Trails Used

Lambert Ridge Trail, Ranger Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Great hike, hot day, but some clouds helped reduce sun on ledges. Trails were very dry!! No water any where on Lambert, and the mud spots on Ranger were mostly harder squishy mud that doesn't even stick to your boots. There were a few slightly wetter sections, but all water and mud was easily avoided until the very final 500 yds. Others on the summit were returning on Lambert because the book they were reading told them Ranger was always wet; not today. Must be as good as it gets!

Parking

Space for about a dozen cars

Water Crossings

Maybe, mostly dry stream beds

Wildlife

none

Trails Used

Daniel Doan, J Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Mousely Brook Rd and Daniel Doan trailhead parkings both in good shape. Still a lot of logging activity at the bottom of Daniel Doan but it's easy to follow the trail - looks freshly marked!

Trails Used

Lambert Ridge Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

No Ice or snow on the trail which was a bonus. Saw 4 hikers and 2 trail runners. The trail is still fairly wet in spots which was the only issue. It was sunny on the way up, but the clouds moved in just before I hit the lookout tower. On the way down had a mix of light spotty rain, some flurries and occasional sun.

Parking

Plenty of parking at the Lambert Ridge Trailhead.

Water Crossings

The crossings over actual streams were very easy, getting through some of the standing water/mud on the trail after Lambert ridge was tricky but doable. there were quite a few wet and slippery areas on the final ascent to Smarts Mtn. peak.

Wildlife

Not yet

Trails Used

Daniel Doan Trail, J Trail, Snowmobile Trail P153

Trail Conditions

Notes

Up Smarts via Daniel Doan, down via J Trail and Snowmobile Trail P153 to get back to the DD parking area on Mousely Brook Road. Ran up to the steeps at 2,500', then hiked the rest of the way up, jogged down. Daniel Doan was in its usual rough shape but is well marked. There is an active timber harvest going on on both sides of the lower part of Daniel Doan Trai, with equipment crossing the trail in two places and leaving some deep, muddy ruts. Only a single 2' wide remnant of ice/snow on the entire hike--spring is ascendant.

Parking

Looks like fill was added to the Mousley Brook Road parking area for Daniel Doane Trail, along with several new "no parking in winter, snowplow turnaround" signs. Parking area looks like it will accommodate up to 5 cars. Logging trucks are operating on Mousely Brook Road for a timber harvest-- isn't much room on that road when haul trucks roll down it.

Water Crossings

All easily fordable.

Trails Used

Ranger Trail, Lambert Ridge Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Detailed trip report on a spring hike up Smarts Mountain via the Ranger Trail (older route of AT) to reach a slide and summit fire tower. Lower Ranger Trail soggy, upper section rough and eroded with poor footing. Slide has two remaining open sections, upper section very wet and dangerous (200-foot swath with 32-degree slope). Crystal-clear visibility reported (110-mile visibility per Mount Washington Observatory). Bushwhack required to reach slide and summit. Fire tower refurbished in 1994 and 2016, still maintained for hikers. Several small ice patches observed on mountain despite spring conditions.

Water Crossings

Grant Brook crossing and tributary brook crossing on Ranger Trail; lower runout of slide was very wet

Wildlife

Evidence of a slide-bagging moose observed

Trails Used

Lambert Ridge Trail, Ranger Trail

Trail Conditions

Notes

Beautiful afternoon to Smarts. The AT up was mostly dry until the top where the occasional wet ledges ware very slippery. Coming down Ranger Trail, again occasional wet rocks, a fair amount of mud / water / drainage issues especially near the bottom but I'm guessing by the trail that it's about as good as it gets.

Water Crossings

Easy crossings

Also on this trip

Trails Used

Dump Run mountain bike trail, unofficial logging roads, bushwhack

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Early April bushwhack in wild region north of Rumney's Rattlesnake Mountain. Thin patches of recently fallen snow in shaded areas, already melted in sunny areas. Found old snow on descent to col, approximately one foot deep in spots. Visited talus field and multiple ledges with views. Discovered summit register placed in 2010. Located hardwood glade on east side of summit. Noted Eight-Ball Mica Prospect site in area for future exploration.

Parking

Buffalo Road

Water Crossings

Crossed nameless brook below cascade

Trails Used

Daniel Doan Trail, J Trail

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

North-facing slopes still have snowpack; South-facing slopes are clear upto the Mousey Brooks crossing. Benefited from freezing temps as the muddy areas were spongey at worst. Bare boots to the Mousey Brook crossing on Doan Trail, then snowshoes. Televators were a big help in steep sections. The snowpack was frozen/ granular, spots of blue ice were mostly avoidable. Fire tower was open. Fantastic views! J Trail seems to get less winter traffic than Doan. Great snowshoe conditions. I lost the trail a couple times through hardwood glades where snowpack hid signs of the trail, white blazes were sparse. Gaia app was a big help. Back to bear boots below ~1800ft on J Trail.

Parking

Quintown Rd was frozen in the AM, an a little bit muddy on the drive out. Parked at the intersection of Mousey Brook Rd and Quintown Rd. Good spot to split up the road walk.

Water Crossings

Easy rock-hopping across Mousey Brook.

Wildlife

None

Trails Used

Lambert Ridge Tr (AT)

Trail Conditions

Equipment

Notes

Making it to the summit is extremely challenging right now. From roughly 2400 ft all the way to the summit is a solid sheet of ice (flowing ice up to a foot+ thick). It covers the sides of the trail too, so even trying to bushwhack around it is a challenge. We didn't try Ranger Trail, but at the trail intersection it was also solid ice as far down as we could see. The rest of the trail from the parking lot, over the ledges, into the dip and up to 2200-2300 ft has largely melted dry and no traction needed (with the shaded areas still holding onto its snow and minor ice here and there). Even with the warmer weather and rain coming this week, this trail will probably be a challenging one for quite some time.

Parking

Good parking for 8-10 cars