Distance
Elevation
Observed WildlifeThis hike is rightly part of the 52 with a view list. great views of Lake Winnipesaukee from Black Snout and of the Sandwich Mountain Range from Mount Shaw. Some nice cascades closer to the trailhead round out this great hike. Though it's a full step below the difficulty of a 4000 footer, this hike does take some work.
As historical 2020 came to a close I craved one more hike before the year closed out. I’m still new to winter hiking and only have diamond grip Yaktrax for traction so I was looking for a peak that was lacking solid ice but would still provide me a good climb. While checking conditions for the “52 with a view” list at TrailsNH.com I found a recent report for this hike. The hike ended up being exactly what I was looking for: snowy conditions up top, manageable traction needs and views I would have to work for. The early morning had also provided a dusting of snow at the base which turned into maybe a quarter to half inch of accumulation at the summit.
I arrived nice and early as the first car at the trailhead at 7:41am. The trail followed an old road and I followed an unmarked trail to the bank of ???? Brook. The trail had a very gentle slope as it followed the water and I was surprised by some nice cascades. The trail brought me back to the old road. The trail was tricky to follow and I paid close attention to find the right turn on Italian Trail. There were no obvious trail signs indicating the turn and I used AllTrails to confirm that I was heading the right way.
By this time I had strapped on my Yaktrax to accommodate the film of ice on the trail left by light rain and snow in the early morning. The road had changed to a trail and was intermittently marked by red and green blazes. I experienced a steady climb up Big Ball Mountain. On the final approach to Big Ball some of the trail was over open rock where I realized my Yaktrax were not the best traction. The views from the lookout at the south peak peered over the lakes region for a very nice vista. It took a few minutes for me to find the trail from here. It had expected it to continue straight up but it turned right. Shortly after, I reached the north peak which was much more open. Before the descent down into the woods, a great view of Black Snout was had.
(I don't have any pictures from Big Ball Mountain or the approach to Black Snout since I couln'd keep my phone warm with my light layers during heavy exertion)
At this elevation enough snow had remained from previous storms to have covered everything in a few inches. The woods here felt much more wild. A short descent of less than a quarter mile from Big Ball was followed by the most challenging portion of the hike. As the slope increased, the trail became more technical. A few parts were covered in solid ice and required some creative maneuvering using the trees for hand holds. I pushed on and about a mile after Big Ball I reached a carriage road. I turned left and followed an easy trail the remaining hundred yards to Black Snout which provided great views south over the lakes. The view north merely looked at the very close Mount Shaw.
I retraced my steps back down the carriage road and passed the trail I’d come up and had a great view of Dan Hole Pond tucked up in the hills. The remaining climb to Mount Shaw followed this carriage road and was far less challenging than the trail up to Black Snout. I continued right at both intersections I encountered and reached Mount Shaw after an easy mile of hiking over 24 minutes. The views north were great. I looked out at my familiar friends, the peaks of the Sandwich Range. I explored the summit for south facing views but was only able to find a grouse which thoroughly startled me, as they always do. I bundled up, took a seat and enjoyed the view of the Sandwich Mountains while munching down some snacks.
I returned down the path I climbed, staying left at the first intersection I encountered then deviating from my original path by turning right at the next. The old carriage road continued and I turned left to a path straight down the slope. Although fairly steep, the footing of this path was much more stable than the one I climbed. Snow remained throughout most of the descent and was still soft enough to ease the impact on my feet and legs on the descent.
When I reached the stream the grade eased and the trail crossed back and forth across it. There was some slightly tricky footing. A couple cool cascades were flowing in addition to the ones I saw at the beginning of the hike.
With about a half mile remaining in the hike the snow gave way to soil and the sheen of ice coating the ground from the morning had given way. I made quick work at the end of this hike over a nice easy downward grade and returned to my car just before noon. By this time the small lot had around ten cars. I was very satisfied with this hike and I plan to return to the lakes region often as I build my winter hiking skills.
