Smarts and Drakes Brook Trail Maintenance

[RollingRock]

Carlos, Rick, Brian, Mark, Dave and Steve arrived at the house Friday night after 7pm. After getting settled in, we spent the evening in the living room discussing a multitude of topics including Hummingbirds, drinking & driving, and Steve & Dave's trip to Thailand. We went to bed around 11pm.

We woke up to coffee and bagels around 6:30am under overcast skies. Thankfully temperatures would be cool today with a high reaching 68. We made our lunches, took showers and got our packs ready for a day of trail maintenance on our adopted trails: Smarts and Drakes Brook. Chuck and Mike arrived at 8am. We handed out trail maintenance tools to everyone and split into two groups. Jon was taking one group to Drakes Brook trail while Mike would take the other to Smarts Brook trail. We left the house around 8:30am. Jon and Mike both wore their White Mountain National Forest T-Shirts. The black flies were out so everyone put on insect repellent.

Smarts Brook Work Report
With the permission of the Forest Service, we were able to drive up the logging road section of Smarts Brook Trail that saved us almost three miles of walking if we had started from the parking lot. We are officially responsible for the section of trail that starts at the Wilderness Boundary however we usually start at the large clearing where the logging road turns into a real trail.

Smarts Brook trail is the least used trail up Sandwich Dome, which I think is a pity. The logging road section that we drove over is the boring section. Once you get onto the trail there is a lot to enjoy! For roughly the first 4 miles the trail follows Smarts Brook fairly closely. The valley is wild and pleasant, full of cascades, and the trail is relatively easy. The footing is excellent most of the way.

The first half mile or so up the Wilderness boundary there are many cut areas from previous logging. Up to the Smarts Brook crossing [about 2 miles from the clearing] we spent most of our time clipping back encroaching vegetation making their way onto the trail and removed a couple of blowdowns.

After this crossing the trail goes through an area with huge boulders, and the footing becomes rockier. It then leaves the valley for the ridge. Most of the trail to the ridge is a wide switchback with easy grades, but the first and last 100 vertical feet go straight up the fall line, the only two steep sections on the whole trip. After the huge boulders, we spent most of our time removing blowdowns...about eight of them.

We did not meet anyone on the Smarts Brooks trail. Once on the ridge, Chuck, Mike and Mike went to Jennings Peak to catch the view. Once we got there we were in the fog but the breeze was very refreshing.

The trip down was easy, as the combination of moderate grades and good footing makes the descent a pleasure! We enjoyed the fruits of our labor with the trail completely cleared!

Drakes Brook Work Report
I was not on that team but they removed 5 blowdowns, cleaned all waterbars, and clipped back all brush. They even clipped back the Jennings Spur Trail.

Apres Trail Work Relaxation Party!
Back at the house, we took showers and relaxed on the deck enjoying Mojitos made by both Carlos and Dave. This is the real deal with fresh limes and mint! After a couple of rounds, Jon and I started getting ready for the Hiker Food Feast. Tonight, we served spaghetti with homemade meatballs, Chicken Marsala, Tossed Garden Salad, Homemade Garlic Bread from the oven, and Amaretto Strawberry/Blueberry Trifle with shaved Dark Chocolate. Nobody left the table hungry! Afterwards we enjoyed a roaring campfire capped by fireworks!

The next morning we served coffee with pancakes topped with fresh blueberries and NH Maply Syrup. Afterwards everyone left to enjoy their own adventures.

Gay Outdoors' members are AMAZING! It is rewarding work and our way of pitching in with the greater hiking community to keep our adopted trails in Waterville Valley, NH [Smarts and Drakes Brooks Trails] around for future generations. We are very thankful to have GO members who are passionate about maintaining trails. All the lodging and meals for this weekend was paid for by GayOutdoors.

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[Mohamed Ellozy]

Smarts Brook trail is the least used trail up Sandwich Dome, which I think is a pity.

Many thanks, as a "local" I often hike Sandwich Dome, mostly by these two trails (I rather dislike the Sandwich Mountain Trail). Smarts Brook is a delightful trail, even if you have to walk the whole way!

After this crossing the trail goes through an area with huge boulders, and the footing becomes rockier.

I would add that it also becomes a lot wetter, how was it?

They even clipped back the Jennings Spur Trail.

Many, many thanks. I was planning to bring my loppers with me next time; it was getting pretty overgrown.

 

[RollingRock]

Many thanks, as a "local" I often hike Sandwich Dome, mostly by these two trails (I rather dislike the Sandwich Mountain Trail). Smarts Brook is a delightful trail, even if you have to walk the whole way!
I would add that it also becomes a lot wetter, how was it?

Many, many thanks. I was planning to bring my loppers with me next time; it was getting pretty overgrown.

We did a couple small relocations around the muddy areas after the huge boulders a couple years ago so now it's really not much of a problem. We sometimes discuss amongst ourselves why bother maintaining this trail when nobody ever uses it but it really is one of the most beautiful and underrated trails in the Whites. For those reasons, it keeps us going...

 

[cooperhill]

Kuduos to your group on this work. I maintain one of the busiest trails in the Whites but I think your work is even more important to the forest. Of course, as long as it is important to you that's all that matters. I don't do trailwork for other people I do it for the resource, as weird as that sounds.

 

[Amicus]

We sometimes discuss amongst ourselves why bother maintaining this trail when nobody ever uses. . . .

Not nobody. Three of us hiked it Sunday morning, from the Rte. 49 trailhead to a point on a switchback .22 mile south of Jennings Peak. Moreover, it wasn't the first time on that Trail for two of us (although my prior hike on it was 27 years ago, in a downpour after visiting the summits of Jennings Peak and Sandwich Dome, and I don't clearly remember it). It is, however, true that we didn't meet other hikers on it.

The Trail was in fine shape with no serious mud, and attractive as you describe. Thanks for your efforts.

 

[TrailwrightBratt]

I know what you mean about use but your efforts will keep the trail in use.There are always people using trails like this, we just don't see them but they are there. Reminds me of the Dan Doan trail that I have been helping with.It is a shame more people don't use it. Dan deserves better so we will continue to save it just as you are doing.
We need those efforts and my thanks to you.

 

[una_dogger]

Thanks, Guys!

 

[1HappyHiker]

Kuduos to your group on this work. I maintain one of the busiest trails in the Whites but I think your work is even more important to the forest. . . I don't do trailwork for other people I do it for the resource, as weird as that sounds.

First of all, my thanks to you and your crew for volunteering to do trail work!

And secondly, I agree with Cooperhill in that doing trailwork for "for the resource" is an important consideration of mine as well when working on my adopted trails. Also, it's gratifying to know that the work done by me and other trail adopters serves to enhance the time spent in the woods by other hikers.

 

[MadRiver]

I live about a mile from the trail and have hiked it a lot in the past two years. You did a wonderful job clearing the trail from what it used to look like. Thanks again.

 

[RollingRock]

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

 

[bjc]

I frequently hike on the Smarts Brook Trail, in combination with some of the other short connecting trails, to make a nice 3 to 4 mile loop on the days we drive home.

We've also hiked it to the top a number of times. One of my favorite hikes last year was up Algonquin and down Smarts Brook with a car spot, a beautiful and rather diverse hike.

Thank you for your efforts, it's a great trail.