In a matter of days, I will begin my walk through the Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail. I slowly increased my walking after a winter of light hibernation (aside from the daily walk I do as a mail carrier), and last weekend I carried my backpack loaded to help my body get used to its weight. Now is the time to finish packing your bags and mentally prepare for the GMS.
Putting on a loaded backpack for a hike to Spruce Hill Overlook last weekend.
The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail is a 48.7-mile trail that extends from the summit of Mount Monadnock to the summit of Mount Sunapee in southwestern New Hampshire. I will be hiking with NOBO. The official trail distance does not include the ascent of Mount Monadnock or the descent of Mount Sunapee; The actual distance I will walk is approximately 53 miles.
Why am I hiking?
This is a test run for a Northville-Placid Trail hike I have planned for later this year. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to tackle the trail physically, but I’ve never backpacked alone; I consider this to be more of a mental and emotional test. Will I be scared at night? Will I feel lonely without my wife and dog with me? Will I get frustrated and want to quit as soon as I get wet and cold?
Itinerary
I’ll try to hike the trail in four days. My first day will begin with a two-hour drive, after which I will ascend Mount Monadnock to reach the southern end of MSG. The Monadnock hike will be by far the most strenuous part of the trail, and I’m definitely “interested” in seeing how my body responds to getting out of the car, putting on my heaviest weight pack, and immediately climbing almost 2,000 vertical feet in two miles.
The first day, while including the most strenuous terrain of the hike, will also be one of the shortest days: The first shelter on the MSG heading to NOBO, the Spiltoir Shelter, is 8 miles from the parking lot at Monadnock State Park, giving me enough time to set up camp, relax, and rest for the second day, in which I plan to hike nearly 20 miles to the Fox Brook tent.
On day three, I will hike 12 miles to the Max Israel Shelter or 17 miles to the Moose Lookout Shelter, depending on the weather and how I feel. This day I’ll be passing through the city of Washington and stopping at the general store for lunch, and I’m already looking forward to it.
Day four will be my last day on the trail: my wife will meet me at the top of Sunapee with our dog, Wiley, and hike with me. Depending on where you camp the night before, it will be a 7 or 12 mile day.
Team: the big three
Here’s a rundown of some of the gear I’ll be bringing with me to MSG.
Less organized than your average team photo.
Shelter
Kammok Mantis UL Hammock
Fun fact about me: I had corrective surgery for degenerative scoliosis when I was 16 years old. The surgery involved fusing 14 of my spinal vertebrae (L3-T1), leaving me with no thoracic mobility and limited lumbar mobility. As a result, I’ve always had trouble sleeping on the floor (imagine trying to sit up and put on your shoes in a tent without bending your spine). Solution: camping in hammocks!
For some reason, it took me a while to discover hammock camping. I always thought that if I slept more on the floor, my body would eventually acclimatize and I would be able to sleep well at night. After years of backpacking, this “adaptation” did not occur. Sleeping in a hammock has been a real change for me.
sleep system
Lighted Team Reveal Quilt (30 Degrees)
Hammock quilt (30 degrees)
Thermarest Compressible Pillow (Medium)
Temperatures during my hike will range from the 50s during the day to the 40s/30s at night. It should be warm enough with 30 degree bags. I discovered that sleeping in a hammock is a lot Warmer than sleeping on the floor: The quilt seems to provide much more warmth than a sleeping pad. And I sleep better with a real pillow.
Pack
Gossamer Gear Butterfly (60L)
I travel a lot with my dog as a backpacker, hence the large backpack. Wiley can’t come on this hike because dogs are not allowed in Monadnock State Park. Without its dog gear, my backpack feels pretty roomy, but it’s what I have, so I’m using it.
Clothing, Trekking Poles, Trail Runners, Stove, Etc.
Please see my gear list for a list of everything else I will be packing for this hike. The next time you hear from me, I’ll be hot on the trail. Happy hiking everyone!
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