Date: 2004-08-30
From: ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ½ mi. s of Goose Pond Rd 

To: Smarts Mt. Cabin 
Miles today: 9.7

8/31/04 Day 2 Start: 12 mi. s of Goose Pond Rd @ 7:30. Stop: Smarts Mt. Cabin @ 3:30Mileage: On trail 9.7; Cum. 23.9.   Off trail: 0.1; Cum 0.1Weather: hazy, hot, and humid, again.Major landmarks: Smarts Mountain        Another hot, humid day. Not quite as hot as yesterday, but enough to draw the energy right out of you. And that it did. You sweat profusely, but it doesn¢t cool you at all. It just soaks your clothes, then begins to run down your arms and legs and drip onto the ground. There is no cooperative cooling at all. It reminds me of Pennsylvania two years ago in mid summer. Same conditions and no water, pretty much like it is here.        There was quite a light show last night. Continuous heat lightning until the rains came, and then it really dumped for about half an hour. It did make the trail a little muddier today, but it didn¢t do anything for the water supplies.        I got a pretty good start and very soon began the 2 mile hike up to Holt¢s Ledge. It seemed to go on forever, and when I got there, I couldn¢t see anything for the haze. Then it was down to a road, past the snowmaking pond for the Dartmouth Skiway, then a relatively easy 2 miles to the road again. There was a nice stream along the way, so I filled up with water and dunked my head to cool off.        From the road, I began the 4 mile climb up Smarts mountain. The first objective was Lambert Ridge, about 2 miles up, then there is a dip before the final climb to the summit. Again, it was a long climb. I reached some ledges which appeared to be the top of the ridge so I laid down and took a nap. I was exhausted. When I got going again, it was continuous ledge climbing and I realized I wasn¢t at the top yet. I had to make many stops to rest, including another short nap, until I finally reached the top on the ridge and could see the mountain ahead that I still had to climb. I was discouraged and didn¢t think there was anyway I could climb that, plus I was thirsty and running out of water.        After another break and a photo, I started out, plodding up the mountain. At one point in the dip, there was a little pool of water coming out from under a tree. I stopped, drank all the water I had and refilled my bottle. It was a little discolored, but it would do. So, I plodded on, taking many breaks as the trail got steeper and steeper. The maintainers have done a lot of work here, putting in stairs where they can, but a lot of it was climbing up steep ledge. I finally made the summit and was never so glad to see a shelter as I was to see this one. It is enclosed, but there are no bunks, just the floor. But it¢s a roof over my head for when the rains come.        My gear is hanging from the rafters of the porch trying to dry out in this humidity. Every now and then there is a little breeze, which helps.        It was a fairly low mileage day, but I¢m where I had planned to be. It¢s a good thing I put a few miles in the bank yesterday, otherwise I don¢t think I would have made it here.(Photos: #3¢AT marker, 412 miles to go. #4¢1,730 miles done. #5 Today¢s quarry, Smarts Mountain. #6-7¢From Smarts Mountain Fire Tower)