You Are Here: Mount Sunapee

My hiking buddies and I each had our own plans this weekend. It was a gorgeous weekend. We were honoring the 20th anniversary of 9/11. Being out in nature was an amazing place to be and just being grateful for our lives and freedoms. I chose Mount Sunapee. It's been on my radar for a while, so I finally decided to go for it. I opted for a roughly 7 mile loop to try and get as many trails as possible checked off that redlining spreadsheet. I was one of the first cars there this morning and wasn't entirely sure where to park. I ended up parking in the Adventure Center lot and by the time I returned the parking area was much busier. I ascended via the Summit Trail, which starts behind the main lodge in the parking area. There is a sign on the tree pointing you in the right direction once at the woods. This trail (according to my GPS) was about 2.7 miles long and was relatively moderate. It climbed gently at first, passing an intersection with the Adventure Center as well as the Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway which is named Province Trail on some maps. The trail was well established with blazes where needed down low. As you climb the trail gets a little more technical, and as of right now was rather muddy and slick in some spots, but nothing that was impossible or overly difficult to navigate past. I loved the variety within such a short amount of time, from hardwoods to a more rocky footbed. Switchbacks make the final climb seem endless, but also more tolerable with peaks of sunlight as elevation is gained. I honestly found the climb much "easier" than perhaps anticipated with a 2K+ mountain. Being a ski area, the summit is large and open with a lodge and ski lifts. It was amazing to have actual facilities to use with running water! There were a few people wandering around, but it was far from crowded. I stopped for a brief snack and enjoyed the views. Wandering around a bit, I discovered a small area off to the side overlooking Lake Sunapee set up for weddings. It would be an absolutely gorgeous location for such a ceremony. My loop continued on Solitude Trail. Head down the access road, a rather steep descent at first. There was some signage on the ski slope signs indicating which way to go. One final outlook over the lake and it was back into the woods on Solitude Trail. After having seen no one on Summit Trail at all, Solitude Trail was a little busier.. and muddier. I jokingly said to myself my hike was brought to me by the Letter M.. moss, mud, mushrooms and of course mountains! After about a mile there is a spur off to the right signed "View" which leads out to White Ledges. A sheer drop and amazing view over Lake Solitude. Solitude Trail continued a little past the view spur and at Jack and June Intersection, I picked up Newbury Trail. This trail descended on the harder end of moderate with still lots of mud and rocks, but some lovely flatter sections as well through the woods. I saw the most people of the day on this trail. One final view spur I've seen labeled Moon Ledge on some maps which is becoming a little overgrown but still offers some pretty views. At the next intersection, I took a left onto Rim Trail which was the most rustic and probably least used trail I visited. It started descending over a stream bed, which was mostly dried up, but rather rocky before becoming more of the pine bed foot bed I prefer. This trail was only about half a mile long and ended by crossing a brook and coming out in a very unattractive cul-de-sac of abandoned equipment for the ski lodge. I had spoken to a hiker on the summit who attempted to come up via Rim Trail, but couldn't find it. I can see why. Until you actually hit the woods, there are no signs directing you at all. I took a picture in case you have tripped across this blog and are interested in taking Rim Trail up, of what it looked like once I was out and on the access road. The access road is gravel and ascends past the campground entrance. I was following a .gpx track of a friend who had hiked this loop previously and I didn't realize he left the access road and made his final descent on ski trails. I started in where he did but wasn't in the least motivated to go where he went as there was overgrown grass and goldenrod that was neck high for me! I continued in a little further and found an ATV trail that at least gave me a foot bed to follow. Looking at a map later on, I was on Guster ski trail at first, I then met up with Eggbeater. This was mowed, but steep and muddy in some places, so I very slowly descended and still took a slide in the mud. Thankfully no one was around as I'm sure it was far from graceful. My quads were done by this point, but thankfully I could see the parking lot once I turned onto Eggbeater, so there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

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