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Aug
18 , 1983 Thursday (434.4 mtg) From
Gonzo!s Appalachian Trail journal
The
new relocation up Moose Mountain was not open yet, so there was
not a lot of climbing today other than the climb up Holt's Ledges
and the climb up Smarts Mountain. Holt's Ledges was the shorter
climb of the two. From Lyme-Dorchester Road, after the descent from
Holt's Ledges, the trail ascended five and three quarters miles
with an elevation gain of almost 2500 feet to the summit of Smarts
Mountain. Once near the summit I took the short side trail to Smarts
Mountain Shelter to check the place out and read the register. I
noticed in the register that John Smart had made an entry, and was
only a few days ahead. I had met him, I believe, at Plumb Orchard
Shelter way back when in 1981. Unfortunately I did not check out
the famous "privey with a view" located on Smart's Mountain.
I do not know if this was because I just did not know about it,
or if I could not find it, or if I just thought the view from the
fire tower would be just as good.
I decided to eat lunch at the firewardens cabin at the summit only
because there were no views from the nearby firetower due to the
weather. The descent off of the mountain was much steeper than the
climb to get there. It dropped steeply for about a mile and a half
and then became more gradual as I approached the Quintown Road.
The trail followed the road for a while until just before the point
where the trail left the road near Mt. Cube Shelter. At that junction
I met a nice family with a young boy who were just on their way
to the beach on Lower Baker Pond. I had no idea where this was,
but they were going swimming and invited me to go along. Sounded
like a good idea, so I hopped into their vehicle. We drove down
route 25a for what seemed like a long ride, and then pulled off
at the lake near the road. The beach was small, but the water was
refreshing, and allowed for a bath as well. Later that afternoon
we returned to the spot I had met them and was invited to have supper
at their small cabin right next to the trail along the roadwalk.
That evening, I proceeded up the side of Mount Cube, and made my
camp among the rocks on the south summit as far as I could tell.
While there, I met a couple of guys who had jogged up Mount Cube
along the new relocation that I would not have to take since it
was not open yet. A hazy sunset ended the day, and once again I
was lucky that the rain did not fall during the night.
Gonzo!
Appalachian Trail Journals ©1983
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