Hiking the Interpretive Sawyer Trail in Dewey Woods, Sunapee, New Hampshire

As noted in the Sunapee Conservation Commission brochure, “The Sawyer Trail,” is an interpretive hiking/walking trail. I first learned of Sawyer Trail when my wife Catherine hiked it with members of the Outdoor Recreation for Seniors group, known simply as ORFS. She was so impressed she had to share this trail again with me on a beautiful NH fall day. 

Click the below video and enjoy insights into the interpretive Dewey Woods Sawyer Trail.

Twelve signs, known as stations, provide the hikers with brief stories, such as the trail’s history, tree surroundings, and how trees contribute to conservation. For example, the sign at Station 2 tells about a nearby cavity tree used by various wildlife. Station 4 describes “old-growth” trees over 100 years old. Some people call these “wolf trees.” A wolf tree is simply a tree that is much older and larger than the surrounding trees in the area, most likely due to bygone days when selected trees were left by farmers in a field for shade. When farming stopped in the area, tree seeds matured and grew into a forest surrounding the wolf tree. The hemlock trees at this station are at least three feet in diameter and 50-plus feet tall. For more on “wolf trees” go to my blog narrative of the SRKG Trail 6 noted in the references.

The trail is named after Sawyer Webb who for his senior high school project, conceived, designed, and spent many hours creating this nature trail here in Sunapee, New Hampshire.

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel

---------------------------------------------------

" Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

References

1. Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Trail 6 – Wolf Trees and Many Trails
https://outdooradventurers.blogspot.com/2020/04/sunapee-ragged-kearsarge-greenway-trail_28.html

2. Outdoor Recreation for Seniors (ORFS)
https://www.coachapincenter.org/orfs/

3. Sawyer Trail in Dewey Woods, Sunapee, NH

https://www.town.sunapee.nh.us/sites/g/files/vyhlif5056/f/uploads/sawyer_trail_map.pdf

4. Sunapee Trail Maps

https://www.town.sunapee.nh.us/conservation-commission/pages/trail-maps

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

  Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics. 




Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X

All Trails Lead to Ledge Pond

The Sunapee Conservation Commission invited the town to a walk in the woods to Ledge Pond by way of five trails for access to the pond.  A recently developed trail, Lucien Trail, was showcased on this hike. My wife Catherine and I, joined the Commission leaders and 40 or so residents, on this Commission-directed hike.

Ledge Pond has five defined trails:

1. Lucien Trail (Yellow Arrow Marker)- recently prepared as a Boy Scout Eagle Scout Project by Lucien Osborn.
2. Ledge Pond Trail (aka- the snowmobile trail)
3. Meadowbrook Farm Trail
4. Daniel Bean Trail (Red Arrow Marker)
5. Bog Trail (a dead-end trail)

The Lucien Trail is a well-thought-out and very nice hike. The Lucien Trail is a circuit north and south of the existing snowmobile trail leading to the pond. The trail is a moderate effort of about 1 3/4 miles, with some elevation gain. The entrance to the Ledge Pond parking area is reached by taking a left before the Irving station in George’s Mills, onto Springfield Rd., immediately left onto Main Street, and then a right on Prospect Hill Rd. Meadow Brook Rd is on the left. 

During the hike, attending members of the Commission, Barbara, Tim, and Mark, shared the history of this Ledge Pond area and how George's Mills had once relied on the Pond for their water. Tim, Mark, and Lucien shared forest and animal life and the Lucien Trail construction.

Due to frequent stops to ask questions of our hosts, times and distances for the trip varied as not all of the hikers returned on the same trail. Outdoor Steve's trip was roughly two hours using the Lucien Trail up, and returning on the Meadowbrook, Daniel Bean, Ledge Pond, and Lucien Trails, covering 2.1 miles.

