Mount Manodnack, Dublin, NH, September 8, 2018
The second most climbed mountain in the world, after Mt. Fuji, this famous mountain was a favorite of Henry David Thoreau, who documented its flora in the 1840s, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote a long poem about it in 1845.
The first reported ascent was in 1725 by Captain Samuel Willard, who brought fourteen rangers with him to use the summit as a watch for Native Americans. The summit is open rock because of the many fires set there by settlers, at least once to clear out wolves.
We began our hike at Dublin Pond, through old pasture land and beside old stone walls overgrown by oak, beech, pine, hemlock, and, higher up, balsam fir. Other plants include trillium, claytonia, and cucumber root. I see a white and black hickory tussock moth dangling six feet from the ground on a thread and another on the ground. I know not to touch it; it’s hairs can cause a bad rash.
The ascent to the ridge is very rocky and steep, eventually leading through stands of red spruce, blueberry, British soldier, pixy cup and worm lichens. Trees grow smaller here as we approach the krumholtz zone, where trees are stunted due to strong winds.
Spectacular views soon open up north to east: Stratton Mountain in Vermont, Pack Monadnock and even Mount Washington much farther.
Above us, a couple turkey vultures gracefully ride the air currents, rocking gently back-and-forth. We pass a couple mountain bogs filled with cotton grass, each a white cotton ball at the end of a foot-tall stem. Views also open to the south, toward Mounts Watatic and Wachusett in Massachusetts.
We see a few boulders, left here by the glacier that carved this mountain’s summit 10,000 years ago. Because of the exposed nature of this upper section, plants that grow closer to arctic regions can be found here, including, mountain cranberry, which was once picked for patrons of a mountain hotel built on the side of this mountain two centuries ago, and mountain sandwort, with its delicate white flowers.
The wind picks up and the temperature drops as we reach the summit. Amazing views open up in every direction. After enjoying these views, we eat lunch and begin our decent.