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Resting on the Summit

Scouts and adult leaders from Troop 21 in Putnam (foreground) took time to rest once they reached the summit of Mt. Monadnock, in Jaffrey, N.H., Oct. 15. The troop hiked to the top of the mountain, 3,165 feet above sea level, in about two-and-a-half hours. Photo courtesy of Peter A. Lombardo.

 

JAFFREY, N.H. — The Boy Scouts from Putnam’s Troop 21 were up to the challenge earlier this month when they reached the top of Mt. Monadnock, in New Hampshire, 62 miles northwest of Boston.

“Physical fitness is an important part of Scouting,” said Troop 21 Scoutmaster Peter A. Lombardo, of Putnam. “But Scouting also builds character through healthy outdoor challenges like this hike. Boys get to test their limits and go beyond what they think they can do. Besides, the view from the top was spectacular.

Bruce Burr, of Woodstock, adult guardian for one of the Scouts, accompanied Lombardo and the Scouts as the second adult on the trip.

“Monadnock was definitely the biggest thing I ever hiked up,” Burr said. “The fall colors were just great – a little hazy, but just great. We were told that on a clear day we could see downtown Boston, but we couldn’t make it out when we were at the top.”

At 3,165 feet above sea level, Monadnock has been a popular destination for hikers since the early 19th century. The trails are well marked and no ropes or other climbing gear are needed during the fall to get to the summit, so it’s the kind of outdoor program that even younger Scouts can take on without special training in climbing. With boys ranging in age from 11 to 16, Troop 21 made the round trip up and down in a little less than six hours.

“It’s just under two miles up and just over two miles down,” said New Hampshire State Park Ranger Taylor Spaulding, “but you do climb over 1,700 vertical feet from the base to the summit.

Spaulding said the summit’s usually colder, with topside temperatures averaging 15 degrees less than at the bottom of the trail. Lombardo said that wasn’t a problem, because the boys came prepared for whatever was likely to happen.

The trip to New Hampshire was a successful continuation of the Scouting year for Troop 21. For more information call (860) 963-0171 and leave a message.