sawyer r. rd. status

I checked on line, and according to the forest service web site, just about all of the rds. that were closed this winter, are still closed. Does anyone know or have an idea when Sawyer River Rd. will be open ? Thanks.

Many roads often open about Memorial Day weekend. See the pinned road status thread in this forum for updates as they happen. Per that thread, SRR was still closed on 5/31 last year. Moderately heavy and fairly late snow this year, so I'm guessing it'll be a late opening again this year.

For the FS-maintained roads, I have had good luck in the past with calling the appropriate ranger district (listed on the WMNF road status page), if a road was listed as closed and it was getting near the end of May. They were happy to say when they were planning on trying to open it, no guarantees.

jniehof said:

Many roads often open about Memorial Day weekend. See the pinned road status thread in this forum for updates as they happen. Per that thread, SRR was still closed on 5/31 last year. Moderately heavy and fairly late snow this year, so I'm guessing it'll be a late opening again this year.

For the FS-maintained roads, I have had good luck in the past with calling the appropriate ranger district (listed on the WMNF road status page), if a road was listed as closed and it was getting near the end of May. They were happy to say when they were planning on trying to open it, no guarantees.

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Good advice. I can tell you that 2 years ago, SRR opened in early May. Of course, that winter was terrible from a snow-lovers perspective.

I was driving back from Maine today and was looking at a few lonely lumps of ice/snow in some spots along RT 2. That is a good indication that the season is late. There have been years where RT 113 was not open thru the WMNF until after memorial day weekend and Jefferson Notch road has been blocked on the north end until after memorial day in years past. Mt Clinton Road appears to be at least partially open per a trail report and SRR is south facing and we have had dry weather so I expect it may be one of the earlier ones to open.

Of course the 7 in Kings Ravine is definitely late. I can pick out the outline of the snowfield but there is plenty of snow around it.

bear notch road was closed sat

Bear Notch is open now.

A motorcycle went up Mount Clinton Road on Wednesday, May 6, from the Route 302 end and I could hear it roaring away for a while, receding into the distance, so I think that road must be open. Unless the rider just went around the gate, I suppose.

When I called the USFS they told me that it would be close to June 1st before most of the roads would be open. They said that there was a lot of clearing to do.

Raymond said:

A motorcycle went up Mount Clinton Road on Wednesday, May 6, from the Route 302 end and I could hear it roaring away for a while, receding into the distance, so I think that road must be open. Unless the rider just went around the gate, I suppose.

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The gate on the southern end was open as of yesterday (5/6/15) when I got back to my car at the normal trail head parking lot.

I think I know your license plate.

You’re not the person who lost the MicroSpike below Jackson, are you?

Raymond said:

I think I know your license plate.

You’re not the person who lost the MicroSpike below Jackson, are you?

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If it was me, there would be two lost and they would be in a zip-lock bag. I never took mine out of my pack for the two days I was out. I did come down Jackson, but saw a few other hikers out as well.

Folks -- does anyone know how far up Sawyer River Road (FR42) one can park? It's been 20+ years since I've hiked Carrigan via Signal Ridge Trail.
I wondered if the washout on Sawyer River Road between Rt 302 and the Signal Ridge Trail was ever repaired?

Out of mere curiosity, how much of the rest of Sawyer River road beyond the Signal Ridge Trailhead is in tact?

Many Thanks!
Mike

The washout has long-since been fixed, and the road continues beyond the Signal Ridge Trail parking lot probably as far as it ever did, but I don’t know the distance.

Signal Ridge Trail itself has been re-routed a couple of places. It now starts on the uphill (left) side of the bridge, which avoids having to cross the river. And it stays deeper in the woods, away from the edge of the river, because of an Irene washout there, too.

Also, there is no longer a fork at the stream, where Signal Ridge Trail went left and Carrigain Notch Trail went right. Both trails, so to speak, go right, then Signal Ridge Trail breaks off to the left a quarter-mile or so along Carrigain Notch Trail.

Hey Raymond,

Thanks for your detailed information. You've been very helpful.

A good friend and I were trying to fathom how much time to allot for this hike -- adding an extra couple miles to walk from Rt302 & then back again would have obviously made this a somewhat longer day.

Last time I did this hike, we had a injury in the group, and ended up walking out in the dark.

BTW -- Is there much parking capacity at the Signal Ridge Trailhead? Well, I suppose that "much" probably doesn't mean anything if it's a nice weather day and everyone decides to hike the same peak that day! ;-)

Mike

Signal Ridge has a pretty good-sized parking lot. You can see it, along with at least 1 car, here:

https://www.google.com/maps/embed?p...vermore,+NH!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1436527214740

Tim

The signal ridge parking lot does get full on weekends but there is plenty of room to park along the road to the west of the lot.

Raymond, Tim & Peakbagger,

Thanks very much for your replies. As it turns out we found adequate parking in the Signal Ridge Parking Lot, despite our late arrival (9:30am) this past Saturday. The road to the West of the parking lot does look like a good alternative. Sure beats walking up from Rt302, as we did some 20 years ago... ...if memory serves.

One aside. We noticed a rather large earthmover parked about half way up Sawyer Road -- looks like the Forest Service is still doing some road repairs.

Best,
Mike

LivesToHike said:

One aside. We noticed a rather large earthmover parked about half way up Sawyer Road -- looks like the Forest Service is still doing some road repairs.

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With logging operations and ongoing erosion, many roads get work every few years.

David Metsky said:

With logging operations and ongoing erosion, many roads get work every few years.

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Hmmm, good point David.
Thanks.
--Mike