Smarts Mt

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Grey J

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What's your preference on climbing/descending Smarts Mt? It would be a summer hike. Looks to me like ascending via Lambert Ridge and descending via the Ranger Trail is the way to go but usually VFTT members have good reasons for suggesting either direction on these loop hikes so I'm curious about people's opinions. I assume the fire tower is still open. Right?

Actually I have the impression that VFTT is on life support with very little action over the last week so I just thought I'd ask a question. What's up? You all just hibernating?:cool:
 
The fire tower was refurbished recently and in excellent shape. The standard is up Lambert, down Ranger, although, I prefer the Daniel Doane/J Trail/snowmo trail route because I'm lazy and people-averse. I've only been up in winter but gather that the J trail up high has a pretty notorious boggy section in summer.
 
I took the J Trail last summer and there were many new bog bridges and no boggy sections. The Daniel Doane Trail was very eroded on the upper section.
 
Up Daniel Doan and down the AT northbound is great, but be aware that near the top the Doan Trail stays icy and muddy much later. Another great option with this is to keep going north on the AT to Cube, then down the Riverndell Trail and left on Baker Rd. back to your car.

Another cool way up Smarts is the old Maskoma Train from Green Woodlands, if you can find the beginning.... but you have to then either go back downt he way you went up or plan on a long hitch on a road with no traffic to get back to your car ; - )
 
I haven't done the Clark Pond Trail (which might be the 'snomobile trail' JoshandBaron referenced?). Lambert Ridge is quite nice, but I also enjoyed the Ranger trail too, so a semi-loop with those is great. Connecting with Cube via the J Trail and the Eastman ledges is probably my preferred option for a bigger hike. The J trail is very mellow, and the unique views from Mt. Cube are worth the extra effort IMO. If you're just doing Smarts though, I'd suggest doing it from the south.

Glad to hear their refurbished the Fire Tower. It was missing a bunch of panes last time I was up there.


CPLT is the Maskoma trail Scubahhh mentioned. The snowmobile trail I use crosses the J trail before the bridge and closes the loop with DDT at the house where DDT enters the woods.
 
What's your preference on climbing/descending Smarts Mt? It would be a summer hike. Looks to me like ascending via Lambert Ridge and descending via the Ranger Trail is the way to go but usually VFTT members have good reasons for suggesting either direction on these loop hikes so I'm curious about people's opinions. I assume the fire tower is still open. Right?

Actually I have the impression that VFTT is on life support with very little action over the last week so I just thought I'd ask a question. What's up? You all just hibernating?:cool:

I didn't like the Ranger trail at all. Eroded and really boring. Nothing of value. I would go back Lambert Ridge.
 
Thanks to all who responded. I'm looking forward to the view from the fire tower and filling in another 3K NH peak.
And its good to see that VFTT is still alive and well after all. Not nailed to the perch, perhaps just pining for the fjords.
 
Is this the Mascoma Trail that Scuba is writing about??? I hiked Smarts Mountain once from Green Woodlands via bushwhack from Green Woodlands in 2014. Near summit I came across a decent woodland road that was going my way and so I took it and followed it to junction with main trails. I decided to follow the woodland road down on my descent and it turned out to be very good condition. Very few blow downs. Drainage was excellent. I didn't notice any saw cuts indicating it was maintained. I was very pleased to forego job of route finding. The trail generally follows Clough Brook which shows up on USGS maps.

It appeared to be sort of a stealth trail in that point where it joins Green Woodland Trails is obscured with brush, but it does terminate in log landing clearing at end of spur trail from Green Woodlands trails system. I revisited Green Woodlands web site the other night and downloaded latest MB and XC ski trail maps. The trail is shown as dashed line on MB map, but not shown on XC map. It is not shown as MB trail, but is shown dashed sort of FYI. Funny how Green Woodlands appears to focus on MB and XC, but hiking appears to be totally ignored. I wonder if since it is shown on the MB map they have begun maintaining the trail in some way. I prefer this route as it cuts down on my driving time as I generally approach from east and trail is darn nice one. Coming in from gate Dorchester Road RT has lengthy approach on good roads for total RT of 10+ miles.

This hike just got added to my to-do list for this year. I'm curious to revisit the trail and see tower renovations.
 
Last edited:
Jazzbo-

From the top if you head north on the AT and keep an eye out you'll see a slightly overgrown trail heading off to the right with (maybe) a sign indicating the Maskoma (with a 'k') Trail and yo can follow it all the way down to Green's. From the bottom it's a little trickier to find, but as with most things easy if you know where to look. I can send you directions if you like.

I know the bushwhack you're talking about, I think, because I've done that as well, looking for the old Maskoma Trail.

South of Green's the trails also connect to Rt 118 south of Dorchester and eventually (I think) to Cardigan via Firescrew. if that's right, it's just a matter of figuring out how to get from Alexandria Four Corners to Ragged without to much road walking and presto! NH's very own Long Trail...
 
Hi Scuba ... thanks for writing. The trail I took from summit taking off to the right heading north on AT from tower fits your description. In 2014 the only sign it had was one shown below "This is not the AT". I think it is the one you are talking about. My GPS track indicates it follows Clough Brook pretty closely the whole way. If I had named it might of called it the Clough Brook Trail.

IMG_1706-L.jpg


I could see myself doing combo MB/hike even if I end up pushing the bike on the approach to the trail. I find it very sporty coasting out on a MB. Maybe stop by one of the ponds for a cool dip??? Humm!
 
Yes, that's the one. On older maps it's marked and referred to as The Appalachian Trail, and also Clark Pond or Maskoma Train, depending on whether you're connecting with Moose Mountain or Cardigan.

