WTF was I thinking hiking Monadnock today!

Holy Cr/p!  What in the world was I thinking?

Monitored the weather for a week leading into this hike.  Saw that the rain was coming in by 2/3 pm.  Figured I would be safe hiking by myself in the 4/4.5 hr timeframe to avoid the bad weather.  Boy was I wrong.

The humidity or overnight showers caused suck a slick ascent up the very rocky Pumpelly Trail.  Careful footing and grip strength were a bit tested on this day.  I got up to what I thought was the top, and I know what the top is on Monadnock because I have been there a dozen times.  However; the wind was swirling, the fog was so thick … I could not get my bearings.  I went off trail a few times and AllTrails set me straight.  It felt like I was still 1000 feet to the top, but I as literally right there.  Short stop to enjoy some snacks with limited shelter.  Made trek down, basically on my arse the whole way down.  Beyond slippery and felt like I was sledding in the winter time down some local hill (although here I could crash face first into a rock pile).  Ok, drama queen over!

Usually my decent are a lot faster than my ascents….not this time.  It was about 4:55 up and down with about 2:55 down.  Wow!  Careful as the operative word that day.  Along with I came, I saw, I conquered it, but no pictures to write home about.

#5 in the New England challenge in the books, and I’m alive.  Greylock!  You are next … hopefully on a bright, sun-shiny day!

Cheers!