Mount Monadnock via Dublin Trail

Where: Mt. Monadnock, NH
When: 1 December 2021
With: Solo

I was thinking of a hike for this day, and it came down to two destinations - the Osceolas, off the Kanc in the White Mountains, or Mt. Monadnock. The Osceolas would give me two more 4K peaks for my list (#s 27 & 28), but would require an early rise, a 2.5 hour drive and a 3.8 mile hike. Plus, I'd have to summit East Osceola twice (on the way to Osceola and on the return). Monadnock was a shorter drive (1.5 hours), and a shorter hike (2.2 miles) on a trail I've had on my wish list for some time, the Dublin Trail. As I thought about Monadnock, I realized I was actually looking forward to it. Unusual for me. So I woke at my usual time, took Wilma for a walk, made coffee for Jane, packed a lunch and a backpack, left Jane a note, and I was off. I pulled out of the garage at 7:25.

I landed at the trailhead a few minutes after 9. It was probably the last time before spring that my old Accord could get there. The access road isn't maintained in the winter, and is probably passable then only by trucks and vehicles with 4 wheel drive. As it was, I drove along cautiously on the packed snow/ice surface before pulling in to the parking area. I was the only car there.

I put my boots and Hillsound spikes on in the car, wanting to stay warm as long as possible. To be sure, it was a bit nippy when I stepped out (37 degrees, according to my phone), but not bad. The forecasts had predicted warmer temps ahead of a storm, one reason for considering a hike. I set off for the trail wearing a base layer and wicking shirt, with gloves and a beanie. I figured I'd warm up as I got moving & climbing. It was 9:20 when I started the hike.

I've been on the summit of Monadnock 8 times now (1st in 1983, last in 2013), but never on this trail. I think it's now my favorite. It's a no nonsense, 2.2 mile direct route to the summit. Pretty much a straight line. It begins gently, then gradually increases its angle of ascent and difficulty. By the time you get to the tougher stuff, you're nicely warmed up. Actually, warmed up was a relative term today. I did warm up some as I hiked, but I was always slightly chilled. Just enough to be comfortable.

The ground was snow covered from the beginning, and flow ice began to appear as the trail got higher up the mountain and climbed. After a bit, the climbing eased off as the trail got up onto the shoulders of Monadnock. The trees got shorter and I began to see views. I stopped at one spot with expansive views to the north and just looked around.

Soon after, the trail passed through a sheltered section of small trees. I could hear the wind blowing above me, and figured this was a good time to layer up. I pulled out my parka and a neck gaiter, sealed myself in, and continued the hike. In short order, I came to a spot where I could see a rocky peak ahead. I knew it wasn't the summit, because it had no one standing on it. Monadnock is one of the most-climbed mountains in the world (top 3), and there is ALWAYS someone on the summit. But I figured I'd be able to see the summit from that spot. I just hoped it wouldn't be too far off. My other concern was a large black cloud rolling in from the southwest. Maybe an incoming snow squall?

As it turned out, the cloud passed over without incident and the trail went around that peak. A few more steps brought me above the tree line and to Jim's Junction, where the Marlboro Trail came in. From there, I could finally see the summit. It was pretty close, but at the far side of a vast field of rock. From that point, trail-finding became an adventure. In the summer, there's an obvious path, and later in the winter the snowshoe crowd creates a route. Today, the few inches of wind-blown snow on the rocks served to hide the summer path while also failing to retain the footsteps of previous travellers.

I picked my way through as best I could, picking a route around the sparse vegetation (I knew the path didn't go that way), and using a handful of cairns in the summit area to plot a course. The wind was howling the entire time, and blowing snow in my face. From time to time, I turned around and picked out landmarks to remember to find my way back. A rock wall, a distinctive mountain in the distance, etc. Eventually, I made it to the top, found the benchmark medallion, and declared victory. It was 10:50, and it had taken just 90 minutes to make the climb.

I got a few photos - one of the benchmark and the obligatory summit selfie - then pulled out a weather instrument I'd brought along. Here's what it recorded:

It also recorded a "feels like" temperature of 19.9 degrees F. Brrrrrr!

It's worth noting at this point that I had the summit all to myself. I looked all around and didn't see another soul anywhere. To say that's unusual is an understatement. Having not seen anyone all day, it was also a bit scary. I had no indication that anyone else was on the mountain (no other cars in the parking area, no fresh tracks on the trail), and it reinforced the need for caution, both to avoid injury and to find my way back to the trail. At the same time though, it was completely awesome! Unfortunately, the wind and cold made it difficult to enjoy for long. I looked around a bit more, then began my return trip. 

One thing I noticed when looking around was a trail marker painted on a rock, saying "Dublin Trail Marlboro Tr.". I hadn't seen it on the way up, but it gave me a general direction for the return. I used that sign, along with some of the landmarks I'd noted before, and managed to find my way back to a recognizable path, then Jim's Junction, and finally, back into the trees. I went a ways down until there was some shelter from the wind, then paused to call my brother Bill for his 70th birthday. Of course, that's when I had my first fall of the day. It was a slow-motion affair, with no damage done, though the spikes on one of my boots managed to get twisted around. I sat on a rock, re-fitted them to the boot, and figured I'd gotten my one fall out of the way.

The call to Bill didn't go through (no service), so I pulled myself together, brushed off the remaining snow, and set off downhill. I hoped to cut some time off on the return trip, so I was moving along pretty well. About where I'd layered up on the climb I encountered two young men taking a lunch break, on their way up. I mentioned the wind up top, and the issues with route-finding above the tree line before leaving them. I paused shortly afterward to de-layer myself, then continued. Another solo hiker was passed, then an older couple working on the 52-With-A-View list. No plans to summit, due to a late start. Just a check-out hike for them.

After that, I was alone in the woods for the remainder of my walk. The trail returned to the gentle slopes at the mountain's base, then did one final short ascent back to the parking area. I emerged from the trail at 12:10, 70 minutes after leaving the summit. I quickly changed footwear, stowed my gear, popped a couple of Ibuprofen, and was on my way home. I landed there (after a stop for beer) at 2:00.

Notes:

Gear: I forgot to bring a headlamp. Yes, I had planned to be off the mountain well before darkness, but you bring the safety gear for the stuff you DON'T plan. Bad hiker! I did however carry my snowshoes the entire day. They stayed in the pack the whole time, but in different conditions could have made the difference between a summit and a turnaround.

Despite my concerns about finding my way back from the summit, it never occured to me to use one of the trail apps (OSM+, Gaia) on my phone. In the back of my mind I knew I had the apps, just in case, but I preferred to use low-tech methods.

Numbers: The trailhead sign says it's 2.2 miles to the summit. I found other values on-line ranging from 2.11 to 2.5 miles. Elevation gain values also varied, from 1597 ft. to 1968 (!), with about 1700 being the most common (Google Earth yielded a value of 1679 ft.). 90 minutes up, 10 minutes on top, 70 minutes down. I got to the summit about 26 minutes faster than the standard estimate (2 mph + 30 min for each 1000 ft of elevation).

Final thought: After the epic adventure to Isolation, I needed this hike. Quick, straightforward, not especially difficult. In short, an easy, enjoyable hike that would leave a warm, fuzzy feeling in my head.

More photos are here.