Ed'n Lauky
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2007
- Messages
- 1,802
- Reaction score
- 168
The world’s number two mountain is K2 right? Not in this case, nor is Everest number one. By certain statistics the most climbed mountain in the world is Mt. Fuji, and the second most climbed mountain is Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire. I can’t verify this, but that’s what it says in the book.
It’s proximity to Massachusetts, the views from the top and the fact that despite the claims made at the entrance gate the mountain is not all that hard to climb no doubt accounts for its popularity.
The mountain has one other feature, it is a dogless mountain. This no doubt is something that appeals to many, but it is also the chief reason that I had never climbed it before. However, with Duffy having left me this summer to climb the trails of ‘Narnia’ and Lauky not yet ready to hike it seemed like it was now or never so off I went.
It’s next to impossible for me to climb during the week, but a friend who is never free to hike on the weekend asked me if I would take him with me so I arranged ahead to get a Tuesday off. Three days before we were to leave he called to tell me he couldn’t go. I still had the day off so I decided to go anyway. I mentioned it to another friend who immediately told me he would go. However, at 9:00 PM Monday evening he called to say he couldn’t go. I think I am just one of those people destined to hike solo.
I left Bridgton at 6:00 AM and arrived at the state park just a little before 10:00 AM. The ranger asked if I had ever climbed it before, when I told him no he proceeded to tell me what I would have to have with me such as gloves, coat, water etc. and pretty well told me how difficult a climb it was and that I would never make it then sent me off with the orders to go up the White Dot trail and come down the White Cross trail. Since I was planning to go that way anyway, I obeyed his orders.
The hike itself is pretty straight forward. There is a short easy stretch to the junction with the White Cross trail and the Cascade link, then the climb begins in earnest. The trail is only about two miles long and it rises from 1358 feet at the trail head to 3165 feet at the summit. This makes for a fairly stiff climb but it is also amazing how quickly you get to the top. The trails both going up and down were fairly dry and relatively easy to follow.
Once above the tree line the trail reminded me very much of the climb up Mt. Chocorua. Tuesday was a gorgeous day and the views on the way up as well as from the top were magnificent, breathtaking. From what I had read I had been concerned about climbing in a crowd, but I guess my mid-week end of October hike made a difference because I really saw relatively few people all day. When I got back to the car I noticed that the lot had filled up considerably, including a bus, but all those people must have been coming up the White Dot while I was going down the White Cross, because I didn’t see very many of them.
The views that this mountain offers make it one of the classic hikes and I’m glad I did it. On the other hand, as great as it was I probably will never do it again as before too long I will be off hiking other mountains with Lauky but I’m glad that I did do the hike when I had the chance.
I can’t tell you how much I had been longing for just one more hike with Duffy. Not even the park rangers could keep him out this time. He was there for one final hike. No one saw him but me but we had a great time. If you look carefully at the picture you may be able to see him standing there next to me on the top with his nose to the wind. What a great day it was.
I have posted a few pictures taken from the top at the following website: http://picasaweb.google.com/Boondeck/MtMonadnock
It’s proximity to Massachusetts, the views from the top and the fact that despite the claims made at the entrance gate the mountain is not all that hard to climb no doubt accounts for its popularity.
The mountain has one other feature, it is a dogless mountain. This no doubt is something that appeals to many, but it is also the chief reason that I had never climbed it before. However, with Duffy having left me this summer to climb the trails of ‘Narnia’ and Lauky not yet ready to hike it seemed like it was now or never so off I went.
It’s next to impossible for me to climb during the week, but a friend who is never free to hike on the weekend asked me if I would take him with me so I arranged ahead to get a Tuesday off. Three days before we were to leave he called to tell me he couldn’t go. I still had the day off so I decided to go anyway. I mentioned it to another friend who immediately told me he would go. However, at 9:00 PM Monday evening he called to say he couldn’t go. I think I am just one of those people destined to hike solo.
I left Bridgton at 6:00 AM and arrived at the state park just a little before 10:00 AM. The ranger asked if I had ever climbed it before, when I told him no he proceeded to tell me what I would have to have with me such as gloves, coat, water etc. and pretty well told me how difficult a climb it was and that I would never make it then sent me off with the orders to go up the White Dot trail and come down the White Cross trail. Since I was planning to go that way anyway, I obeyed his orders.
The hike itself is pretty straight forward. There is a short easy stretch to the junction with the White Cross trail and the Cascade link, then the climb begins in earnest. The trail is only about two miles long and it rises from 1358 feet at the trail head to 3165 feet at the summit. This makes for a fairly stiff climb but it is also amazing how quickly you get to the top. The trails both going up and down were fairly dry and relatively easy to follow.
Once above the tree line the trail reminded me very much of the climb up Mt. Chocorua. Tuesday was a gorgeous day and the views on the way up as well as from the top were magnificent, breathtaking. From what I had read I had been concerned about climbing in a crowd, but I guess my mid-week end of October hike made a difference because I really saw relatively few people all day. When I got back to the car I noticed that the lot had filled up considerably, including a bus, but all those people must have been coming up the White Dot while I was going down the White Cross, because I didn’t see very many of them.
The views that this mountain offers make it one of the classic hikes and I’m glad I did it. On the other hand, as great as it was I probably will never do it again as before too long I will be off hiking other mountains with Lauky but I’m glad that I did do the hike when I had the chance.
I can’t tell you how much I had been longing for just one more hike with Duffy. Not even the park rangers could keep him out this time. He was there for one final hike. No one saw him but me but we had a great time. If you look carefully at the picture you may be able to see him standing there next to me on the top with his nose to the wind. What a great day it was.
I have posted a few pictures taken from the top at the following website: http://picasaweb.google.com/Boondeck/MtMonadnock
Last edited:
