Monadnock, finally… 5-12-14

"No Dogs Allowed"

Mount Monadnock 3165'

White Dot Trail/Cascade Link/Spellman Trail/Pumpelly Trail/White Arrow Trail/Ampitheater Trail/Smith Connecting Link/Cliffwalk/Lost Farm Trail/Parker Trail

5.5 Miles 2000' Elevation gain

Kevin, Judy and Mark

Years ago we had made the drive west across the state to hike Mount Monadnock. When we reached the parking area at the State Park Headquarters we discovered that our dog Emma was not welcome to hike the mountain with us. We left, disgruntled. I told the park employee, "This dog, this hee- yuh dog, why she has hiked all the four thousand footers in NH. I don't see why she shouldn't be allowed hee-yuh." He told me, " 'cause this hee-yuh mountain ain't no fo- thousand footer." Well that was that. We went and hiked Pack Monadnock instead, where Emma was welcome. We had never returned, and never hiked this mountain together, though Judy had done it with her sister when they were in their twenties.


First Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum) of the year!

At least ten years after that day we left disgruntled we were here again, this time to hike with our friend Mark. Geez, I hope they let him in! We met at the Headquarters. We had driven out in Judy's Tacoma which sports a combined Conservation Heritage/State Park Moose Plate, this gets us free admission to all the state parks in NH and donates part of the cost of the plate towards the state's Conservation Heritage Fund. Pretty good deal for $85, or, you can just get the State Park Plate for $40. We were soon on our way up the White Dot Trail. We hiked this as far as Falcon Spring then turned off on the Cascade Link. It was all new territory for Judy and I, though Mark had done it many times.


Scrambling on Some Wet Ledge

We passed blossoming Hobblebush and came upon the first Painted Trillium of the year. After crossing an unnamed brook the trail became steeper and required a good deal of scrambling among boulders. We passed green mossy wet spots where water oozed and trickled down the mossy rock faces. The Clintonia, or Blue Bead Lily as it is often referred to, was in abundance, but not yet blossoming out. In a week or so the trail will be lousy with them. Not a bad thing! We continued to rise through the now mostly coniferous forest, breaking out to surrounding views on rocky ledges, then ducking back into the woods to do some more boulder picking and scrambling. My leg felt OK, but the day was getting hot! Blackflies were present, but not really biting or all that annoying, yet! That will change soon. I got through the day without using any repellant, which is always my preferred method.


Steep Section on the Spellman Trail

We stopped on a steep ledge along the Spellman Trail and had a drink and a bite. I looked around and tried to name what I saw. Mount Sunapee to the north, North and Pack Monadnock to the east, and Temple across the shallow col from Pack. I climbed above the others seeking some shade. When they climbed up to me I was able to get some pictures which for once I thought actually gave an idea of the steepness and exposure on the way up. We had soon hiked up to where the Spellman connected with the Pumpelly Trail. From this point the terrain became much more open, often tree-less, with a much gentler incline, though there was still a scramble or two on the way to the summit. The actual summit itself was invisible to us at this point of the hike, and we crossed several bumps as we continued in a westerly direction.


On the Pumpelly Trail

There were several people on the summit, but Mark said it was the fewest he had ever seen there. There was no doubt in our minds this was true, as we were quite aware that this attainable little gem of a mountain had a reputation as the second most hiked mountain in the world. We were happy it was pretty sparsely attended on a Monday morning. The sun was now quite hot and there was no shade, but clouds were moving in from the west and made for some interesting skies, as well as eventually casting their shadows to provide some relief from the sun. We sat and ate and enjoyed the warm, stiff breeze that kept the flies away and allowed us a good, long enjoyable lunch and stretch before we had to get up and begin our descent. I set Emma's collar on the summit and took a picture. "No dogs allowed" indeed! Little did they know, she was with us all the time!


