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Mt Monadnock
July 27, 1998

Route: White Dot Trail, Spruce Link,
White Cross Trail
Map: map.jpg (68289 bytes)
 

Elevation:

3165 ft

Vertical Climb:

1815 ft

Distance:

3.5 miles

Who Went:

Paul, Erin

We parked the car at the Mt Monadnock State Park campground, and started up the White Dot Trail, passing the Visitor Center at the Trailhead. We bypassed the spring by taking the Spruce Link trail to its junction with the White Cross Trail. After a very short rest, we began hiking up the White Cross Trail. It was a fairly hot day, and the trails were crowded. There were lots of people climbing who didn’t appear to have sufficient water, and who weren’t wearing appropriate boots. Many popular trails seem to attract this sort of crowd. The White Cross Trail was very rocky for a short distance, then began to have more and more ledges. We stopped for a picture at one particularly large steep ledge with good views to the southeast.

We continued climbing up ledges until we got to a relatively flat wooded area, which went on for a while and then began climbing again. Soon we came to areas that had open ledges with views off to the south and southeast. We could see Mt Wachusett very clearly. When we thought that we were just about to the top, we came to a sag with numerous small pools and patches of dirt and scrub, and could see the true summit in the distance. After the sag, we began climbing the summit cone where the trail was marked with cairns.

Finally, we made the summit. The views were good in all directions. We could see Mt Wachusett, Mt Sunapee, Vermont, the White Mountains, and the Berkshires. There were a number of people on the top, relaxing and eating lunch.

After lunch, we started to head back down. Just below the summit, we found some interesting boulders and outcrops that we stopped to climb on. We had to climb down to get to them, but they made some nice pictures. On the way down, we took the White Dot Trail, which involved more scrambling than the White Cross Trail and wasn’t as good for going down. We stopped at the spring on the way back, but didn’t stay long because of too many mosquitoes.

Me on a ledge on the White Cross Trail. This ledge is in the middle of the first steep section of the trail, and where the real views begin.

me on trail.jpg (56267 bytes)

Erin next to a cairn on the White Cross Trail. After passing a small wet sag, the trail begins climbing more steeply again up the barren summit cone, where the route is marked with cairns.

erin by cairn.jpg (62598 bytes)

Me on the summit. From the somewhat crowded summit, we could see Mt Wachusett, Mt Sunapee, Vermont, the White Mountains, and the Berkshires.

me on summit.jpg (37975 bytes)

Me on a steep outcrop just below the summit. While I didn't climb up this route, it did take a bit of scrambling to get to this spot.

me on outcrop.jpg (46641 bytes)

Erin on another steep outcrop just below the summit. Again, she didn't actually climb up this rock face, but it did make a good picture.

erin on outcrop.jpg (64013 bytes)

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