Mount Monadnock

Location: Jaffrey NH
Elevation start: 1350'
Summit elevation: 3165'
Elevation gain: 1815'
Difficulty: Moderate but very manageable

Meteorological Conditions: Friday, February 21, 2003
Base: 51º, Wind, negligible
Summit: 35º - 40º, Wind 20mph, Mostly sunny

Trail Conditions:
Conditions on the White Cross and White Dot trails were pretty good because so many people had hiked that week. The Dot and Cross are typically the two most heavily traveled trails on the mountain. Because of the warm weather and heavy foot traffic, crampons or snowshoes weren't necessary (they would make it a little easier though). The other access trails were little less traveled and the snow not as well packed. The ranger station recommends crampons or snowshoes for ant trail other than the White Cross or White Dot.

The Hike:
I hiked that Friday with my friends Matt and Tina. The three of us got a late start and hit the Ranger station in the parking lot at 2:25 p.m. Everyone at the station was wearing a weather-induced perma-grin. Everyone loved the 50º temperatures. If there weren't three feet of snow on the ground you wouldn't know it was winter.

We used the 2.2 mile White Cross trail to the summit. It took us just shy of two hours to reach the summit. We stopped a few times just to look over the landscape and take in the views (we're also not all in the greatest shape!). It's really something to look out and see such a great distance where everything is covered in such a nice quiet snow. On the way up we only saw a couple other hikers and chatted with them about the pair of A10 Warthogs flying close overhead. Those are the really heavy-duty 'tank buster' planes that seemed to be doing some kind of training.

It was a little breezy on the summit. The sky was slightly overcast just blocking the view of the Boston skyline. Most of the time when you're on the summit if you look hard enough to the east-southeast, you can just see the buildings of the bustling city.

On our way down we had a blast sliding on our butts. On nearly all the downhills, we just sat right down, wiggled a little bit, and really took off. With Gortex pants on, Tina and I slid effortlessly! We were really moving on some of the steep parts. It would have been more comfortable to slide down earlier in the day when the snow was a little softer. Because we started down so late in the day, it was getting a little colder and the snow was a little harder… it was just a little bit less comfortable on the backside. You do need to be careful not to slide off a trail into a tree or over any jagged rocks, steering is tough! Using a little caution though, (my disclaimer!) you can really have a blast! Just be sure to watch out for other hikers.

Today, Mount Monadnock is the most frequently climbed mountain in the world. That distinction previously belonged to mount Fuji in Japan, but since Mt. Fuji built an auto road it's no longer able to claim most frequently climbed. It's estimated that 125,000 people climb each year. On a clear day from Monadnock's summit you can see the Boston skyline and hills in all six New England states. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson have both climbed and written about Mount Monadnock.

The base area offers year round camping and hiking. There are 21 tent sites near the parking area. In the summer there are flush toilets, running water and firewood with a camp store and showers. In the winter only pit toilets are open, water and firewood are not always available and the campground road is not plowed. For reservation information call (603) 271-3628 and for trail conditions call the ranger station at (603) 532-8862. The station closes at 5p.m. daily.

Mount Monadnock is the most climbed mountain in the world partly because the trails suite nearly all skill levels. Additionally, in as short as a 2.2 mile hike, the views from the top are exceptional. As far as mountain climbing goes, Mr. Monadnock might just be the best bang for the buck in New England. Click here for reviews and maps of the different trails on Monadnock. http://www.qcc.mass.edu/brink/qcc/monadtr.html