Date(s) Hiked: August 18, 2006
Trails(s) Hiked: Ranger Trail up to ridgeline; AT/Ranger/Lambert Ridge Trails to Summit; Lambert Ridge Trail down. For more information click HERE.
Total Distance: About 7.8
Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
Conditions: Bugs were still bad down low (?) :blink: Some blowdowns on Ranger, otherwise, well marked, clear trails with good footing.
Special Required Equipment: Map and info from the Dartmouth Outing Club's Site.
Trip Report: Summer is drawing to an end; as was the nice weather that we had this week. Though I had been resting from last week's adventure, I knew that if I would kick myself twice if I did not hike soon...once today while working during the incredible weather and once on Sunday when it was raining and I was available to hike (seems like de ja vu with this spring and early summer...raining all the times I was available to hike :roll: ). So I had to go. But work needed to get done. So I looked up on my short list of local places that I had yet to check out and Smart's, a mere twenty minutes from my house, was on the top of the list. So I read over the info in the AMC Guide and on the DOC's site (link above) and got ready for an early morning trek.
I have been eyeing Smarts Mountain for a long time. Though my family would make the trek from the Northeast Kingdom down Interstate 91 to the Upper Valley for some good seafood, it was only after I came of my "hiking age," or the point when I had (a) information for hiking, (b) the interest in doing it, (c) the equipment to do it, and most importantly, (d) a driver's license and car, that I noticed Smarts Mountain rising above the Upper Valley with a firetower on the summit. From the interstate, it looms and makes a bold appearance--especially from the west and south.
Smarts is one of the "stairs" between Hanover (and Dartmouth College) and Moosilauke (Dartmouth's own mountain). The other "stairs" in this range that runs a line going NE from Hanover include Moose Mountain, Holt's Ledge, Winslow Ledge (maybe), Smarts, Cube, and up to Moosilauke (click HERE for David Metsky's page). Cube is on my list for later this fall....
The plan was to get up early and get on the trail early, so that I could get home and do some work. I allotted five hours for the trip, which was more than enough. I got up at 6:15 and showered. The satellite imagery and weather forecasts were not as good as I had last heard and there was some thick fog and clouds. Forecasts now called for clouds :blink: with sun in the afternoon. So I opted to delay an hour and was glad that I did.
As I drove up to Lyme, the clouds began to lift and the sun was starting to break through. I got on the trail at 9am. Because of the weather, I opted to do the loop in a counterclockwise direction...climbing up the viewless Ranger Trail and basking in the views and sun on the way down. The topos I had and other info also suggested that the Ranger Trail was a flatter, shorter ascent and it was.
The lower section, 1.5 miles or so, is an abandoned jeep road that was used by the former firewardens. It gradually ascends the valley by the stream. Though the book made out that this trail was utterly "abandoned" and "was not recommended," there was a new sign and the blazes were relatively fresh as was maintenance on the lower half (the blazes were orange and black and not blue as mentioned). Turns out that this was a part of one of the oldest long-distance ski trails in the country...running from Dartmouth to Moosilauke.
The bugs were a bit bad in places and it was muggy, but I made it to the old garage in good time before pressing on. The road narrows to a footpath (which had some bad blowdowns) and heads E before turning to the NW and up the mountain. The first steeper pitch came at a spring and rock bed. The trail ascended diagonally across the fall-line in a NW direction...never too taxing on the legs. The trail was mainly smooth bedrock up on this section with some views through the trees. There were old telephone poles for the tower spaced along the trail.
I made great time and soon broke out onto the AT. From here the trail got steeper and rougher. Though it was about .6 mile from here to the top, it was a demanding section with a consistent pitch and "staircase" climb. Some smooth ledges here might be slippery when wet...
At the top I scoped out the Smarts Tent Platform, which had no platform or privy (despite the sign) but a great spot for a tent and a great view
It was 2 minutes from here to the summit proper and I heard voices, so I decided to go to the cabin and check that out. Nice place for an overnight but I did not check for water.
