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| Mt. Shaw and the Ossipee Range |
TOWN: Ossipee
DESTINATION: Sentinel Mountain, Mt. Flagg
ELEVATION: 1680 Ft, 2390 Ft
SUMMIT COORDINATES: Sentinel Mtn - N43 44.196, W71 13.524
SUMMIT COORDINATES: Mt. Flagg - N43 44.196, W71 13.524
TRAIL: Sentinel Mountain Trail, Sentinel Connector Trail, Canaan Mountain Trail, Mt. Flagg Trail.
DISTANCE: 5.6 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 1750 Ft.
HIKING TIME: 3 hours 30 minutes
SEASON: Winter
DATE: March 12, 2017
WEATHER: single digit temperatures with wind. Cold and clear.
PARKING: From Route 16 N (White Mountain Highway) turn left onto route 16 B. Follow 16B for 0.55 miles to Main St. Turn Left onto Main St following it 0.65 miles to the small village of Center Ossipee where Main St turns into Moultonborough Rd. Follow Moultonborough Rd for 1.5 miles turning right onto Valley Rd. Soon Valley Rd transitions from asphalt to gravel reaching the junction with Bents Rd after 1.8 miles. Turn right onto Bents Rd for 0.4 miles to a small pull off at N43 44.500, W71 12.830. The parking area is NOT marked and does not have a trail kiosk or map. Look for the gate with "No Motorized Vehicles" sign. There is room for 2-3 strategically placed cars in the pull off. Roadside parking is also available.
Approximately 2 hours from Manchester
USGS QUAD: USGS Tuftonborough Quad
MAP: (Sentinel Mountain), (Mt. Flagg)
A detailed map of the entire Ossipee Mountain range can be found here
DESCRIPTION:
Pass through the gate then bear left at the vague "Mt. Trail" sign. The Sentinel Mountain trail follows an ATV trail for approximately 0.5 miles then crosses a logging road where it transforms to a single track. Look for the "Mt. Trail" signs. There was a few inches of snow on the ground and the tree blazes were marked with a fading maroon color making them difficult to pick out at several places as you are led through mostly open hardwood forest soon reaching a very steep pitch to the Sentinel summit ledges. The summit offers great views over Dan Hole Pond to Gunstock Mountain and the Belknap range. The Canaan, Flagg, Shaw ridge can be seen to the northwest.
Continuing Northwest the trail name changes to the Sentinel Connector trail (there are no signs) for the next 0.43 miles. It drops steeply off the Sentinel Mountain ledges then gradually inclines through mostly open woods. The trail heads west and follows a contour line to the Merrovista Ledges and small log cabin at N 43° 44.126 W 071° 14.015. Look for maroon paint and take the Canaan Mtn trail (unmarked) to the north northwest continuing through open woods. I found it difficult to follow with the snow and poorly visible maroon paint. The trail ups and downs for approximately 0.75 miles then drops 100 feet and bears west to another cabin and the junction of the Mt. Flagg trail. The blazes become yellow as the trial gets technical following a rocky dry riverbed reaching the col between Canaan Mountain and Mt. Flagg. The trail peeks through some open ledges giving great directional views soon reaching the open sub-summit of Mt. Flagg which offers great views. The actual summit is the next hump a few hundred feet away.
Return the way you came.
TRAIL DISTANCES:
HIKING DISTANCES
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|---|---|---|
DESTINATION
| DISTANCE | TOTAL DIST. |
| Parking - Sentinel Mtn. | 0.85 miles | 0.85 miles |
| Sentinel Mtn Connector - Canaan Mtn Trail Jct. | 0.43 miles | 1.28 miles |
| Canaan Mtn Trail - Mt. Flagg Trail Jct. | 0.81 miles | 2.09 miles |
| Mt. Flagg Trail Jct. - Mt. Flagg Summit | 0.71 miles | 2.80 miles |
| Mt. Flagg Summit - Parking | 2.80 miles | 5.60 miles |
HIKING TIMES:
HIKING TIMES
| ||
|---|---|---|
DESTINATION
| TIME | TOTAL TIME |
| Parking - Sentinel Mtn. | 30 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Sentinel Mtn Connector - Canaan Mtn Trail Jct. | 15 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Canaan Mtn Trail - Mt. Flagg Trail Jct. | 45 minutes | 1 hour 30 minutes |
| Mt. Flagg Trail Jct. - Mt. Flagg Summit | 45 minutes | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Parking - Sentinel Mtn. | 1 hour 15 minutes | 3 hours 30 minutes |
NOTES / COMMENTS:
My hiking boots have been collecting dust for several months and a trip to the Ossipee's was the perfect solution for a quality hike with spectacular views for little effort. Both summits offer views to the Gunstock Mountain ski area and with a pair of binoculars you can see the fire tower on Belknap mountain. Green Mountain and it's fire tower is directly to the east and Mt. Shaw is looming to the northwest. The neat log cabins along the way added some trail excitement. Both Sentinel Mountain and Mt. Flagg are on the 'Ossipee 10' peakbagger list.
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| Dan Hole Pond and the Belknap Range from the Sentinel Mtn. summit |
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| Mt. Shaw from Mt. Flagg |
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| Merrovista Ledges cabin |
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