Mountain Quest 9B: North Pack Monadnock

I headed down the north slope of Pack Monadnock, and after a few minutes of confusion (this side of the hill isn't as well-marked as the south side), I found my way down the Wapack Trail. I found a very cool tree that looked like an upstretched hand and took a few goofy pictures until the only two people I saw for the rest of the day passed me in the opposite direction. The two guys had beards and muddy boots and they let me know that North Pack was deserted. Sweet!

The hike was long and leisurely, and I wore myself out quite nicely. When I got to the top of North Pack at 4:30 I beheld sweeping vistas all around me, and there wasn't a soul for miles. I celebrated by eating the Snickers bar I'd brought, and damn, if it didn't taste better than any candy bar I'd had in years. After taking in the view for a bit, taking some photos and standing on all three 'highlands', I decided that haste was required to make it back to my car before sundown. The hike back was fun, and I had Almanac Mountain and Abbie Barrett (her new EP kicks ass) on my iPod for musical accompaniment.

When I got back to the summit of Pack Monadnock it was devoid of humans and the sun was setting rather swiftly. So after getting some awesome pictures both at ground level and back atop the tower I opted to make my descent via the paved road instead of risking darkness on the trail, and having to navigate the cliffs near the base with just a penlight. It was a nice walk, if a bit awkward because of the angle my ankles were forced into. There was only one other car left in the lot at 6:30. I outlasted nearly everyone. What a day. I covered 7½ miles in 4½ hours, and every step was absolutely worth it. Except for the summit of the first peak I had two mountains to myself. I had plenty of water and food. The weather was perfect and the wide variety of scenery was sublime. I was on my own schedule with no boss but myself, and I accomplished something substantial and real. Today's adventure definitely ranks in my Top 5 Days of 2011, and I can't wait to find a way to top it in the weeks to come...