# SRKG Trail from Proctor Acad 6/4/16



## Abubob (Jun 7, 2016)

AKA the Sunapee Ragged Kearsarge Greenway or Dale's Trail or Wilson's Trail or maybe just Ragged's Backside Trail.

I'm gonna start out by saying how badly I bonked after a mere mile and a half. I blame my lawn. It made me mow plus some bushes insisted that I prune some tree branches back so more flowers would grow. Plus I completed a sleep study or should I say a bad night's sleep study Friday night. I did this at home because I thought it might be easier to actually sleep. As it turns out I have moderate sleep apnea. That being said ...

Finding the trailhead was easy. It is just as the description reads "Southern trailhead parking is at a large parking lot to the west side of Proctor Academy’s Farrell Field House in the center of Andover on routes NH 11 and US 4. The Field House is the large brick building set back across the road from the white-fenced playing fields." They are building a new field house in front of the old brick one either that or it's completely new. Anyway it's a construction site but parking in the open and spacious lot was very easy. The trail itself is extremely obvious although not marked from the parking lot but a few strides in you see the sign.

This is a pretty old trail system but amazingly lightly used. I wasn't tripping over roots every two feet and there's no trash anywhere. But there are a lot of trail signs everywhere so I was trying to stay alert to the metal SRKG trail markers. There were also some plain metal markers as well as some painted white blazes. In one part at least where the trail is very obvious I was a bit nervous that I'd walked onto another trail and missed a marker for a short bit.

As I said I totally ran out of energy after a mere mile and a half but got to a very satisfying stop point by a sign say STOP POINT. Who was I to argue. I got home with plenty of time to grill chicken and catch my wife gambling with friends. 



SRKG trail head at Proctor Academy by Bob Misuraca, on Flickr



Dale's Trail/Carr Oak by Bob Misuraca, on Flickr



Old farm wall by Bob Misuraca, on Flickr



Stop Point Check by Bob Misuraca, on Flickr

https://flic.kr/s/aHskBTxeLD


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## xwhaler (Jun 8, 2016)

I'd like to do that trail from New Canada Rd over to Proctor but i involves using 2 vehicles.
I may hike to the top of Ragged/Spear this fall and then hike back down the same way. Looks like a nice hike


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## Abubob (Jun 8, 2016)

So far I've done both ENDS of this section of the SRKG. The only thing left for me to do is the entire 6 mile traverse. My biggest problem is scheduling. Because I'm such a slow hiker and I like to take breaks I'm probably gonna need 8 hours. I never seem to have that kind of time. I'll have to make the time though.


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## xwhaler (Jun 8, 2016)

What are the lengths from each side? If I wanted to just go to the top in the shortest time which way is better?
Also, does either section of the trail get to the top of Spear where the unload is?


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## Abubob (Jun 8, 2016)

I'd say you could reach the top of Spear from New Canada in 2 miles. The main peak of Ragged is listed as 2.7 miles from New Canada Rd. I would have to guess that Pinnacle is about 3 miles from Proctor Acad.

Here's the link to the SRKG map: http://www.srkg.com/wordpress1/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Trail09GuideMap.pdf


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## xwhaler (Jun 8, 2016)

Thanks Bob---here is a pretty nice set of photos from the hike.
My question was more on whether the trail went over the top of both Spear and Ragged where the chairs unload and these pics seem to confirm that it does.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kmacgray/sets/72157659912199490/


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## Abubob (Jun 9, 2016)

Not Spear - I think you have to hike up a bit off the trail for that. Yes on Ragged. The trail goes along behind the patrol hut and microwave tower and skirts Rags to Riches glade. (Link didn't work. Possibly not shared with public.)


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## xwhaler (Jun 9, 2016)

Sorry---here is the link I found the album in....it does show them on top of both Ragged and Spear.
Given I will likely do this hike solo I would not be doing cars in multiple spots but would like to get to the top of one/both if possible.

http://forum.hike-nh.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8894&view=next


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## Abubob (Jun 10, 2016)

If you let me know a couple days in advance I may be able to join you. I'll PM my email address.


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