Sandwich snowmobile trails
 

Yesterday a group of us attempted to ride from Moultonborough over Red Hill, over Big and little Squam eventually connecting into Sandwiches trails. Our plans was to come out in White lake state park, then head over Shaw and back into Moultonborough. We didn't make it, we got lost in the sandwich trails. awesome flat trails, but no signs to be found, Major intersections with no signs. Trails that did have signs, but appeared to have not seen a groomer at all this year.The experience got me thinking that if some had a medical issue they would be **** out of luck unless they new those trails the signage was horrible. I would be willing to help in the fall with signage. YMMV

We tried the same route from the opposite direction starting in Moultonboro over to White Lakes, and return through Sandwich trails a few years ago.

Unfortunately, we had the same experience due to lack of signage, and got twisted around in the Sandwich Trails. After numerous stops to ask hikers and anyone we found, ended up on Squam. Many trails were not groomed, and no gas stations in the area.

On the flip side, a friend made the same trip later in the season with someone who knew the trails, and said it was a great ride with groomed trails.

What a difference a day makes.

I did that two years ago, same thing, not groomed, no signs. We made it, mostly by memory, it took a lot longer than I remember, but that happens a lot to me. I think the Sandwich club is still active but is multi sport now. I also believe that had you made it through to the Notch road you would have run into a dead end. I thought I read on the Moultonboro club site that the trail from Squam to the Notch was lost due to development and that no alternative had been found.

Open again?
 

I've heard several reports that the trail from the Sandwich Beach area of Squam to the notch, via Chick's Corner, was rerouted and is open again. Can anyone confirm?

That would be great news.

I believe the trail is open again the Moultonborough snowmobile club have the closure on its website and now the closure is no longer listed I also talked with someone on the Squam snowmobile club and they said it was open

It's funny that this is posted. My son and I where planning on doing that ride in a couple of weeks, from White Lake State Park, to Plymouth. We plan on going north on the club trail, out of White Lake, then east on the Whiteface Intervale trail, onto the Bowless trail, then catch 204 into Plymouth to eat at the Common Man. Then back. My GPS puts the one-way trip at about 50 mile. Are the trails I'm referring to here, the one's being talked about in this thread? Has anyone done this trip recently? Are they not getting groomed or posted? I wouldn't want to get mixed up in there, as I have never done it.

Update on Lakes?
 

Anybody have updates on Big and Little Squam lakes? Big Squam is always hairy, and i'm not asking people to say it's safe, but have people been riding the length of the lake? Thinking of heading from Moultonborough up to Sandwich, Rumney, Warren, etc.

Big Squam
 

My boys rode the length of it on Saturday

The other night we rode from Center Harbor to Squam lake and across over to little Squam them up into Sandwich Notch and did the white Lake loop. We had a hard time navigating the right trails once we got in a bit .... we came across the same thing no signs ? . A couple of the trails seemed to have changed so we just kept going until we got our bearings and found our way. Nothing better than getting to Rt. 16 and getting gas ! we were on fumes and then off home over to Mt Shaw and back to Center Harbor. It was a great ride 103 Miles. Just found out yesterday that the trail from the sandwich boat ramp to the notch is open again...

We crossed Big and Little Squam on Saturday and had no issues.

Question about Mt. Shaw's Ossipee Range
 

I just viewed a thread where pilot-photographer Bill Hemmel has joined the Ice-Out question.

An arrow has been added to the Ossipee Range portion of his winter lake photo to ask, are these natural rockfalls, logging results, man-made trails, or something else?

In summer, from some Tuftonboro roadways, you can see the lateral trails left by logging trucks, but don't recall those "downhill" forest openings from summer photographs. :confused:

You are look west towards Gunstock. Here's a similar view from Google Earth. Note the airport to the right.

Yup, Gunstock. Diamond Island with Ames Farm behind it, then up to Gunstock Acres, and then up to the ski area.

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Got Turned Around...
 

Thanks...

That's what happens when Rattlesnake Island isn't in the picture! ;)

This photo of the same mountain—also by Bill Hemmel/LakesRegionAerials.com—I would have recognized. (You can tell from the palm tree to the right of the parking lot). ;)

http://photos.nneren.galtlinedesign.com/4611416_22.jpg

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Big Squam
 

FYI - Saturday mid-afternoon. Me and two buddies crossed the length of Big Squam from the gas station all the way to the Moultonboro side. I would not recommend it as it was relatively hairy at times. Would advise against it even more with this warm up coming this week.

I fear I may have done my last riding in the lakes area with the warm weather coming.....

Warning signs
 

I noticed flashing signs on the sides of the roads last weekend in Moultonboro warning of unsafe ice and open water, the weekend after all the accidents

2 Signs are deployed
 

It is a PSA done by the Town od Moultonboro.

The first one is on Moultonboro Neck Rd. across from the Highway Garage Road. This one reads OPEN "H2O".


The second is in the Town Center on RT 26 across from Murphy's.

On and Off may be a problem
 

The exit off Winnipesaukee, onto Corridor 15 by Ambrose Cove Marina is getting dicey. Bubblers on both sides of the trail. It was still holding up a sled this morning, but with the forecast warm weather, may not last.

Spring seems to have sprung a few weeks early. Lets hope it turns cold and we get some more snow to the North to keep riding a few more weeks.....

Another caution. Trail coverage is getting thin as well. My wife watched a group of four on the trail behind our house. 2 got through a mud hole, next rider got stuck. The other 3 helped him get out. Number 4???? You guessed it. He drove into the same mud hole and got stuck.
Bottom line: Stick to the trails that still have good cover, and maybe stay of trails altogether when the temperature is in the high 40's to low 50's. 😉

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Mother nature giveth, mother nature taketh away.

Warm
 

This will be a tough week for all of our area trails. Weeeeellll, it is almost March- when is ice-out?