Mountain Quest 14: Gap Mountain

Today, after sitting around trying not to think about my sore throat, and how annoyed with myself I'd be if I didn't make the most of my one day off this week, I loaded my backpack and headed off to Troy, NH to climb Gap Mountain.

 I got to the parking lot at 2:45 and set off into the woods. Soon enough I passed a guy and his two dogs, and after that I never saw another human. The beginning of the hike was easy, a wide-open meander. Then at the stream I hooked up with the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail and made my way to the summit. There were many cool features to the hike: there were small sets of stone staircases of 3-5 steps; wooden terrace-style steps; a steep rock scramble near the summit; and fog all day. When I got to the summit at 3:45 I felt like I was wandering over a grassy sand dune at a beach to get to the ocean. The view from the top, which is supposed to feature a spectacular vista including the mighty Mount Monadnock, was a blank wall of fog for 360 degrees.

I ate my apple and my almonds, took a few photos (including a trio of goofy Lego Star Wars ones), and then began my descent just as the rain began to mist all around me. I listened to music from Sidewalk, Vanessa Kafka, and Kristin Cifelli, making my way carefully down the cliffs, and then enjoying a dusk jaunt the rest of the way back to my car, where as soon as I got inside, the skies opened in a major downpour. The ol' Kenozoic luck with weather was in play once again!

Side note: I always enjoy the music part of my hikes (the descent during non-loop trail hikes), and I always feel inspired to rush home and practice my guitar playing, but by the time I get home and clean & fed and settled, I never fail to forget all about said inspiration until the next hike...