Trip Report: Mt. Paugus 5/30/09

Yet again the weather kept changing throughout the week, and Friday night the forecast called for passing showers in the afternoon (pretty much same forecast as Sunday last weekend). So Ascender & I made out for the close-by Sandwich Range again. I have come to LOVE this range. We decided on Mt. Paugus, up Cabin/Lawrence Trails and down Old Paugus/Big Rock Cave Trails. We got to the road side trailhead off 113A at 10:00am. The trails start off on a private road (follow signs) until joining a small logging road. At the junction we went left up Cabin Trail (blue blazes all the way up). The skeeters were buzzing annoyingly and we began crossing small streams/tributary's and wet trails from the night before. As soon as we stopped the skeeters would swarm us like I have never seen before. They were all over our face, hands knecks, any skin they could find...I even got bit twice through my shirt! We applied the bug spray which only seemed to keep 75% of them from actually biting and we high-tailed it with only brief 5 second breaks for the 2 miles up to the Whitin Brook junction. Here the Skeeters lessened to only a couple as the trail became very rugged and wild as views to the Paugus Ledges became visible through the trees. The feeling of isolation here is undescribable (equal to the feeling on Carrigain Notch Trail for me, with less mileage). You curv your way through boulders and small cliffs as you follow the wooded ridge. Dropping breifly down to Lawrence Trail, then climbing steeply through rugged sections of trail and 1/2 a dozen switchbacks. Finally we broke out of the trees to Paugus Ledges. The views were wonderful West to the Sandwich Range and South towards the Lakes Region. After a 1/2 hour lunch we started down the other side, which proved to be steep as we climbed down many sections of rock. Very old yellow blazes were barely noticeable which made it difficult to determine what was a side trail or the actual trail, has this side of the mountain been orphaned? We got limited views to Chocorua now and then before dropping into the trees, again on wild trail crossing through boulders and large cliffs. We dropped down to the river and crossed it to Big Rock Cave Trail (back on blue blazes ). Climbing once again to Big Rock Caves, massive boulders piled next to/on top of each other to create a couple "caves" similar to the boulder caves in King Ravine. We climbed a little more, leveled off on Mt. Mexico then an easy stroll down to the truck. Finished at 3:30 very pleased with our selection and the excellent weather. Can't wait to do this one again. Headed for Square Ledge and Passaconaway next. Love these peaks!

Pictures on my Flickr Page http://www.flickr.com/photos/excape1/