Current Monadnock Info ?

[GPB]

I'm planning on visiting Mt. Monadnock this week and was wondering if anyone had any recent experience there. I know there was a lot of damage recently and some trails were closed. Has that kept the crowds down ? Has it been muddy ? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

[GPB]

I guess I'll answer my own post. Friday was a beautiful day on Mount Monadnock. There were a pretty fair number of people on the mountain, but it was easy enough to take a break on the trail and have some solitude. We also went up the most popular route. As we checked in the Ranger suggested going up the White Dot and down the White Cross, which we did. There was quite a bit of running water on many portions of the trail, and even a few small icy patches. We took about 4 hours going up as we had to go at the pace of my 3 year old son. The decent was much quicker with him on my shoulders for some long stretches. His 35 pounds added to a 25 pound back pack made for quite a work out for my thigh muscles !! The view from the summit was incredible with the Boston Skyline and Mount Washington both visible to the naked eye.

[mtruman]

Sorry you didn't get any input here but looks like you had a really good day. We haven't gotten in our first "spring training" hike at Monadnock yet - hopefully in the next couple of weeks. Did the rangers say anything specific about the other trails or just suggest the standard route. We usually like to avoid the White Dot / White Cross to keep away from the crowds.

[GPB]

The Rangers didn't give anything more than "we suggest you go up the White Dot, down the White Cross"....but we didn't ask anything of them either. The crowds didn't seem to bad since it wasn't a weekend, but then again, I don't have much to compare it to. When we arrived at 10:00 the first parking lot was full and the overflow lot was about 25% full.

[mtruman]

The Rangers didn't give anything more than "we suggest you go up the White Dot, down the White Cross"....but we didn't ask anything of them either. The crowds didn't seem to bad since it wasn't a weekend, but then again, I don't have much to compare it to. When we arrived at 10:00 the first parking lot was full and the overflow lot was about 25% full.

Not on the weekend definitely helps (although you can still run into big school groups and such spring/fall midweek). Once you get into the end of May it is absolutely packed all the time. Summit looks like an anthill most days. Our way to avoid most of the crowds the last few times up is to go up Cascade Link (from White Dot), Spellman, Pumpelly and then down White Arrow and some other combination of the many trails on that side. Except on the summit these routes get very little use and it is very peaceful. I like the trails better as well (Spellman is my favorite). TR and pics from last spring here: http://www.mountwashington.org/forum...ead.php?t=3700