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Noon Peak
March 29, 2007

Route: Sandwich Mountain Trail
Map:
 

Elevation:

2976 ft

Vertical Climb:

1670 ft

Distance:

3.4 miles

Who Went:

Paul, Muffin

I had never been up Sandwich Mountain (also called Sandwich Dome), so I thought this might be a good day to try. According to the weather report, it looked like it was going to be nice out, neither too warm nor too cold. I brought my snowshoes, but not my crampons, which I didn't think would be necessary.

The trailhead had extremely limited parking, at least with snow on the ground. The parking area is right by the entrance to a power substation, and I was careful not to block its driveway because I didn't want to get towed.

It was a bit colder than the predicted temperature, so Muffin was wearing her pink fleecy sweatshirt that says "Princess" on it. She carried her food in her backpack too, and was very happy to be doing so.  She always liked it when I put her backpack on her.

We walked around the perimeter of the fenced-in and none-too-scenic power station, into the woods, down a rather icy embankment to a brook crossing, and then back up the other side. I hoped that the trail wouldn't be as icy the rest of the way.

As often happens when it concerns the unpredictability of the weather, my hopes were soon dashed, as the icy patches did indeed continue. The snow was still relatively deep in some spots off the trail, but the surface of the trail was quite firm and there had obviously been a recent thaw. The melting runoff had completely re-frozen into icy flows and cascades along and across portions of the trail.

I didn't really need the snowshoes for the snow itself; there was no danger of postholing. But the crampons on the bottom of my snowshoes were the only thing that gave me enough traction to negotiate the slick areas.

Sandwich Mountain Trailhead. There's very limited parking at this trailhead in the winter. The trail begins next to a power substation.

Muffin in her pink "Princess" sweatshirt ready to go. Muffin carried her food in her backpack too, and was very happy to be doing so.

Sandwich Mountain Trail. Although it doesn't appear to be so, the snow was still relatively deep in some spots. However, it was the numerous icy patches that made traveling more difficult.

Map

  Noon page: 

1

2