| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Smarts Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lambert Ridge Trail, Smarts Ranger Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, January 26, 2019 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parking lot for these 2 trails is plowed with room for a dozen cars or so. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Ice - Breakable Crust, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow/Ice - Monorail (Stable), Snow/Ice - Monorail (Unstable), Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes, Light Traction |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The 2 crossings of Grant Brook were not bridged but rock-hoppable. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Half dozen small blown-downs were non-issue. Both Lambert Ridge Tr. And Ranger Trail are in need of blazing. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
I said light traction but I wore my snowshoes car to car. Light traction would only work at lower elevation. Definitely needed the snowshoes. Both trails showed signs of use are were solid down low. I did a clockwise loop. Things were going well on the LBT but started to become tougher as I gain elevation. Due the lack of blazes, I followed a path that was heading too far west. Bushwhacked east and found AT again. It was a game of lost and found for a while. All tracks ended at about the halfway point. From the junction of the Ranger Trail to the summit it was very tough going. Breakable crust is tough when you break through a foot. Tough to pull the snowshoe out of the hole. Decent views from the tower. Had hot soup in the cab of the tower. Heading down the Ranger Trail was miserable. More breakable crust but much deeper in the valley. First 1/2 was a B*tch! The last 2 miles was easy grades and well packed out. It seems several have hiked up to what ever the Structure is 2 miles in on the Ranger Trail. Tough but rewarding day. |
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 | Name: |
Joe Richardson |
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 | E-Mail: |
justjoe6453@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2019-01-26 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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