Sandwich Loop

[kmac 0]

We are looking at riding the loop from Ossipee C19 over Mt Shaw and C15 to Pri 204 and back through Sandwich to the OVSC trails. We have GPS and maps but just looking for input in the best way to go and recommendations on were stop for food and gas.

Thanks for any info.

[ckf 295]

I'm not sure what trial Primary 204 is? Anyway, we usually do the loop the opposite way you described. It's about a 90 mile loop that most sleds can make without a fuel stop. If you do need fuel you can hit Skelly's (sp) in Moultonboro.

[hazelnut 0]

I did a similar ride on Sunday. 120-130 Miles in all

We started in Meredith took the rail north to Plymouth, Plymouth to P204 over to Sandwich Notch. From the Notch to Tamworth (Powerline trail *More on this later) and through to OVSC area Corr 19 had lunch at Subway and then Corr. 19 to Polly's Crossing then in towards Wolfeboro/Tuftonboro corr 15 to Moultonboro.

Here is my advice:

Up and over Shaw should be good. Come down the Castle trail 15 to Winni and cross over at Ambrose Cove, head down 15 Powerline trail to Lake Kanasatka.

Options here,

A.) you can bear hard left on Kanasatka and take the trail to Meredith and hit the rail trail up to Plymouth. When you get into Plymouth you can head down towards Ashland and pick up P204 at the beginning.

B.) Go Straight across Kanasatka and take the Red Hill trail. Good ride you can do the summit Loop and then take the Squam trail. Once on Squam I advise you go towards little Squam. Once on Little Squam Walters Basin would be good for lunch. Then go up Little Squam and take the covered bridge go across Route 3 and take the trail to the start of P204

Once you complete P204 you end up at a Junction where you can go back to Squam or follow the sign that says "To White Lake/Ossippee." This is the stretch that I referred to earlier. If you haven't done it there is a Powerline Trail that connects the Sandwhich Notch P204 trail to the Junction where the Sandwich Grooming shack is. This stretch of Powerline trail is verrrry sketchy. Last weekend with all the new snow I felt as though we were trailblazing. It was so bad we ran into a group that had turned back as they had said "It didn't seem right." It is a real shame as this was the only low-point on the whole 130 miles.

Anyway once you complete the powerline trail you end up heading towards Tamworth by following all the "White Lake" signs. Then you end up in the OVSC trail system.

Highlights - P204 is amazing from Ashland. The trail gets better and better as you ride in this direction. It culminates in long flat "Summer Roads" that are winter snowmobile trails. The views along this trail are great. From Mountain views to cruising along a river. IMHO this is one of the best trails in Central New Hampshire. Check out the Squam Trail Busters website for a downloadable map. There is a WAY cool little outdoor warming area in the middle of this trail.. Out of nowhere there is an outdoor woodstove and a couple of chairs on the side of the trail. Also as you get closer to the Notch there is a warming hut.

Any questions? Fire away as it is all fresh in my mind, I just did this run over the weekend and it was very fun.

Maps and info that would be helpful to you:

OVSC - http://www.ossipeevalleysnowmobileclub.com/?page_id=393

Moultonboro - http://www.moultonborosmc.org/

Meredith - http://www.sno-streakers.com/maps.html

Squam Trailbusters - http://www.squamtrailbusters.org/

Sandwich - http://www.sandwichsidehillers.com/htm/trails.htm

[JHarrington_MSMC 1]

I did a similar ride on Sunday. 120-130 Miles in all

We started in Meredith took the rail north to Plymouth, Plymouth to P204 over to Sandwich Notch. From the Notch to Tamworth (Powerline trail *More on this later) and through to OVSC area Corr 19 had lunch at Subway and then Corr. 19 to Polly's Crossing then in towards Wolfeboro/Tuftonboro corr 15 to Moultonboro.

Here is my advice:

Up and over Shaw should be good. Come down the Castle trail 15 to Winni and cross over at Ambrose Cove, head down 15 Powerline trail to Lake Kanasatka.

