SNOWS MOUNTAIN: 7/27/18

A sunny, humid morning for this 4-mile loop on one of the quietest of Waterville Valley trails.

I ascended via the south/west half of the Snows Mountain Trail loop, which starts with a road walk. At the bottom is a nice view of Sandwich Dome across the golf course, near the site of the old Waterville Inn, which was an area landmark for many years.

If you like lightly-used, woodsy trails, at times requiring care to follow, the Snows Mountain Trail is for you. I was serenaded by several Hermit Thrushes as I meandered up the SW slope of the mountain.

High up on the slope there's a long stretch along a remarkably straight old logging road .

An old style Waterville Valley Athletic and Improvement Association (WVAIA) black-on-yellow sign.

The one open view on the trail overlooks the village of Waterville Valley and the Mad River valley, with Welch and Dickey Mountains in the distance. Hazy vistas today.

Mt. Tecumseh and the Waterville ski slopes.

I bushwhacked steeply down to a precarious perch on a lower crag with a nifty view of the Sandwich Dome massif beyond the Snows Brook valley.

Sandwich, Jennings and Noon.

Luxuriant fern growth on the ridgecrest at 2800 ft. In places the ferns obscure the footway, care is needed in foot placement on the slippery rocks.

A favorite twisted tree.

Weathered sign at the loop junction.

The view at the end of a 0.1 mile spur path, just inside the Sandwich Range Wilderness, is mostly obscured.

Beautiful hardwood forest on the ridge.

Big old yellow birches in a col along the crest.

The only hikers I saw were Dan Newton, President of the WVAIA, and his friend Friday, who were heading up for some brushing and blowdown removal. We had a nice chat about Waterville trails and trail history.

Wildflowers along the ski slope descent at the NW end of the trail.