Sandwich Dome redline hike

Yesterday I enjoyed a fantastic loop combining several of my favorite aspects of hiking:

1) 12 miles of pure redlining w/ only one mile of repeated trail

2) An area that is new to me

3) A good mix of easy crusing trail and extremely rough going

4) Just enough route-finding to actually have to pay attention!

5) Tricky water crossings are always a bonus

I started at the Bennett St trailhead after an absolutely gorgeous drive - wow! I chose to do a clockwise loop which turned out to be by far the best choice.

The Flat Mtn Pond trail is an old logging road that does a short climb to the junction with the Guinea Pond Trail, which is an extension of this same road making for quick hiking. There is an area where beavers have been working hard for sometime, requiring a bushwack around to the right (north). I had never seen such large trees chewed down before (12"+ in diameter!)

Nearing the junction with the Black Pond Trail there are a couple of interesting stream crossings - my PCT training has taught me to simply walk right across (trail runners for the win!) but if you were creative you could likely hop across.

I turned onto the Black Mtn Pond trail and crossed the river uneventfully, and soon after lost the trail briefly due to the six inch deep bed of leaves (it appears as though it continues straight to pass between two large mossy ledges but in fact skirts them on the left).

Black Mtn Pond was a pleasant surprise - it's quite large and in a beautiful spot. I could see the ledges above and knew I was in for a good workout. The trail starts to climb steeply and roughly over lots of mossy, greasy rocks. I came to the first scramble and was SO glad I left the dog at home. Here you climb a steep slab split by a hand crack, I was glad to have done a lot of rock climbing back in the day as I jammed, stemmed and laybacked my way to the top. On a dry summer day this would be no big deal but this morning it was kind of scary!

Several more scrambles later I reached the junction of the Algonquin trail. From here it is a lovely stroll that pops out onto open ledges with views in all directions. The footing alternates between ledge and super soft turf lined with moss on the edges - magical!

I was pretty tired as I grunted my way up the last of the climb to Sandwich Dome where I enjoyed the view and a piece of garlic naan.

The descent via the Bennett Street Trail was perfect, great footing and alternating steep and moderate sections which helped me make great time. I had hoped to hike the short remaining segment of the Gleason Trail but was running out of time so I finished off the loop and was soon back at the car feeling on top of the world.

I highly recommend this loop, however it would be unpleasant or possibly even dangerous to go counter-clockwise imho.

I'll be returning here soon!

Shhhh... Don't tell anyone about Black Mountain Pond....

Nice loop.

Agreed - it's our little secret

Thankfully it isn't a 4ker!

I did your hike in June, but counterclockwise and including the official stub of the Gleason Trail, in both directions (it's mellow). Descending the Black Mtn. Pond Trail's upper section, from its junction with the Algonquin Tr., s*cked. Some steep slabs were covered with moss and vey slippery. You are right about the preferable direction. The only person I met all day was a guy camping and fishing with his dog at Black Mtn. Pond, who was more surprised by me than I by him.

I was able to keep my feet dry where the beavers have flooded the Guinea Pond Trail by tight-roping a fallen birch tree on the north side, and then a 10-yard 'whack back to the Trail. Did you take the spurs to Mary Cary Falls and Guinea Pond? Neither inspired in June, but both of them count. 14 miles for my version.

Amicus said:

Did you take the spurs to Mary Cary Falls and Guinea Pond? Neither inspired in June, but both of them count. 14 miles for my version.

Click to expand...

I hit Mary Cary Falls, which was flowing but not much of a waterfall. My early morning review of the WMG led me to believe the Guinea Pond spur was beaver flooded out but this appears to no longer be the case, I'll be sure to grab it when I do the southern end of the Guinea Pond Trail - thanks!

TJsName said:

Thankfully it isn't a 4ker!

Click to expand...

Not withstanding the valiant efforts of the Holderness students who built a 7' cairn on the summit a few years back.

Maineman said:

I hit Mary Cary Falls, which was flowing but not much of a waterfall. My early morning review of the WMG led me to believe the Guinea Pond spur was beaver flooded out but this appears to no longer be the case, I'll be sure to grab it when I do the southern end of the Guinea Pond Trail - thanks!

Click to expand...

As of June 1, the trail sign for the Guinea Pond Spur was still missing even though the post remains. The latest (29th) Ed. of the AMC White Mtn. Guide says it was flooded as of 2011, but since then conditions have changed. There is one damp section but I was able to cross it keeping my feet dry. There is a decent view of Sandwich Dome over the Pond at the end of the Spur.

I hiked that Black Mountain Pond Trail last February. I considered it the steepest and nastiest I hade been on in recent memory. But then I did the Algonquin Trail in March and it perhaps may be even worse, particulary in the last half mile. Nice trip report, thank you.

Paradox said:

I hiked that Black Mountain Pond Trail last February. I considered it the steepest and nastiest I had been on in recent memory. But then I did the Algonquin Trail in March and it perhaps may be even worse, particulary in the last half mile. Nice trip report, thank you.

Click to expand...

Interesting. We did Algonquin in June for a sunrise hike and I thought it was quite nice, although I've noticed things don't seem as steep in the dark. I did get the sense that the drop from the ridge down to Black Pond was very steep though, just from being on the ridge.

I suspect I'll be doing a loop similar to this, so thanks for the report!