I felt like I owed Pack Monadnock a visit before she started getting jealous. I’ve been visiting all of her little siblings this year and though Pack was the first member of the Wapack family I ever visited, it’s been a little while since I tread her trails. With the rest of my family occupied with other fancies on Mother’s Day morning, I saw a small chance to give the old gal another look-see, and I took it.
On the way to Pack Monadnock… or Mordor?
Miller State Park
Whenever I arrive at Miller State Park, which is the gateway to Pack, I’m always hoping you don’t have to pay. I don’t really mind paying, but there’s something in most of us men, after a lifetime of paying for things we never really wanted, that makes it so satisfying when we get something we actually do want, for free. Like hiking. Unfortunately, I found the park well-staffed when I arrived and they charged me four bucks for the pleasure.
It’s not like it mattered though—even when they aren’t there, you need to (and should) pay at the self-pay station. The parking attendant gave me a little paper map I could follow for making a loop hike, recommending I start up the Wapack Trail because it’s rockier and steeper, before descending the Marion Davis Trail. It was welcome advice. The Wapack Trail was indeed rockier and steeper. But not overly difficult. It actually reminded me of climbing up little crags on the coast of Massachusetts as a kid: easy hand over hand stuff that feels challenging without putting you in any real danger of getting hurt.
Rocky and fun
Kings of the Mountain
Along the way, I came across a young family enjoying a Mother’s Day hike. The two little boys were hooting and hollering and having a grand adventure while their mother drank her coffee and took her time. I said hello and commented how well the boys were doing, given all the rocks. The mother replied, “That’s what makes it better, right?” She knew what she was talking about. After passing them, hiking deeper into the morning’s omnipresent mist, I heard one of the boys shout, “I’m the king of the mountain!”
Given the weather, there wasn’t much to see on this hike view-wise, and yet I still loved it. The rocky incline of the Wapack was fun and because of the damp conditions I got to see a red eft—a type of newt—who was unperturbed by my presence. I know this is in keeping with their personality, as they don’t have many predators to worry about given their toxic skin, but I like to think he was happy to see me because of my matching orange shirt. Maybe he thought I was the king of all red efts.
King Newt
Still Known to Make Mistakes…
At the summit, I spoke with two park workers opening the summit gift shop and asked them for directions down the Marion Davis Trail. The paper map had me turned around and I couldn’t find the trail based on what I thought the map was telling me. Much to the amusement of the shopkeepers, the trail was just behind the summit shop—I only needed to look a few more feet to the right and I would have walked right into it. This gave us all a good laugh.
On the descent, the sun came out, revealing that if I had just waited about fifteen or twenty minutes, I would have had clear views from the summit. But that didn’t matter—it was Mother’s Day, and I didn’t want to make the real women in my life jealous of Pack, so I moved on. It being only 9:30 in the morning, it seemed like a good time to call my mom. This got me a few sideways glances from some fellow hikers on my descent, and under normal circumstances, I’d find a hiker using their phone on the trail annoying as well, but come on guys. Even if you are deep in the woods, you gotta call your mom first thing when you know they’re awake on Mother’s Day.
Rather than feeling satisfied that I “saw” Pack Monadnock, I want to visit her again soon.
Ascent of Pack Monadnock
Trailhead: Miller State Park, Route 101, Peterborough, NH
Route: Wapack Trail (ascent) → Marion Davis Trail (descent) — loop
Distance: Approximately 2.8 miles
Elevation Gain: Approximately 806 feet
Summit Elevation: 2,285 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Entrance Fee: $4
Note: Miller State Park was the first established state park in New Hampshire.