Waddling through a winter wonderland (Mt Monadnock 11/29/19)
Dec 2, 2019 5:58:50 GMT -8
toejam, Westy, and 3 more like this
Post by GaliWalker on Dec 2, 2019 5:58:50 GMT -8
Waddling through a winter wonderland
Mount Monadnock, New Hampshire (Nov 29, 2019)
Stuffed to the gills with Thanksgiving turkey, a rotund GaliWalker waddled up and over Mount Monadnock the next day to try and work off some of the previous night's gluttony. This was my 4th consecutive year of selecting this particular hike as my post-Thanksgiving 'turkey-burn'.
Route: Take the White Dot Trail to the summit - retrace my steps to pick up the Smith Connecting Trail - continue down the Cliff Walk - a left on the Lost Farm Trail - finish the loop via the Parker Trail.
Hiking/Photography stats: 5mi, 2000ft elevation gain, 4.5hrs
Mount Monadnock is so beautiful at this time of the year: ice and snow decorate the granite slabs that comprise the mountain’s summit plateau. Unfortunately, it's also invariably windy up there, so one needs to be prepared for the elements. This time around the wind on the summit was the fiercest I've encountered on any hike I've ever done: by my estimate it was 60mph, constant. Coupled with a temperature of 20°F the wind-chill would have clocked in at around -5°F. Bundled up in my heaviest cap and balaclava, with only a narrow slit left open for my eyes, and being careful to keep my ski gloves on, even if that made photography a cumbersome proposition, I was able to withstand the punishing wind and cold in good order.
Breaking out into the open
Icy conditions made spikes mandatory
First sight of the summit, wreathed in mist and spindrift
Up the icy, snowy slopes
Yet more up
Summit views or lack there of
Summit sun
More summit 'views'
Glittering rockscape
The Arctic
Lake in the clouds
Clearing mist
Ice garden
Heading down to Bald Rock
Parting view of the summit from Bald Rock
Bald Rock views
A. Hiker enjoys the view (selfie)
Mount Monadnock, New Hampshire (Nov 29, 2019)
Stuffed to the gills with Thanksgiving turkey, a rotund GaliWalker waddled up and over Mount Monadnock the next day to try and work off some of the previous night's gluttony. This was my 4th consecutive year of selecting this particular hike as my post-Thanksgiving 'turkey-burn'.
Route: Take the White Dot Trail to the summit - retrace my steps to pick up the Smith Connecting Trail - continue down the Cliff Walk - a left on the Lost Farm Trail - finish the loop via the Parker Trail.
Hiking/Photography stats: 5mi, 2000ft elevation gain, 4.5hrs
Mount Monadnock is so beautiful at this time of the year: ice and snow decorate the granite slabs that comprise the mountain’s summit plateau. Unfortunately, it's also invariably windy up there, so one needs to be prepared for the elements. This time around the wind on the summit was the fiercest I've encountered on any hike I've ever done: by my estimate it was 60mph, constant. Coupled with a temperature of 20°F the wind-chill would have clocked in at around -5°F. Bundled up in my heaviest cap and balaclava, with only a narrow slit left open for my eyes, and being careful to keep my ski gloves on, even if that made photography a cumbersome proposition, I was able to withstand the punishing wind and cold in good order.
Breaking out into the open
Icy conditions made spikes mandatory
First sight of the summit, wreathed in mist and spindrift
Up the icy, snowy slopes
Yet more up
Summit views or lack there of
Summit sun
More summit 'views'
Glittering rockscape
The Arctic
Lake in the clouds
Clearing mist
Ice garden
Heading down to Bald Rock
Parting view of the summit from Bald Rock
Bald Rock views
A. Hiker enjoys the view (selfie)