More Steep Scrambling

The clouds moved in as we began our descent, finding our way led by Mark through a myriad of trails on the summit until we found the White Arrow Trail and began to descend. I was glad for the shade and relief from the sun the clouds were now providing for as soon as we began to drop down the east side of the mountain the southwesterly wind was blocked and the air was hot. After a long, "Real" New England winter, and a long cold, wet spring, the warmth felt good, but not too much too soon please! It was an interesting downward scramble to our connection with the Amphitheater Trail, then more downward scrambling. We were soon down to the Smith Connecting Link where things leveled out a bit and we actually began to climb up a bit to reach Bald Rock.


Descending on the White Arrow Trail


A Look Back to the Summit

Along the trail we found Spotted Salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) eggs in a wet spot and later discovered an old camp coffee pot hanging in a tree. It was interesting to note that although the map calls the bump "Bald Rock" there is a large boulder with the name "Kiasticuticus Peak" carved on one of its facets. After another short break we began another scrambling descent past a spot called "Thoreau's Seat" and down again into a deciduous forest where the terrain became less steep and we connected with the Lost Farm Trail. Here in the hardwoods which had not yet leafed out we began to find many wildflowers, most of whom were just awakening. Blue Bead Lily, Painted Trillium, Red-stemmed Violet, Hobblebush and Indian Cucumber to name a few.


Clintonia Clintonia borealis ready to pop.

My pace slowed as my leg had begun to stiffen. Mark and Judy went on ahead and left me to my musings and I stopped often to listen to and photograph what I saw as I hiked out. As the trail led past the dam for Poole reservoir it was awfully tempting to break some rules and cool off, but I managed to refrain. It had been a great hike and we all earned an ice cream reward when it was over.


Painted Trillium Trillium undulatum

Full set of pics HERE:

KDT

Nice report, Kevin. And great pics!

Great pictures Kevin. I had a similar experience. I knew that Monadnock didn't permit dogs so I simply avoided it. Shortly after the death of my Airedale Duffy and with my recently acquired Lauky only two months old, I decided it was "now or never" and I headed off to Monadnock alone to make the climb. It was the first signigicant hike I had done since Duffy's death. When I arrived the ranger on duty asked me if I had ever climbed Monadnock. I avoided the dog issue and simply said "no". He then proceeded to tell me how difficult it was and that it was most certainly beyond my ability. I could have told him that Duffy and I had climbed the NEHH or even that at that point with Duffy I had climbed Mt. Washington 14 times. But I just nodded, paid for the entrance and went to the top. I too will say that I climbed that mountain that day with Duffy. I could feel his presence with me at every turn. That was six years ago. I've often thought about it. I never went back, I never will, but I'm glad I did it that day. It was a nice climb with great views, not all that difficult really. It reminded me a lot of Chocorua.

Thank you, Rob!

@Ed-That is a beautiful memory. I wonder how many could tell a similar story? I am glad you had this experience as well. It was strange to visit somewhere in the mountains I had never tread with Emma. In my mind it was as though she was young and we had set out on new trail together, though I only felt her but could no longer see her.

K

I like Monadnock, Ive proboly done it 100 times or so. That being said, I now have a hiking dog and would not hike it without him. As far as the rangers go, they like to think its a dangerous hill and quite frankly, Ive always found them to be borderline snooby, heck not borderline, plain snobby.

For someone who has done a lot of hiking this little gem is a piece of cake, but for the uninitiated I could see it being a bit taxing, and some of the trails being downright challenging. I hold no grudge with the rangers, and understand the reason for the "No Dog" rule. It is one thing to go out and rescue people who have been lured by the accessibility of this place, but it is another to go out and rescue dogs who's people should have known better. Everyone wants to bring the family pooch along on a hike, but just like people many are unprepared for the rigors of the trail. I am glad we finally hiked here, but there will be another long interval because we intend to get another dog at some point, and would not return here without her…

K

This was a great thread Kevin and Judy. It was nice meeting you finally in Exeter.

You can't get there from hee-yuh.


Please stay in touch,

Z