| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Smarts Mountain, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Lambert Ridge Trail, Ranger Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, April 2, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Dorchester Road from the intersection with Grafton Turnpike Rd to the trailhead is a dirt road in poor condition, with many large potholes. It and the parking lot were plowed, but the parking lot has a small stream running through it, and collapsing ice at its far end, so we did not dare drive all the way to the end of the lot. Even so, one of our cars got temporarily stuck. The parking lot is more like a driveway whose width is little more than twice the width of a car - there is room for about 4 cars to park end-to-end on the left side of the parking lot, but it would hard to park more without blocking some of the other cars. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Snow - Spring Snow, Snow/Ice - Postholes, Snow/Ice - Small Patches |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The crossing of Grant Brook at the former fire warden's garage 1.9 miles up the Ranger Trail was difficult in the afternoon. We tried using a snowbridge a little way downstream, but only a few of my group of 8 managed to cross it before it collapsed. The rest of us crossed near the garage; that required stepping on a sequence of rocks each about 2 inches underwater, with water flowing over them, and a slip would mean stepping in a foot of water. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Both trails had several blowdowns causing herd paths. The Lambert Ridge Trail had one very close to the trailhead. Some of the white AT blazes on the Lambert Ridge Trail have faded to the point of being almost invisible. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Should be OK for dogs. |
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 | Bugs: |
None yet. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
Don't be fooled by the lack of snow at the trailhead! Bring your snowshoes! There is plenty of snow just a little higher up, 20-30 inches deep along much of the trail, though partly packed.
On the Lambert Ridge Trail, bare boots were best up to the large ledgy area about 0.8 miles in, but snowshoes were best from there to the summit (there are still a few brief places where one must walk on rocks, however, so nothing is perfect). Beyond the 0.8 miles point, the snow was at first shallow enough and packed enough that microspikes could have sufficed, but soon it became deeper, and snowshoes were needed to avoid making deep postholes. The White Mountain Guide mentions that above the junction where it rejoins the Ranger Trail, "the trails ascend a steep, wet slab via log and and rock stairs and iron rungs", but these features must have been buried, since all we saw was a snowy trail that was somewhat steep at times.
On the Ranger Trail, the snow was soft (perhaps this was partly since we were there later in the day, but I think it is more than that, and this was a cold day). So snowshoes were needed even more. It was only the bottom half mile or so where snow patches alternated with bare leafy trail or bare muddy sections, making bare boots best. Everywhere above that, snowshoes were best. The footprints in the snow often seemed to be in a stream bed covered in sometimes-collapsing snow with flowing water underneath; I wonder whether the Ranger Trail officially goes alongside instead of in some of those stream beds, but it was hard to tell. There were many places where snowshoers would have to take a significant detour around places where the snow had melted/collapsed to expose the flowing stream below.
The firetower at the summit seems to be in excellent condition (renovated just a few years ago), but for safety hold the metal railing as you ascend or descend, and be very careful at the trap door leading into the top chamber - it's a long way down! Opening the trap door required some force today - it seemed to be slightly frozen shut. |
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 | Name: |
mathbp |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-04-02 |
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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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