Silverfox
New member
Thursdays are 52Wav days and today we headed over to Smarts Mountain near scenic Lyme NH. I had done this mountain from the Quintown end a couple of years ago..this time based on sage advice garnered early in the evening at the recent Ashland CMan get together we decided on Lambert Ridge Trail approach.
Lambert Ridge Trail, which is part of the AT, started out through a lovely mixed forest..wide cleared trail and easy to moderate grades.. soon we reached a steeper section with rougher footing as we ascended to the first of a long series of ledges. Sadly this was not to be a great view day as the haze was getting thicker by the minute. At the first lookout ledge we came across a thru hiker from New Zealand, Keea, who was happily munching on breakfast as we looked back at the Dartmouth Ski Way. We remarked on his umbrella and headed up the trail knowing that even with a freshly filled pack in hanover a seasoned thru hiker would catch up to us soon. I was carefully picking my way up some of the slabs not wishing a fall and he caught up and headed on past us. Some beautiful meadows along the way here..off to the east the tower on Smarts looked far away and in sharp contrast to the clouds. After climbing to the final rocky knob of Lambert ridge the trail drops off quickly in to a col and winds around a bit before dropping again in a swampy sprucy area..We passed a group from Wisconsin who remarked that it was hard to train for the Whites where they lived as there are only rolling hills.
Soon the climb out of the mud gave way to slippery slabs and ledge.The trail goes pretty much straight up here for a half mile soon joining the ranger Trail which came up from the right. We came across one group of trail workers installing a new ladder to help with one of the more difficult slabs..We chatted a bit ..Suddenly Finn the dog..took off at a gallop..we had come upon a larger DOC trail crew who had sadly left a bag of cookies in sight.. Well Mary apologized profusely and Finn licked his chops and enjoyed a sugar buzz for the rest of the climb. This crew was hard at work building a rock staircase around another ledge. After a sporty ascent the grade lessened, the trail softened and the excellent privy and firetower came into view. I clambered up the tower a bit but the view was haze restricted so we retreated to ground level for a tasty lunch.
For the descent we branched off and took the ranger Trail down which was the old AT and looped back to the parking lot. The upper section of this trail all wet and mossy slabs and we certainly watched our step. Eventually the slabs gave way to a brook bed which actually had better footing than the slick smooth ledge. A few of the old cairns and poles that carried the telephone wire to the tower were spotted here and there. Finally the grade lessened ,we crossed a brook, and we were on the old access road described in the WMG which provided alternately good footing and mucky muddy sections. The hike out went very easily despite the many muddy sections and we enjoyed some wildflowers in sections and beautiful hardwood forests in others. We had debated checking out the Lyme Dorchester Road on the way over but took the paved route..on the way home we checked out that road over to 118 and we were greeted by a large Road Closed sign..oh well..ice cream at the very nice Lyme General Store took the sting out of that disappoinment. A good day out with Cymbidium, Grumpy Gran, and Finn..
a few pics to follow at
www.overthehillhikers.blogspot.com
Lambert Ridge Trail, which is part of the AT, started out through a lovely mixed forest..wide cleared trail and easy to moderate grades.. soon we reached a steeper section with rougher footing as we ascended to the first of a long series of ledges. Sadly this was not to be a great view day as the haze was getting thicker by the minute. At the first lookout ledge we came across a thru hiker from New Zealand, Keea, who was happily munching on breakfast as we looked back at the Dartmouth Ski Way. We remarked on his umbrella and headed up the trail knowing that even with a freshly filled pack in hanover a seasoned thru hiker would catch up to us soon. I was carefully picking my way up some of the slabs not wishing a fall and he caught up and headed on past us. Some beautiful meadows along the way here..off to the east the tower on Smarts looked far away and in sharp contrast to the clouds. After climbing to the final rocky knob of Lambert ridge the trail drops off quickly in to a col and winds around a bit before dropping again in a swampy sprucy area..We passed a group from Wisconsin who remarked that it was hard to train for the Whites where they lived as there are only rolling hills.
Soon the climb out of the mud gave way to slippery slabs and ledge.The trail goes pretty much straight up here for a half mile soon joining the ranger Trail which came up from the right. We came across one group of trail workers installing a new ladder to help with one of the more difficult slabs..We chatted a bit ..Suddenly Finn the dog..took off at a gallop..we had come upon a larger DOC trail crew who had sadly left a bag of cookies in sight.. Well Mary apologized profusely and Finn licked his chops and enjoyed a sugar buzz for the rest of the climb. This crew was hard at work building a rock staircase around another ledge. After a sporty ascent the grade lessened, the trail softened and the excellent privy and firetower came into view. I clambered up the tower a bit but the view was haze restricted so we retreated to ground level for a tasty lunch.
For the descent we branched off and took the ranger Trail down which was the old AT and looped back to the parking lot. The upper section of this trail all wet and mossy slabs and we certainly watched our step. Eventually the slabs gave way to a brook bed which actually had better footing than the slick smooth ledge. A few of the old cairns and poles that carried the telephone wire to the tower were spotted here and there. Finally the grade lessened ,we crossed a brook, and we were on the old access road described in the WMG which provided alternately good footing and mucky muddy sections. The hike out went very easily despite the many muddy sections and we enjoyed some wildflowers in sections and beautiful hardwood forests in others. We had debated checking out the Lyme Dorchester Road on the way over but took the paved route..on the way home we checked out that road over to 118 and we were greeted by a large Road Closed sign..oh well..ice cream at the very nice Lyme General Store took the sting out of that disappoinment. A good day out with Cymbidium, Grumpy Gran, and Finn..
a few pics to follow at
www.overthehillhikers.blogspot.com
