a choice approaching it from the base road is the best.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Does anyone know how Sandwich Notch Road compares to Jefferson Notch Road and Bear Notch Road? Are any of them reasonable alternatives to the US routes?

Bear Notch Road is paved and no problem whatsoever. Not as fast as the interstate, but the quickest way to Bartlett if your' coming up 93 from the south.

Jeff Notch Road is hardpack dirt and amenable to 20 mph trips in ordinary cars. That is, once they've had a chance to repair the winter washouts; but that's usually been taken care of by June. The same goes for the Pinkham B Road from Dolly Copp up to Route 2.