Options here,

A.) you can bear hard left on Kanasatka and take the trail to Meredith and hit the rail trail up to Plymouth. When you get into Plymouth you can head down towards Ashland and pick up P204 at the beginning.

B.) Go Straight across Kanasatka and take the Red Hill trail. Good ride you can do the summit Loop and then take the Squam trail. Once on Squam I advise you go towards little Squam. Once on Little Squam Walters Basin would be good for lunch. Then go up Little Squam and take the covered bridge go across Route 3 and take the trail to the start of P204

Once you complete P204 you end up at a Junction where you can go back to Squam or follow the sign that says "To White Lake/Ossippee." This is the stretch that I referred to earlier. If you haven't done it there is a Powerline Trail that connects the Sandwhich Notch P204 trail to the Junction where the Sandwich Grooming shack is. This stretch of Powerline trail is verrrry sketchy. Last weekend with all the new snow I felt as though we were trailblazing. It was so bad we ran into a group that had turned back as they had said "It didn't seem right." It is a real shame as this was the only low-point on the whole 130 miles.

Anyway once you complete the powerline trail you end up heading towards Tamworth by following all the "White Lake" signs. Then you end up in the OVSC trail system.

Highlights - P204 is amazing from Ashland. The trail gets better and better as you ride in this direction. It culminates in long flat "Summer Roads" that are winter snowmobile trails. The views along this trail are great. From Mountain views to cruising along a river. IMHO this is one of the best trails in Central New Hampshire. Check out the Squam Trail Busters website for a downloadable map. There is a WAY cool little outdoor warming area in the middle of this trail.. Out of nowhere there is an outdoor woodstove and a couple of chairs on the side of the trail. Also as you get closer to the Notch there is a warming hut.

Any questions? Fire away as it is all fresh in my mind, I just did this run over the weekend and it was very fun.

Maps and info that would be helpful to you:

OVSC - http://www.ossipeeva...om/?page_id=393

Moultonboro - http://www.moultonborosmc.org/

Meredith - http://www.sno-streakers.com/maps.html

Squam Trailbusters - http://www.squamtrailbusters.org/

Sandwich - http://www.sandwichs.../htm/trails.htm

Nice write up HNut!! Thank you!

[ebf1974 0]

Question on hooking up to P204 from the tracks...is this the small branch trail that I see off the tracks south of the Ashland train station? I don't think so, because that trail is far from amazing but eventually can get you to Little Squam.

If that's not it, I can't remember seeing signs for anything else on that stretch until (going north) you see signs for Ashland gas, then you hit the C24/Bridgewater signage, then you're in Plymouth. The trail maps seem to show 204 splitting off around Cman/Fosters in Plymouth, but I must have missed something because I didn't see it last time I went towards Lincoln or the last time I split for Plymouth/Rumney/Woodstock.

I'd love to do this ride this week but have been missing 204. Duh.

[Paul D 0]

Question on hooking up to P204 from the tracks...is this the small branch trail that I see off the tracks south of the Ashland train station? I don't think so, because that trail is far from amazing but eventually can get you to Little Squam.

If that's not it, I can't remember seeing signs for anything else on that stretch until (going north) you see signs for Ashland gas, then you hit the C24/Bridgewater signage, then you're in Plymouth. The trail maps seem to show 204 splitting off around Cman/Fosters in Plymouth, but I must have missed something because I didn't see it last time I went towards Lincoln or the last time I split for Plymouth/Rumney/Woodstock.

I'd love to do this ride this week but have been missing 204. Duh.

I would run up to Plymouth and from the rails behind downtown where the cross the road(don't take the trail that goes under the bridge). Take a right on the vehicle traffic bridge toward rte 93(use the south sidewalk). This is the beginning of 204 and it brings you behind the new ice arena and in a southeast direction. When you come to an intersection in the trail, you can go straight to little squam, or take a left, the left is 204 to Sandwich Notch. Hope that helps.

