10/22/2009

An enthusiastic and determined group of Linden Hill students, faculty and staff participated in the annual Mountain Day hike of New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock. Hikers were treated to warm temperatures and beautiful fall foliage as they departed from the park headquarters about 10:00 am. Carefully organized by Mr. Russell, the group was split into small groups led by faculty and staff.

After a ¾ mile walk through the woods, the trail quickly became steep and arduous (at least for the older members of the faculty and staff), as forest path changed to the mountain slope. As the trail approached and quickly ascended above the timberline, the students, faculty and staff climbed nimbly up the well-maintained trail. Eventually, the small groups found their way up the mountain, plotting their course while staying on the well-marked trail (as requested) as best as possible.

The trail chosen for the hike up the mountain was the White Dot Trail, simply named after the trail markers painted on boulders along the trial. While the trail was less than 2.5 miles in length, its steep, boulder strewn path created obstacles for the less agile. The students, however, seemed to “dance” their way up the mountain, savoring their day of fresh air and exercise in this cathedral of nature.

The first group of hikers arrived on the summit after just over an hour and half with the last of the hikers in the group arriving on the summit by about 12:30. After a well-deserved lunch and lots of pictures, the group descended down a similar but less-steep trail known as The White Cross Trail. Making their way down slowly and carefully, the all arrived safely back at the park headquarters by about 3:30, tired and content after a joyous hike through the woods and a climb of one of New England’s tallest mountains.

Monadnock, known as a “beginners mountain” in the climbing world, is part of a large batholith (mountain range), that extends south through New Hampshire. Comprised mainly of a 400 million year old mica schist from the Paleozoic, the trail was marked by large quartz veins that the students often followed along the trail. They also stopped to marvel at the large pods of quartz, feldspar and sillimanite crystals embedded in the mica schist.