I first walked it a long time ago: bushwhacked up as you did because I mistakenly followed what looked like a better trail up Meadow Brook rather than turning up Clough Brook. Once I got to the point where the "road" along Meadow Brook fizzled out I was too damn stubborn to turn around and just kept going uphill. If I remember right it was pretty easy open hardwood most of the way, and pretty sprucy near the top, with a pretty eroded streambed that was tough to follow.

I think the actual AT (Lambert Trail) is a more interesting hike up from the south to Smarts, unlike the north side where the old AT (Daniel Doan Train) is much cooler than the current version. The "new" AT up Cube (Kodak Trail) on the other hand is more fun than the older version (Cross Rivendell).

Driving to somewhere like Reservoir Pond or Cummins Pond and then riding up to the Maskoma Trail would make a great bike/hike combo. I wouldn't recommend the road ride from the AT parking lot to Greens, though. Just my 2¢.

Thanks for bringing this up... I think I'll try to get out this weekend to connect this with Cardigan if I can...
 
Hi Scuba ... thanks for writing. The trail I took from summit taking off to the right heading north on AT from tower fits your description. In 2014 the only sign it had was one shown below "This is not the AT". I think it is the one you are talking about. My GPS track indicates it follows Clough Brook pretty closely the whole way. If I had named it might of called it the Clough Brook Trail.

IMG_1706-L.jpg


I could see myself doing combo MB/hike even if I end up pushing the bike on the approach to the trail. I find it very sporty coasting out on a MB. Maybe stop by one of the ponds for a cool dip??? Humm!

I can't find the original so you'll have to excuse the link to my instagram post from a 2018 trip. The sign has mileage via the Clark Pond Loop for LD rd, clark pond camp, moose mtn shelter, and rejoin the AT.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgHsesHgVrD/?igshid=uruyr3f0w5tz
 
The Clark Pond Loop was old AT, many moons ago. When I went to school we hiked a few remaining pieces of it but the rest had fallen into disuse. Not sure who if anyone has taken up maintenance on it, I'll check with my DOC sources.
 
My guess is that nobody is maintaining the Maskoma Trail part up Smarts from Green's, though it's not in bad shape once you find it. The old Wentworth Road from the Moose Mt. col tot he Green's lot is another story... beyond where the old trail meets the road about halfway (?) down the east slope I haven't been able to find it (haven't looked very hard) as suspect it's been gobbled up by roads and other development... it would be cool to be able to retrace the Clark Pond Loo-p, wouldn't it? I seem to thin I remember it from college days in the '70s
 
On 8/6/20 I followed through my idea for hike and bike up Smarts via the old Mascoma or (CPLT). The excursion proved to look better in my mind's eye than in real life. I parked at lot for Green Woodlands in North Dorchester. I encountered signs stating only residents of NH and VT were allowed. I figured since we own a trailer in Plymouth I was I qualified as resident of NH.

20200806_174346-S.jpg


I found two notes on my windshield on my return chastising me for violating the signage (I have MA plates on my car) and requesting me to not come back again in 2020. I should have left a note :( I guess. Being Thursday I only encountered total of 3 other cyclists the entire day probably would have encountered more if it was weekend. I encountered three AT northbound hikers at fire tower and family of 5 came up while I was on my way down steps of the tower. The brief respite of cool Canadian air after the tropical storm passed through made for excellent viewing of which I will share a couple here. View of Mount Cube and Moosilauke to the north.

20200806_142047-XL.jpg


View to the south of Cummins and Reservoir Ponds and Mt Cardigan is in the distance.

20200806_142146-L.jpg


I found the Green Woodlands Ten Mile Trail to the trout pond at 1700' somewhat steep in spots requiring me to push the bike up some of the hills. From Trout Pond I chose to take left fork of Trout Pond Loop trail which I needed to take to get to the Spur Trail. The TPL trail turned out to be mostly deep grass which made it hard to see road hazards. I went flying over the handlebars attempting to brake for some loose rock on short downhill. Fortunately I got away with only couple of bruises. I think my somewhat heavy pack caused my center of gravity to be too high giving me tendency to go over the bars while braking on steep downhills especially if surface is soft and gravelly. I was very cautious about downhills after that.

The Trout Pond Loop trail meets up with regular graded gravel Spur Trail at warming hut. After one steep downhill which I dismounted for I had a good mile of level traveling where I encountered appropriately named Smarts Mountain Trail. I followed portion of this trail that parallels Clough Branch. I encountered Mascoma Trail at log landing meadow.

Big surprise is I found the Mascoma Trail is very well maintained. I found recent tire tracks from some sort of ATV which went as high as say 2500' elevation where steepest part of trail starts. I'm fairly sure who ever was riding the ATV was authorized Green Woodlands. The trail is very lightly traveled meaning very little erosion and rich in organic matter making for excellent footing which this old fart genuinely enjoyed. Above 2500' the trail was also lightly traveled but looked more like higher elevation boreal forest also very nice.

I descended via this trail and opted to skip Trout Pond Loop with its tall grasses. There was one steep pitch which I pushed the bike up hill. A women driving a truck stopped to chat with me as I pushed my bike up this steep pitch. The steep pitch moderated after the warming hut to where I could go back to peddling. I followed Spur Trail all the way to North Dorchester Road which was gated. This would be preferred route to try this hike and bike, but Green Woodlands has no parking signs up and down roadway at this gate so I doubt I'll be doing this excursion again any time soon. The downhill run back to the lot where I started was a real thrill.
 
I found two notes on my windshield on my return chastising me for violating the signage (I have MA plates on my car) and requesting me to not come back again in 2020.
They've had a lot of problems with out of state visitors and settled on just enforcing based on license plates. It makes for an easy call and there's no interpretation required. Their FB page has made their policy clear, but perhaps it's not as clear on site.
 
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