13 replies to this topic

[500Sabercat]

We are heading to Ossippee on the 22 and 23rd of this month. We have never been to that area, so we figured try something new. We've heard mixed reviews of the riding in that area. I read somewhere that there are only 60 miles of trails? Can anyone help? We are planning to ride Saturday and head to the RMR show Sunday. Thanks.

[The Toolman]

Maybe 60 miles in EACH system, If you get maps for SOS, OVSC, Seven lakes, Mountain Meadows, moultonborough, and Sandwich you can go anywhere you want, each of these systems has access to each other.

[500Sabercat]

500Sabercat, on Feb 12 2008, 06:37 PM, said:

We are heading to Ossippee on the 22 and 23rd of this month. We have never been to that area, so we figured try something new. We've heard mixed reviews of the riding in that area. I read somewhere that there are only 60 miles of trails? Can anyone help? We are planning to ride Saturday and head to the RMR show Sunday. Thanks.

Excellent, Thank you.

[The Toolman]

Sometimes you can find state coridor maps by the bureau of trails and these trails are all over the state. Ossipee is at the intersection of corridor 19 and 15 at Watsons. If you plan on going from Ossipee north go early if the railbed gets heavy use it gets bumpy in the afternoon.

[Legend700]

very easy to do a couple of 100 mile loops depending on where your staying. I usually start out with a loop around the SOS system then you could go down C19 to Polly's over to Wolfboro and then back up over the Castle in the clouds. HEading out through the OVSC system you can connect to Sandwich and go out to Squam Lake and over to Moultonborough for lunch then come back. Lot's of options on the system.

[500Sabercat]

Legend700, on Feb 12 2008, 07:05 PM, said:

very easy to do a couple of 100 mile loops depending on where your staying. I usually start out with a loop around the SOS system then you could go down C19 to Polly's over to Wolfboro and then back up over the Castle in the clouds. HEading out through the OVSC system you can connect to Sandwich and go out to Squam Lake and over to Moultonborough for lunch then come back. Lot's of options on the system.

We are staying at Samantha's Inn.

[Legend700]

500Sabercat, on Feb 12 2008, 07:09 PM, said:

We are staying at Samantha's Inn.

If you give an idea of how far you want to ride in a day I'm sure some of us could give suggestions.

[500Sabercat]

Legend700, on Feb 12 2008, 07:19 PM, said:

If you give an idea of how far you want to ride in a day I'm sure some of us could give suggestions.

We would like to do somewher between 100 & 150 miles. We like to be back before it gets dark.

[Wayno]

500Sabercat, on Feb 12 2008, 07:50 PM, said:

We would like to do somewher between 100 & 150 miles. We like to be back before it gets dark.

The trip to squam lake and back is a good one. The ride out there through OVSC trails is great. Take the whiteface trail out from White Lake/Bowles Trail to Sandwich Sidehillers trails. Be careful you watch your direction on the lakes around Moultonboro. I did this trip last weekend, it was great as usual, however the trails around squam and winni are alot smaller and less groomed, just to make you aware, as those areas are highly dependent on the ability to ride the lakes. Stay with corridor 15 back from Center Harbor through Moultonboro Neck, aim for Ambrose cove marina when you come out to Moultonboro Bay. Follow the signs for the castle in the clouds (15) back to Ossipee. Takes a good part of the day and a solid ride. Enjoy.

[artic6]

Revme, on Feb 12 2008, 09:06 PM, said:

The trip to squam lake and back is a good one. The ride out there through OVSC trails is great. Take the whiteface trail out from White Lake/Bowles Trail to Sandwich Sidehillers trails. Be careful you watch your direction on the lakes around Moultonboro. I did this trip last weekend, it was great as usual, however the trails around squam and winni are alot smaller and less groomed, just to make you aware, as those areas are highly dependent on the ability to ride the lakes. Stay with corridor 15 back from Center Harbor through Moultonboro Neck, aim for Ambrose cove marina when you come out to Moultonboro Bay. Follow the signs for the castle in the clouds (15) back to Ossipee. Takes a good part of the day and a solid ride. Enjoy.

Thats a really nice loop has a little of everything and its a good day trip.

[Legend700]

Revme, on Feb 12 2008, 09:06 PM, said:

The trip to squam lake and back is a good one. The ride out there through OVSC trails is great. Take the whiteface trail out from White Lake/Bowles Trail to Sandwich Sidehillers trails. Be careful you watch your direction on the lakes around Moultonboro. I did this trip last weekend, it was great as usual, however the trails around squam and winni are alot smaller and less groomed, just to make you aware, as those areas are highly dependent on the ability to ride the lakes. Stay with corridor 15 back from Center Harbor through Moultonboro Neck, aim for Ambrose cove marina when you come out to Moultonboro Bay. Follow the signs for the castle in the clouds (15) back to Ossipee. Takes a good part of the day and a solid ride. Enjoy.

that was going to b one of my suggestions, head down to the west end of squam if you come on the lake at the east end the views fantastic back towards the mountains.

[dougzdog]

Is squam fairly easy to navigate for someone who hasn't been on it before?

[Wayno]

dougzdog, on Feb 12 2008, 10:35 PM, said:

Is squam fairly easy to navigate for someone who hasn't been on it before?

No it is rather difficult, especially in comparison to something like Silver Lake or Ossipee because those are just open bodies of water. Squam is much different, it has many inlets and coves etc. so the shorline is hard to define. The best strategy is to have a map and imagine check it often while on the ice. I came across it during a snowstorm..very difficult but I followed the general outline of sled tracks where people rode on the most and it took me right to the trail. Tok about 5 minutes of trusting the tracks on top of the ice. Its very do-able especially if your riding in a clear day.

[Legend700]

dougzdog, on Feb 12 2008, 10:35 PM, said:

Is squam fairly easy to navigate for someone who hasn't been on it before?

yes and no. when it's daylight and clear it's fairly easy because you have good visual clues and there is lots of sled tracks going to that location. At night or in the snow it's anighmare as there are a ton of coves. CKF and I really zipped down the railbed a few weeks back to make sure we got onto Squam while it was still light.

If you rode through Sandwich directly onto big squam you will come out on the northeast corner by Sandwich landing, you would continue to your left and hug the shoreline to find the trail to redhill or if you headed west it will take you the the causeway between big and little squam. Great views back from there.

If you get on Squam from the Squam clubs trail in Holderness it will actually take you onto little Squam, you can then go to the east end staying away from the channel to cross over onto big Squam. From there if you head down the lake the aiming point is at Chocorua between Rattlesnake Mountain on your left and Red Hill on your right.

Edited by Legend700, 13 February 2008 - 10:53 AM.