Today we hiked up Little Monadnock Trail, a total of 4 miles RT. We drove about 15 minutes from the inn we stayed at, to the NH state park where the trail started. There was only one other car there, with stickers on it, indicating a serious hiker/climber. The park is called Rhododendron State Park because as you enter the flat loop trail, it is a canopy of rhododendrons. Quite impressive. So, we had the All Trails file to follow and there were OK trail markers, but every once in awhile, we weren't sure where to go. Perhaps it was because there was little evidence of other footprints. There was some crusty snow, some ice (we wore our spikes), and other parts were bare or very wet. A good deal of the trail was along or in shallow running water. Thank God for Gore Tex.
This trail had everything. A stream crossing, steep rocky pieces (short) and lots of elevation for 2 miles up. So, we got to a summit, but it wasn't the real one, but near. We had a great view of Mt Monadnock, but DH wanted to go to the real summit. I was nervous and yelling, as we left the marked state park trails here, although it was marked, but confusing. Right after we started up to the summit, we saw a woman, alone with a dog, who had come in from another spot. We eventually got to the summit, but the view was obstructed by trees.
I used my poles going down and in one place, scrambled down on my butt. It went much faster than I thought it would. Pretty much, I would say this was as technical as what I did in Maine last fall, but it was the getting lost a few times that got to me. DH has a much higher tolerance for this, although we were really never far from the trail, just had to look around for the markers and use the app.
We drove home from there, about an hour and 15 minutes. I am all cleaned up and ready for my son, DIL, and granddaughter to have dinner here, but I am pretty tired. 1885 ft. total ascent.