Return to Mount Cube

Now that I’m back home, I’m looking forward to hiking some of my favorite places. Today I chose Mount Cube, a small peak along the Appalachian Trail north of here. It’s only a 45-minute drive, a 2-mile hike, and leads to some pretty nice views. It’s my go-to hike when I need a short morning outing. When I set out, early this morning, I was driving through dense fog and (seemingly) cloudy skies, but I knew Mount Cube would rise above all that. It did not fail to deliver.

Today’s weather was so nice, in fact, that I pressed onward beyond the South Peak – my usual destination, at the top of the Rivendell Trail – to the rarely-visited North Peak. This latter ‘peak’ is basically a lengthy rock outcrop offering an 180º panorama looking north at Mount Moosilauke and the White Mountains beyond. Today’s view was hazy, but lovely.

I have to admit my choice of Mount Cube – rather than a larger favorite, like Mount Moosilauke – was because I wanted to test myself on a rugged, steep, New-Hampshire-style climb. With a few exceptions (like in Wales), most of my hiking for the past year has been on gentle trails and relatively level ground in southern England. Yes, today’s hike was shorter than most of my English countryside rambles, but with more elevation gain and rugged trails. Was I ready for bigger climbs? I felt good, today, and reached the summit in under one hour – my benchmark for Mount Cube. Next weekend I’ll try something more ambitious!

The photo gallery includes a video panorama from the north peak.