Half Mile and Smith Pond in Enfield, NH

[Matt Steinberg]

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday I did a double header on Half Mile and Smith Ponds in Enfield, NH. These are hike to ponds. From my side of the Mountain, the hike to Half Mile is almost 4 miles with an accumulated elevation gain of 1,700 feet and takes about an hour and half. This is a very remote pond. In the 17 years I have hiked there I have never seen another person that I did not bring with me. It is also exceptionally beautiful at an elevation of 1,900 feet. It has steep shorelines, the west side being lined with cliffs plastered in glittering ice pinnacles. There is a beaver pond at the south end. It is reminiscent of Lilliputian Lake Willoughby and you really get a sense of true wilderness there. The ice was bombproof grey that was 5 to 6 inches thick. The ice surface was actually pretty bad, with most either being covered in snow or trippy shell ice. There was a small area of rough orange peel. I cobbled together about 5 miles but in a location as otherworldly as this, I honestly don't care about the ice surface. It is just a pleasure to skate there.

Next I hiked the two miles over to Smith Pond. This is much larger and I have watched the ice grow for several weeks. It lost an inch of thickness in the last rain storm but has grey ice between 2.5 and 4 inches thick and no open water. There is a lot of snow on the south cove of the west end and shell ice on the shore. I was able to circumnavigate the whole lake pretty much. The treat is in the middle however on 2.5 inch smooth orange peel grey ice. I was able to add about 10 miles to my tally. A sizable area bordering it is even smoother 1.5 inch ice. This ice needs to thicken and then 2/3 of this 2 mile RT lake would be a pleasure to skate. I am headed back to Smith now. It was in the low teens last night and this ice is clear of snow so I am hoping it thickened enough to be fully skateable. I will report later this evening. 

[Matt Steinberg]

Hi Everyone,

I just returned from Smith Pond and elevation made all the difference as the flurries at my house a 1.5 mile walk and 1000 feet lower were about 3/4 inch of snow at the lake. It is now almost completely snow covered. The shell ice from yesterday is now hard to spot under the snow and that along with a few somewhat consolidated drifts could be trip hazards. The transitions between the thinner ice and the thicker grey ice are now extremely difficult or impossible to visualize. The thinner areas that were 1.5 to 1.75 inches yesterday are now around 2 to 2.25. Of course this is the newest and smoothest ice on the lake at this point but should be approached with caution. You will not be able to tell visually when you are on it unless some snow blows off or melts out but if the ice goes from bumpy or orange peel to smooth you are on the thinner ice. I tested several places and did not find anything less than 2 inches but I would especially be extra cautious around the islands or rocks. I may go up early in the morning  as it is supposed to warm a lot, up to 43, and be windy which is not a good combination. I will decide later as I am on a tight schedule tomorrow. Let me know if you are interested. You will not rack up a lot of miles here with the current conditions but it is a beautiful place for a relaxing hike and skate 

Matt

On Thu, Dec 14, 2023, 11:56 AM WILLIAM A TUTHILL <watu...@verizon.net> wrote:

Thank you Matt for the report. 

 It appears that Smith Pond is approachable by road.

Is that accurate? Any intel on parking/ put in?

 Thank you in advance.

 Will

p.s. don’t look at the Monday forecast. Do look at Christmas week forecast :-)

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