[formula dave 0]

Well me and 2 buds to rr bed to p204 got to that intersection straight to squam or left to ossipee

we took the left to ossipee we did this 2 years ago from ossipee is was great . but when we got to the power lines on saturday it looked like their was no trail ever going to ossipee it did not look right so we came up to a snowmobiler

that was coming from the ossipee side and said that the power lines are bad so we turned around and went the squam route back to winni

i would like to try this again but dont think they can groom the powerlines i know there is a snack shack somewere

on that trail near ossipee

[Wayno 0]

Question on hooking up to P204 from the tracks...is this the small branch trail that I see off the tracks south of the Ashland train station? I don't think so, because that trail is far from amazing but eventually can get you to Little Squam.

If that's not it, I can't remember seeing signs for anything else on that stretch until (going north) you see signs for Ashland gas, then you hit the C24/Bridgewater signage, then you're in Plymouth. The trail maps seem to show 204 splitting off around Cman/Fosters in Plymouth, but I must have missed something because I didn't see it last time I went towards Lincoln or the last time I split for Plymouth/Rumney/Woodstock.

I'd love to do this ride this week but have been missing 204. Duh.

Im pretty certain 204 starts right in downtown Plymouth across from Plymouth State University. You ride East on the sidewalk over the bridge toward the Irving station.

I did this ride on saturday as well except we rode from White Lake State park out through OVSC and the Whiteface trail over to Sandwich Sidehillers clubhouse. We stopped and talked to a groomer operator, trails were in good condition with the exception of the powerlines heading towards Sandwich Notch. Wind was fierce over the hills and created many many deep drifts making it tough for the inexperienced riders. I broke trail most of the way even though it appeared that not only had many sleds come through earlier in the day, but the groomer also had been through, yet the wind did a great job making it completely impossible to notice. Hazelnut, I believe we passed you, though im not 100%.

Once in Sandwich notch, we took a left towards Kanasatka instead of taking 204 to Plymouth. The notich is a nice area, though it doesnt see alot of grooming. We ate in Merideth in downtown. Watch out if traveling on the ice over by The Mill. The ice house ramp from the parking lot has a huge hole in the ice (several feet of water) from a careless ice fisherman who broke through with his truck after ignoring the barricades.

From merideth we decided to traverse Winni and ride across the entrie length over to Wolfeboro and onto Kingswood Golf Course. If you have never ridden Lake Winni out on the broads, I highly recommend it (Ice Safety of course). If your wondering if there is ice on Winni, believe me there is plenty. We came across a compound of 4-5 ice houses north of Rattlesnake Island and in the middle was a lifted chevy 2500HD with an ATV in the bed (aka about 7,000lbs) and he was in the literal "middle" of Lake Winni. We rode from Wolfeboro out the tracks and up the Dick Doyle Trail and Corridor 22, heavily ridden. We took Corridor 19 (tracks) back to Ossipee and home. Also about 120 miles. Great loop!

[formula dave 0]

hey wayno

if the weather is good saturday i will try that loop again going from winni to ossipee to the notches to winni

do you think they will groom the power lines . And when you get into whtie lake trails is it marked good if i remember it was a little tricky to find the right trail through to sandwich . how far from white lake is that snack shack in the trail thanks

[Wayno 0]

hey wayno

if the weather is good saturday i will try that loop again going from winni to ossipee to the notches to winni

do you think they will groom the power lines . And when you get into whtie lake trails is it marked good if i remember it was a little tricky to find the right trail through to sandwich . how far from white lake is that snack shack in the trail thanks

Hey Formula Dave,

Sounds good, have a good time. Im assuming you will be taking corridor 15 over by the Castle and into Ossipee, up Corridor 19 briefly, and over to White Lake state park. From here you will take the Bowles Trail out to Wonalancet. Wehn you come to the first junction, signs will say "James Pond Loop" straight or Great Hil Fire Tower/Binsack Trail left. Take a left and stay straight through all intersections that indicate "towards Great Hill Fire Tower" You will see signs for "Whiteface trail" and "To Sandwich" follow signs out to the Whiteface Trail which will take you to Sandwich. You will traverse a large field with great views of the Sandwich Range. Follow signs into Sandwich towards Sandwich Sidehillers Clubhouse. From here will tkae you to Holderness and Squam areas. I hope this helps!

