Smarts Mountain 2X

[Hillwalker]

Last Sunday I decided to eat lunch in the "restored" fire tower on Smarts Mountain. Preferring loop hikes, I parked at the AT crossing on the Lyme/Dorchester Road and headed up the "new" AT, Lambert Ridge Trail. What a nice trail. Lots of ledgy walking and nice boreal forest sections. The part up Smarts was "moderate to steep", but interesting. So far the sun was out with puffy clouds moving quickly past. The fire tower is steel, constructed in 1939, my birth year so I felt like it was on old friend. The cabin on top of the tower is really tiny. Measuring about 7 feet square. All the glass save one pane was intact. The views were terrific at 360 degrees. My victuals were consumed in a most pleasant environment. After a quick visit to the Rangers Cabin just below the tower, I set off to descend via the old fire warden's road "Ranger Trail". The rain started just after I left the summit. The Ranger trail obviously receives little to no maintenance as it is chock full of blow downs, and is very stream bed like in many places. Arrived at the car in good time, meeting no one on return, and only three on ascent.

Today (thursday) I decided to eat my lunch up there again so this time I parked at the gated access road for the AT in Quintown off Rte 25A in Orford. Wow, another nice AT section, the "J" trail. Moderate to gentle with a nice 4 mile length to the summit. Arrived at the tower and again had lunch, this time no clouds, and Mt Washington was clear and white. Stopped at the cabin again and watched a hiker thoroughly smoke himself and his clothing trying to start a fire with wet wood. In keeping with the loop theme I decided to take the Daniel Doan (formerly Mousley Brook) trail back down. Whoops, another nearly abandoned trail. Virtually unblazed, and again full of blowdowns with the brush encroaching to the point where the trail is fully obscured. Nice long walk out to the car, arriving at 11:55 AM. Ate an early lunch at the tower. I had been told by locals that the DOC was not doing much of a job keeping anything maintained save the AT. I think I can now attest to that.

 

[MEB]

Sounds like the perfect lunch spot

-MEB

 

[Snowflea]

I had a similar experience on the Daniel Doan Trail a few years ago. I believe that trail was once the AT leading to Quintown. Last time I took the Ranger Trail, however, it was in good shape, but that had to have been >5 years ago. The Ranger Trail was also the AT before it was relo'd onto Lambert Ridge.

I always wanted to spend the night in Smarts Mtn. firetower. Some day...

 

[dr_wu002]

Awesome! Wish I coulda eatin' lunch with ya on Smarts Mountain Today. Too bad I couldn't go on Sunday either. Sounds like a fun trip -- I'll meet you out there someday soon.

Gettin' that AT bug, are ya?

-Dr. Wu

 

[kiteflyer]

The Ranger Trail is usually in great shape. The snow we had last October
is what caused all the blow downs. Hopefully they get cleared this spring. Dave

 

[Davehiker]

I made a loop up Daniel Doan and then down "J" last year, and found Daniel Doan in much better shape than you. It was mostly brushed out, with only one section in the middle needing that attention. A bit muddy down lower, though; it's certainly not suitable for lots of traffic. I'll bet DOC will be on it later this year.

 

[RoySwkr]

If you're looking for former AT routes up Smarts Mtn, there's also the trail from Cummins Pond http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=18&n=4851467.99993421&e=740009.000349446&datum=nad83

This was used as a snowmobile trail and may be wider than the other routes

In its last incarnation, the trail started at the junction at the red X to avoid the cabins at the pond

 

[David Metsky]

The route up from Cummings Pond wasn't easy to follow even when it was open at times. I don't remember the last time it was blazed or cleared, but the DOC stopped maintaining it over a decade ago.

-dave-

 

[Hillwalker]

Emergency Route

The people living living at Cummins Pond call that the "Emergency Trail". DOC is in the process of hauling another privy up to the summit this summer using that old trail. At least that is what a young lady who owns the proprty off Cummins pond told me when I met her at the old Ranger's cabin. One of her companions was the guy who was smoking himself. This trail is signed as part of the Clark Pond Loop according to the very old DOC signpost at the summit.