I backtracked to the tower and chatted with some thruhikers before climbing the tower. It was only three or four flights up (shorter than Gile and others) and at the top I was greeted by a heavy pressure-treated door, which was difficult to open...especially up that high! But I managed to get it open and crawl up inside.
I had lunch with a view. The SW and W views were restricted by haze, but I could see quite far into the Whites. To the east I could see about 50 or so miles and only about 35 to the west. I was able to identify Burke, Cube, Moosilauke, Franconia Ridge, Washington (?), Osceola, Tripyramids (I think), Hancocks (maybe), Sandwich, Whiteface (?), Tenney, Cardigan, Sunapee, Ascutney, Croydon and Mt Finish, Killington (barely), Pico (barely), The Palisades, Groton State Forest peaks, and other local hills and mountains. If it had been completely clear, the view most likely would have included Mansfield and Camel's Hump (I could barely make out the Central Greens).
After a half-hour, I began my descent passing by another husband-wife thru hiker team and an older gentleman asking if I had seen any water....I felt bad to admit that I had not
The Lambert Ridge is a longer and tougher ascent, but was a great way down because the many views gave tired legs a rest. After the steep drop from the top, it was an easy ridge walk. The lookouts mainly took in the summit and E-SE horizons with Cardigan making a fine appearance. The view into the valley was nice. At the southern end of the ridge there are views south towards DHMC, Hanover, Ascutney, Moose, and the Dartmouth Skiway. All folks I met (probably 18 or so) were friendly and some appreciated my advice and experience with the hike.
I will say that it is longer than .3 miles from the last lookout to the parking lot...more like .8 or so. It was a hot descent that took 2 hours or so, but the views made it Bugs down below were bad as well.
I got back to my car just before 2:00pm...mission accomplished. Now it was time for a shower and work.
A great mountain with great views and off the beaten path...I will be back. :wink:
Trails(s) Hiked: Ranger Trail up to ridgeline; AT/Ranger/Lambert Ridge Trails to Summit; Lambert Ridge Trail down. For more information click HERE.
Total Distance: About 7.8
Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
Conditions: Bugs were still bad down low (?) :blink: Some blowdowns on Ranger, otherwise, well marked, clear trails with good footing.
Special Required Equipment: Map and info from the Dartmouth Outing Club's Site.
Trip Report: Summer is drawing to an end; as was the nice weather that we had this week. Though I had been resting from last week's adventure, I knew that if I would kick myself twice if I did not hike soon...once today while working during the incredible weather and once on Sunday when it was raining and I was available to hike (seems like de ja vu with this spring and early summer...raining all the times I was available to hike :roll: ). So I had to go. But work needed to get done. So I looked up on my short list of local places that I had yet to check out and Smart's, a mere twenty minutes from my house, was on the top of the list. So I read over the info in the AMC Guide and on the DOC's site (link above) and got ready for an early morning trek.
I have been eyeing Smarts Mountain for a long time. Though my family would make the trek from the Northeast Kingdom down Interstate 91 to the Upper Valley for some good seafood, it was only after I came of my "hiking age," or the point when I had (a) information for hiking, (b) the interest in doing it, (c) the equipment to do it, and most importantly, (d) a driver's license and car, that I noticed Smarts Mountain rising above the Upper Valley with a firetower on the summit. From the interstate, it looms and makes a bold appearance--especially from the west and south.
Smarts is one of the "stairs" between Hanover (and Dartmouth College) and Moosilauke (Dartmouth's own mountain). The other "stairs" in this range that runs a line going NE from Hanover include Moose Mountain, Holt's Ledge, Winslow Ledge (maybe), Smarts, Cube, and up to Moosilauke (click HERE for David Metsky's page). Cube is on my list for later this fall....