[formula dave 0]

THANKS

it might be 50 saturday have to go out at 6am

[hazelnut 0]

Im pretty certain 204 starts right in downtown Plymouth across from Plymouth State University. You ride East on the sidewalk over the bridge toward the Irving station.

I did this ride on saturday as well except we rode from White Lake State park out through OVSC and the Whiteface trail over to Sandwich Sidehillers clubhouse. We stopped and talked to a groomer operator, trails were in good condition with the exception of the powerlines heading towards Sandwich Notch. Wind was fierce over the hills and created many many deep drifts making it tough for the inexperienced riders. I broke trail most of the way even though it appeared that not only had many sleds come through earlier in the day, but the groomer also had been through, yet the wind did a great job making it completely impossible to notice. Hazelnut, I believe we passed you, though im not 100%.

Once in Sandwich notch, we took a left towards Kanasatka instead of taking 204 to Plymouth. The notich is a nice area, though it doesnt see alot of grooming. We ate in Merideth in downtown. Watch out if traveling on the ice over by The Mill. The ice house ramp from the parking lot has a huge hole in the ice (several feet of water) from a careless ice fisherman who broke through with his truck after ignoring the barricades.

From merideth we decided to traverse Winni and ride across the entrie length over to Wolfeboro and onto Kingswood Golf Course. If you have never ridden Lake Winni out on the broads, I highly recommend it (Ice Safety of course). If your wondering if there is ice on Winni, believe me there is plenty. We came across a compound of 4-5 ice houses north of Rattlesnake Island and in the middle was a lifted chevy 2500HD with an ATV in the bed (aka about 7,000lbs) and he was in the literal "middle" of Lake Winni. We rode from Wolfeboro out the tracks and up the Dick Doyle Trail and Corridor 22, heavily ridden. We took Corridor 19 (tracks) back to Ossipee and home. Also about 120 miles. Great loop!

I am sure at some point we crossed paths. Do you remember where and when?

As you explained the powerlines were tough. I had my 7 yo son on the back of my large touring sled and it was tough to negotiate. The whole time it was surreal as the trail just did not seem "right." It isn't an extremely long stretch and now that I know what I know I would certainly do it again.

[Legend700 5]

I'm not sure what trial Primary 204 is? Anyway, we usually do the loop the opposite way you described. It's about a 90 mile loop that most sleds can make without a fuel stop. If you do need fuel you can hit Skelly's (sp) in Moultonboro.

204 is the trail from plymouth to sandwich or as we like to call it the land route.

[formula dave 0]

How long is the powerline trail . Ive beeen riding for 25years and never saw a trail look like that. we were low on fuel. so i did not what to go without knowing were i was.I think it is about 25 miles to osspiee

Edited March 2, 2011 by formula dave

[kmac 0]

Thanks for all the info this sounds like a good Saturday morning run. We will be going from the Ossipee Valley trails and around that way.

[hazelnut 0]

How long is the powerline trail . Ive beeen riding for 25years and never saw a trail look like that. we were low on fuel. so i did not what to go without knowing were i was.I think it is about 25 miles to osspiee

Dave, Not sure how long it was in miles but it felt very long. We were coming from Ashland and heading to Ossipee. I was prepared for not so good trails because I had run into a group earlier in the week that had come from that direction. They commented on the "weirdness" of the trail.

On Sunday when we started out on that "Powerline" portion on the ride things quickly got "weird." I feel like it was almost a 10 mile stretch like that. Anyway once we got to the "regular" Sandwich trails at the Grooming Shack things got quickly better. Then we ran into a group that said it was roughly 30-40 miles to W. Ossipee from Sandwich. That proved to be pretty close to the truth.

It is a fun loop even with that "weird" stretch of powerline trail.