As referenced below titled Ledge Pond / Town of Sunapee, "the Town of Sunapee and its Conservation Commission donated a conservation easement protecting 41% of the shore frontage on Ledge Pond to the Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust. The property was originally owned by the Town to protect the pond’s water quality; it was formerly used as the drinking water source for Georges Mills. The easement includes a total of 103.32 acres and over 5,100 feet of shore frontage.

The bulk of the property is a town forest, managed for timber as well as water protection, wildlife habitat, and pedestrian and snowmobile access by the public. Common loons nest on the pond, which is ranked among the highest-quality wildlife habitat in New Hampshire. A public parking area, located off of Meadow Brook Road, allows walkers/hikers to park and walk less than half a mile along a woods road to the pond. From there, hikers can take in the views of the pond or continue along trails in either direction which run near the shoreline and provide views of the pond, its shoreline, and sometimes of the loons themselves.

An established snowmobile corridor crosses the pond and enters the easement property making the property accessible to many in the winter also. We are grateful to the Town of Sunapee for ensuring that this pond will maintain much of its undeveloped shoreline."

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel

References

• Sunapee Conservation Commission https://www.town.sunapee.nh.us/conservation-commission
• Ledge Pond / Town of Sunapee
  https://www.ausbonsargent.org/properties/ledge-pondtown-sunapee
• OutdoorSteve.com Blog
  https://www.professorsteve.com

---------------------------------------------------

" Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

  Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics. 




Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X

Practicing Skeet Shooting Skills

A sunny 45-degree Saturday morning at Rodys Gun Shop, Newport, NH, offered Steve and his friends an opportunity to practice their skeet shooting skills.

L-R: Steve, Coach Rick, Mark, Leon

Outdoor Steve is a newcomer to this sport, and this blog is definitely not a "how-to" tutorial. The two references below provide the reader insights into American Skeet Shooting. 

• An Upper and Lower House on opposite ends of the range where the orange clay disks (commonly called "targets" or "clay pigeons") are thrown.
• Eight Stations from where the shooter rotates.
• One round of shooting is 25 shots spread across the eight stations.
• A round of Skeet involves one box of 25 shotgun shells per shooter, which will be fired at eight stations.
• The shooters begin a round at Station 1 in front of the High House and progress around the arc to Station 7 in front of the Low House, ending at Station 8 precisely in the middle between the two houses.
• Today, Steve and his friends did two rounds, firing 50 shots each. All shooters wore hearing and eye protection.

The below graphic of a skeet shooting range specification and picture of Rodys Gun Shop range show:

Skeet Field Layout from http://nssa-nsca.club/all-about-skeet/american-skeet/

Click this link to SUBSCRIBE to OutdoorSteve's YouTube Channel.

References

• American Skeet
  http://nssa-nsca.club/all-about-skeet/american-skeet/
• Beginner's introduction to a truly American shotgun game
  http://ccskeet.com/skeet/Beginner's%20Introduction%20to%20Skeet.htm
• Never Wish I had Taken Skeet Shooting Lessons
  https://outdooradventurers.blogspot.com/2021/10/never-say-i-wish-i-had-taken-skeet.html
• Outdoor Adventurers "Never say I wish I had ..."
  https:///www.outdoorsteve.com

" Everyone must do something. I believe I will go outdoors with family and friends"

---------------------------------------------------

Steve’s books are available as hardcopy and e-Books at Amazon's Kindle and hardcopy at Harborside Trading Company, 81 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Wild Goose Country Store, 77 Main St, Sunapee, NH, Morgan Hill Bookstore, New London, NH, Bookstore at Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Gift Shop, Lebanon, NH, and Village Sports, New London, NH.

  Outdoor Play has trip preparations, routes, and narratives of bucket list places to go. The book will motivate friends and family to make the outdoors a key component of their daily life. If you want 5 or more books signed, send Steve an email and we can work out the logistics. 




Additional Sources of Books at:
Hardcopy at: http://outdoorsteve.com and https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X
E-book at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/098503842X