Day 164

8/17/21 Left the campsite late this morning around 10:00 AM because I didn’t get to bed last night until midnight. Weather today was cloudy with temps probably in the mid 70s and a light rain in the late afternoon. Saw four NOBO’s who I have met before and 4 SOBO’s and a few day hikers. Only hiked 12.1 miles but climbed 4024 feet and descended 2,886 feet.Initially reached the North Peak of Moose Mountain (2,297 ft) which had no view. Then descended do goose Pond Road at 958 feet and then climbed to Holt’s Ledge (1,968 ft) with amazing views. After the AT turned followed the trail by the ledge which was fenced off to protect Peregrine Falcon nesting sites. Could see Smart’s Mountain in the far distance which I climbed at the end of the day. Descended down to 880 feet and a paved road in Lyme, New Hampshire. Then began the long hike up to Smart’s Mountain(3,237 ft) with views from Lambert Ridge. From there it look like the peak was at least 10 miles away but in fact it was only a few miles. Transitioned to the boreal forest zone which I love. Saw my favorite amphibian the terrestrial red eft which after a few years on land returns to the water as an eastern newt. Saw reindeer lichen and my favorite annual forest plant the bunchberry now having the red berries which are edible but have no taste and have a “pit”. All of the American beach trees are infected with the invasive beech bark disease which I think will eventually kill them all. It’s so sad to see this. I don’t think there’s any way to stop it. I suspect most hikers aren’t even aware of this. I had actually hiked Smarts Mountain years ago with Roxy and Lola not on the AT and recall a dead moose lying right on the trail almost at the summit. It was so strange why it died there. This was a loop hike I did when I started hiking again in a book that had hiked with dogs in NH and Vermont. Initially I started with easy hikes as I thought there was no way I could ever do the 4,000 footers. Actually Smarts Mountain hike is harder than some of the 4,000 footers. Well I eventually did all 48 four thousand footers several times with both Lola and Piper and many with Roxy. Never thought I could do them in the winter but did the NH chapter AMC winter hiking series which a great course and have done many in the winter. Hiking in the Whites I was often on the AT and saw thru hikers and was always so much in awe of what they were doing and now I’m getting closer to completing my goal. This has been the hardest thing I’ve ever attempted. My hiking skills and confidence has steadily grown over the years and certainly my fitness has improved since I started my thru hike over 5 months ago which is hard to believe. Got to the Smarts tenting area and it was just getting dark. Foggy no one else here and I am only 0.1 miles from the summit and fire tower.