The plan was to get up early and get on the trail early, so that I could get home and do some work. I allotted five hours for the trip, which was more than enough. I got up at 6:15 and showered. The satellite imagery and weather forecasts were not as good as I had last heard and there was some thick fog and clouds. Forecasts now called for clouds :blink: with sun in the afternoon. So I opted to delay an hour and was glad that I did.
As I drove up to Lyme, the clouds began to lift and the sun was starting to break through. I got on the trail at 9am. Because of the weather, I opted to do the loop in a counterclockwise direction...climbing up the viewless Ranger Trail and basking in the views and sun on the way down. The topos I had and other info also suggested that the Ranger Trail was a flatter, shorter ascent and it was.
The lower section, 1.5 miles or so, is an abandoned jeep road that was used by the former firewardens. It gradually ascends the valley by the stream. Though the book made out that this trail was utterly "abandoned" and "was not recommended," there was a new sign and the blazes were relatively fresh as was maintenance on the lower half (the blazes were orange and black and not blue as mentioned). Turns out that this was a part of one of the oldest long-distance ski trails in the country...running from Dartmouth to Moosilauke.
The bugs were a bit bad in places and it was muggy, but I made it to the old garage in good time before pressing on. The road narrows to a footpath (which had some bad blowdowns) and heads E before turning to the NW and up the mountain. The first steeper pitch came at a spring and rock bed. The trail ascended diagonally across the fall-line in a NW direction...never too taxing on the legs. The trail was mainly smooth bedrock up on this section with some views through the trees. There were old telephone poles for the tower spaced along the trail.
I made great time and soon broke out onto the AT. From here the trail got steeper and rougher. Though it was about .6 mile from here to the top, it was a demanding section with a consistent pitch and "staircase" climb. Some smooth ledges here might be slippery when wet...
At the top I scoped out the Smarts Tent Platform, which had no platform or privy (despite the sign) but a great spot for a tent and a great view
It was 2 minutes from here to the summit proper and I heard voices, so I decided to go to the cabin and check that out. Nice place for an overnight but I did not check for water.
I backtracked to the tower and chatted with some thruhikers before climbing the tower. It was only three or four flights up (shorter than Gile and others) and at the top I was greeted by a heavy pressure-treated door, which was difficult to open...especially up that high! But I managed to get it open and crawl up inside.
I had lunch with a view. The SW and W views were restricted by haze, but I could see quite far into the Whites. To the east I could see about 50 or so miles and only about 35 to the west. I was able to identify Burke, Cube, Moosilauke, Franconia Ridge, Washington (?), Osceola, Tripyramids (I think), Hancocks (maybe), Sandwich, Whiteface (?), Tenney, Cardigan, Sunapee, Ascutney, Croydon and Mt Finish, Killington (barely), Pico (barely), The Palisades, Groton State Forest peaks, and other local hills and mountains. If it had been completely clear, the view most likely would have included Mansfield and Camel's Hump (I could barely make out the Central Greens).
After a half-hour, I began my descent passing by another husband-wife thru hiker team and an older gentleman asking if I had seen any water....I felt bad to admit that I had not
The Lambert Ridge is a longer and tougher ascent, but was a great way down because the many views gave tired legs a rest. After the steep drop from the top, it was an easy ridge walk. The lookouts mainly took in the summit and E-SE horizons with Cardigan making a fine appearance. The view into the valley was nice. At the southern end of the ridge there are views south towards DHMC, Hanover, Ascutney, Moose, and the Dartmouth Skiway. All folks I met (probably 18 or so) were friendly and some appreciated my advice and experience with the hike.
I will say that it is longer than .3 miles from the last lookout to the parking lot...more like .8 or so. It was a hot descent that took 2 hours or so, but the views made it
Bugs down below were bad as well. I got back to my car just before 2:00pm...mission accomplished. Now it was time for a shower and work.
A great mountain with great views and off the beaten path...I will be back. :wink:
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