Exploring Monadnock

[erugs]

Last Saturday, Cathy and I enjoyed a hike up the Dublin trail and that got me to wondering -- has anyone here combined Dublin and Marlborough trails for a loop hike, walking the roads (or possibly old logging roads) back to their car? I've done this from Dublin to Pumpelly, and it was fun to do, but a pretty long road walk.

We met a family group when we were hiking who were planning to go up Dublin, down Pumpelly. At least one of them was intent on exploring an abandonded trail that left Pumpelly and came down the west ridge. We never saw them again after they left the summit and hope they made it down safely.

 

[rocksnrolls]

I did that loop earlier this year. I had climbed up via the Dublin and gone over to redline the Hedgehog and Great Pasture Trs. On Monta Rosa a thunderstorm moved in, so I decided to head down via Marlboro so I didn't have to go back above treeline. The roadwalk was indeed a long slog. Shaker Rd north of the parking lot was quite rough and I would not want to take my car down it, but it was an easy walk.

 

[brianW]

I would highly recomend finding a copy of "The Monadnock Guide" by Henry Baldwin (out of print) good info to include a section on past/presetn trails and points of interests. Redlining Monadnock also brings you to many parts of Monadnock that gets very few hikers. You would be suprized at how quiet parts of the mountain are.

I personally would not care to walk from Marlboro to Dublin trail heads, maybe mt. bike?

Two places I would like to explore sometime is the area that had the Red Cross trail, this would be just east of the White Cross trail and on the north side of the mountain between Dublin and pumbelly trails. Maybe follow Mountan Brook, I think that is it, to Thoreau Bog. Jumbly Rocks might be fun to play around on.

 

[Raymond]

Speaking of Monadnock trails, what happened to the Birchtoft Trail? The trail head seems to have disappeared.

The last time I climbed it, about 2004, I think, the pond near the beginning had been drained.

 

[erugs]

Birchtoft is a wonderful trail -- another favorite of mine. It's still there but "improvements" have been going on so the parking area and entry look different.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Birchtoft is a wonderful trail -- another favorite of mine. It's still there but "improvements" have been going on so the parking area and entry look different.

Did they ever refill the pond? I haven't quite finished red-lining my map, and the loop around Gilson Pond is still on my todo list.

 

[erugs]

The pond is still there, Bob. I think the state considers it one of the highlights and that is why they are doing improvements. The trailhead is just off the main road, but another roadway goes in to the pond area. I haven't explored beyond the trail so don't know what the area looks like. The following link discusses the new campground, but is outdated info.

http://www.nhstateparks.org/planning-development/gilson-pond-campground/SpringSummer08.aspx

 

[BlackBuffalo]

I was thinking of going up on Friday, Pumpelly trail?
It appeals to me cause it could be the longest trail route to the summit. Is this right?
I think bt was 3 hours to summit.

Anyone know better or am I off?

DaveG.

 

[brianW]

Pumpelly is about 4 miles one way. It has been a long time since doing it but I want to say I did it round trip around 4 hours. I tend to have a fast pace. The first half is fairly easy, slight inclines, walk in the woods. last 2 miles very nice. Walking along the ridge line.

Longest route to the summit, I could easily piece together a longer way up. Longest direct route, yes.

 

[Andrew]

Even though the walk around on Shaker Farm and Old Dublin/Troy Roads is a slog, it's really a nice hike since there is hardly any traffic. The skid road you cross by the stone wall on the lower section of Marlboro, does not lead through and is grown-in. The skid road you follow on the relocated section of the Dublin Trail also does not lead through and heads into a wetland.

Mountain Brook is on posted private land in the lower section, but if you know your way around it there is an impressive gorge with a waterfall, amongst many lesser cascades & treats. Downhill is best as the drainage splits so much you often go off target.

Gilson Pond had been drained a couple of years ago only to rebuild the dam. The pond has been back for a few years now. Everything is the same as far as the access to Birchtoft Tr. Only thing noticeably different from the lower parking lot is that you will cruise past a new toll booth, new 1/2 of a gate, and as you continue on the gravel roadway- it has been upgraded. Yes there is a whole new campground, but it is away from where the trail has lead along. The lower parking area will most likely be gated off during the campground open season, with parking farther into the area.

Ever been on Pond Loop, or even better the Ravine Trail?

 

[Raymond]

Is the Pond Loop near the main entrance, the entrance near the White Dot and White Cross trail heads?

The first time I climbed the mountain, in 1978, two friends and I went left out of the parking lot and passed by a pond, then lost the trail and bushwhacked up about three ledges until we stumbled onto a trail.

 

[rocksnrolls]

I was thinking of going up on Friday, Pumpelly trail?
It appeals to me cause it could be the longest trail route to the summit. Is this right?
I think bt was 3 hours to summit.

Anyone know better or am I off?

DaveG.

For a longer approach, try this - park on Gap Mtn Road and take the Metacomet-Monadnock Tr (the Royce and White Arrow Trs on Monadnock itself) all the way to the summit and back. The views of Monadnock from the summit of Gap are well worth checking out! I did this hike a couple years ago in winter and it was awesome

 

[Andrew]

Raymond-

Pond Loop intersects the Birchtoft out of the Gilson Pond Area. When you are at the dam look down the right side of the brook and between it and the service road to the dam. You'll see the sign for Ravine Trail, which is quite interesting with some neat steep ledges. The trail dead-ends at a sign "End of Trail", at an intersection with an XC trail (sometimes called Boundary Trail), which does a larger loop (left) back towards the pond and is an access trail to some soon to be open backcountry tentsites. Turn right at "End of Trail" and it brings you back to the new campground loop road after crossing over the "Christa Mcauliff Memorial Bridge". Back at the Ravine Tr if you go down the trail from the pond you soon cross the brook on 1 wood bridge, and a bit further down a second over another brook which is very neat since it flows off a slope seemingly opposite of the main brook. If you follow the feeder brook up just a little ways, there is a neat ledgy waterfall.

The pond you saw out of HQ is Poole Reservoir and you were destined for the Parker Tr. Sounds like you continued downhill past the pond on what is now "The Waterline", and used to be an XC section that was more open and more clear than the hiking trail. There is a sign there now to show the right turn and that XC section was discontinued.

 

[Raymond]

Thanks, Andrew. Very helpful information.

I think I may recall part of the Pond Trail in that incredibly rooty section of the Birchtoft Trail.

I liked the Birchtoft Trail because it was closer to my side of the mountain (Eastern Mass.) and free.