Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Smarts Mountain, NH |
|
| Trails: |
Lambert Ridge Trail, Ranger Trail |
|
| Date of Hike: |
Sunday, January 31, 2021 |
|
| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Lot was plowed, but icy. No one there at 8:30, but completely full at lunchtime. |
|
| Surface Conditions: |
Ice - Blue, Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Postholes |
|
| Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
|
| Water Crossing Notes: |
Ranger Trail crossing was fairly solidly bridged. |
|
| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
A few moderate sized blowdowns on Lambert Ridge and Ranger Trail. Privy roof has been partially torn off. |
|
| Dog-Related Notes: |
|
|
| Bugs: |
|
|
| Lost and Found: |
|
|
|
|
|
| Comments: |
Snowpack was a little bit skimpy at the trailhead, but quickly increased to a foot deep within a few minutes. Lots of postholing on the Lambert Ridge Trail as the depths increased. We did our best to fix the damage with our snowshoes.
Above the junction, snowpack increased to 2+ feet. One blue ice bulge at that junction. Decent snowshoe track forming above. Snowshoes were needed to go to other areas of interest, such as the tentsite vista (best non-tower view) and the cabin, neither of which the many barebooters had been to likely due to depths.
Tower steps are caked in snow/rime, but could be barebooted. I opted not to go into the cab, as the windows were rimed over. Really strong views with some atmospheric distortion on the Ossipees and Sunapee.
Ranger Trail was decent going on snowshoes; much better than the wet/slippery mess it can be in summertime.
Sub-zero start, but warmed up to about 20 by lunchtime. Crisp, blue skies. |
|
| Name: |
rocket21 |
|
| E-Mail: |
rocket21@franklinwebpublishing.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2021-01-31 |
|
| Link: |
https://www.franklinsites.com/hikephotos |
|
|
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. |
|