Two More Days!

This is a shout-out to all of the awesome women who will be arriving at the Riverside T stop and boarding a bus at 5:30 Friday morning. Just two more days, ladies, and we'll be in the mountains!

Last night I took my hiking boots out of the trunk and tied them to my pack. They'll be no boots left behind for me! I'll finish gathering all of my gear tonight. That way I can strictly focus on food Thursday night.

I hesitate to mention weather forecasts, but for anyone like myself who is obsessively checking the satellites, the Mount Washington Observatory provides up-to-date summit conditions here.

Above is a picture from a backpacking trip I took last summer. The view is a sunset seen from the summit of Mount Madison. I hope each of you sees equally glorious views this weekend!

Until Friday,
--Vicky

Eat Dust, Mount Fuji

Second-year hiker Monica Chopra submitted photographs from her training hike on Mount Monadnock. Because of its easy accessibility and its close proximity to Boston, Mount Monadnock is said to be the second-most-climbed mountain in the world, after Japan's Mount Fuji. Located in Cheshire Country, New Hampshire, the mountain has an estimated 125,000 climbers every year. If it is a clear day, hikers are rewarded at the 3,165-foot summit with panoramic views of all six New England states. Unfortunately, Monica's group summited in cloud cover! Below, Monica describes the hike:

On June 3, Abby, Becky, Lucy, Gina, Laura, and I set out to hike Mount Monadnock via the Marlboro Trail, which was a moderate five-mile trek, out and back.

Team leaders Abby and Becky did a fine job of guiding us up the trail to a cold, cloudy, and misty summit.

The hike itself was a great workout. We started out on smooth and comfortable terrain, which soon became a steep and rocky climb that slowed some of us.

As we neared the top, we were suddenly hit with very cold wind, which continued until the summit.


The entire hike took five hours to complete. It wasn't easy, and my legs were sore for a few days afterward. Nevertheless, it was a great way to start my hiking season.

Read more about Monica at her hiking blog here.