Mt. Monadnock via trails less traveled

Saturday, 8/25/12: One of the advantages of taking less-traveled trails on Monadnock is that you avoid the hordes of hikers on the mountain. On some trails (Surprise Point and Cliff Walk), we didn't see a soul.

I am now a convert to electrolyte drinks when it's hot or humid. I drank the equivalent of 3 32-oz. bottles Zero Powerade and I felt great at day's end -- in contrast to how depleted ("wilted") I normally feel after only drinking water.

Wildlife sighting -- what I believe is a garter snake.

This was good training for the Lafayette Ridge hike we plan later this year!

5.8 miles RT, 2,277' elevation gain (approx. 6 hours with stops)
Summit: Mt. Monadnock (3,165')
Route: White Dot, Cascade Link, Spellman, Pumpelly to the summit; White Arrow, Surprise Point, Cliff Walk and Lost Farm Trails on the descent

Snake on trial to Mt. Monadnock

Mt. Jackson - The joy is not just climbing to the summit!

A group of us from the AMC Winter Hiking program hiked up Mt. Jackson last Saturday. It was a truly memorable experience. And the joy was not just climbing to the summit. I partook in another sport -- glissading. In fact, I enjoyed the "sitting glissade" several times on the way down. What fun! Like skiing, but on your butt!

It took us 4 hours to get to the top, due to numerous gear issues; two in our group, Barbara Hough and Vera Kaufman, had defective snowshoes and had to bareboot it. But what an accomplishment! We all felt as high as the mountain (4,052 feet high) when we got to the top. We had successfully braved bitter cold (it was 0 degrees F. at trailhead and got down to at least -2 on the trail) and succeeded in hiking up our first 4,000 footer -- and a Presidential no less -- in winter!

It was incredibly beautiful. The tree branches were so laden with snow that we marveled that they didn't break.

Highlights included:

• my first experience glissading -- FUN!
• a gray jay joined us on the trail
  
• 2 chickadees singing in the trees
• 40-50mph gusts on the summit, fogged up sunglasses and a realization that one really does need goggles for winter hiking
• the hair around our faces turned to icicles, making us look like we had white hair!
• delicious snickerdoodle summit cookies
  
• always-smiling and helpful leaders Reji James and Michele Grzenda
  

5.6 miles, 2,150' elevation gain (6-1/2 hours - 4 up and 2-1/2 down)
Summit: Mt. Jackson (4,052' high)
Route: Webster-Jackson Trail

See more photos.

P.S. My car slid sideways into a snowbank the night before, as I was turning into the driveway of the Highland Center. Fortunately, I had a good shovel in my trunk and dug the car out; it took about 30 minutes. Vanessa Johnson had gone to get help; the rescue team of 5, including Reji James and Larry Tackiff, arrived just in time to help me out with a hefty push. An exciting way to begin the weekend at the Shapleigh Bunkhouse at AMC's Highland Center. :-)

Mt. Cabot, North Country, NH

For my first hike in New Hampshire's North Country, I joined the NH Chapter of AMC and ascended the region's highest summit. Mt. Cabot is the North Country's highest 4,000 footer. This bagged peak was particularly special because it was Leslie Greer's final 4,000-footer -- Mt. Cabot was her 48th!

I wonder just how many 4,000 footers I've actually done? Perhaps I should count them....

A treed summit, Mt. Cabot offers some views both from the cabin a few hundred feet below the summit and from a viewpoint looking eastward about half-way up the Kilkenny Ridge Trail.

Thanks to Bob Janukowicz (aka "Pilgrim") and Norm Michaels (the weatherman) for leading the hike!

9.6 miles,~2,700' elevation gain
Summit: Mt. Cabot = 4,170 feet high
Route: Unknown Pond Trail to Bunnell Notch Trail to Kilkenny Ridge Trail
3-1/2 hrs to Cabot Cabin; 7-1/2 hours to Mt. Cabot and back