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About
Sandwich, NH
Trailheads, measurements, times, distances, and maps are all approximate and relative to the hike(s) as shown below.
Looking up the Wentworth Trail
My original intent was to do a sunset hike in the Belknaps, however I decided I'd rather hike something closer to home.
The Mead Base Camp parking area was partially plowed, eliminating the sometimes-necessary short roadwalk. I was a bit surprised by the lack of snow on the southern slope of the mountain - my snowshoes ended up going for a ride on my backpack. The packed trail had maybe 1-3" of spring snow until I reached the ridge. As such, it was slow going, as it was hard to get a good grip with each step. Fortunately, winter conditions resumed when I reached the ridge.
Reaching the summit, the Sandwich Range was being overtaken by clouds. In addition, the skies to the west were progressively clouding. Checking the time, I saw I'd have a good 30-45 minute wait for what seemed to be a noneset instead of a sunset. Thus, with a biting cold breeze, I opted to call it a day rather than loiter. I also opted to skip the short walk over to the eastern viewpoint, as it wasn't broken out and I didn't want to go through the effort of putting on my snowshoes for 5 minutes of use. Instead, I was able to make it back to the parking lot before needing a headlamp.
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Wentworth Trail trailhead at the Mead Base Camp
The Sandwich Range as seen from the Mt. Israel summit
Back to Mt. Israel Profile
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