May 27, 2019 - 8 went

Details

Instead of watching the same old parades or dodging crowds in the
cities and malls, how about getting outdoors this Memorial Day
weekend? Mt. Monadnock is an easy day trip, and a fun and quite
barefoot-friendly mountain. At 3200+ feet it's not a beginner
hike, but suitable for anyone in reasonable condition. Even if
bagging the peak is out of reach, there are some shortcut routes
and the views from partway up are great! Let's try to get a bunch
of people up there over the weekend sometime. This trip is for
anyone, not just barefooters, but we will say that Monadnock's
granite slabs offer uniquely pleasant textures.

We would like to try the Red Spot trail to Pumpelly this time,
at least for the ascent. That partially avoids the popular but
crowded White Dot trail, and may be slightly less steep. Descent
route can be decided on the fly.

The event date is necessarily TENTATIVE, as weather will dictate
which will be the best day out of the three. Members are encouraged
to comment on their own preferred scheduling as well, which can help
to pick the optimal date. Watch this space closely for updated info
as the weekend approaches.

There is a $5/person state park entry fee, and given the mountain's
popularity it is almost imperative to get there early. Carpooling
is encouraged! The "Twin Cities" shopping plaza in South Fitchburg,
right off Route 2, is a convenient place to compress into fewer
cars and park the extra ones for the day. Then head up 31 to 119
and 202 to Jaffrey, or some other favored route. We can group up
near the picnic tables east of the first parking lot, where the map
marker is shown (42.8448,-72.0869). Bring water and snacks, bug
repellent and sunscreen, and hiking poles if you prefer them.
There is a big restroom building near the main trailhead.

References:
NH state parks page on Monadnock
http://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/monadnock-state-park.aspx
First time barefooting the mountain
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/pix/mon1705/

## Post-event ## ...

There are more photos and a bit of storyline at