The Old Halfway House

[Carol]

Since I became a trail steward on Mt. Monadnock, I have been doing A LOT of hiking. Much of it, however, has been doing trail maintenance or ambassadorial type work. Both are very rewarding roles which I love, but neither is particularly good for capturing interesting photographs. Today, however, I wandered through part of the mountain's fascinating history.

In an earlier day, one of the most popular attractions in the state was the "Halfway House", a rustic lodging house halfway up Mt. Monadnock built in 1864. This seasonal hotel attracted luminaries such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoroeau, and Mark Twain. Visitors would pay a $1.00 (roughly twice the cost of a gallon of milk) to drive their autos up a gravel road just over a mile long. This was a hotel from another era. It had no indoor plumbing, no heating, and like many places of its day, it was lost to fire in 1954.


Halfway House Sign by Sikaranista, on Flickr


Old Halfway House site by Sikaranista, on Flickr


Halfway House vista by Sikaranista, on Flickr

 

[Tames D]

Carol,
You always have interesting and informative posts. I know I've said this a million times, but I'd like to hook up with you and do some hiking in your area. And maybe see a game at Fenway Park. Hey, I can dream, but who knows? i havent given up on this.

 

[Carol]

All that is left of the old Halfway House now is a few bits of foundation.


Halfway House foundation by Sikaranista, on Flickr


Monadnock 007 by Sikaranista, on Flickr

What may have been a ring from an old barrel ring lies in the dirt

Old Barrel Ring? by Sikaranista, on Flickr

The Moses Spring provided water to the hotel. It was created by drilling a hole in to the rock. The engraving says "Site of the hotel known as the Mountain House and later as the Halfway House. 1868 - 1954 Moses Spring" While the spring has not been maintained since the hotel was lost, its possible to still see water trickle out of it.


Moses Spring by Sikaranista, on Flickr

 

[Carol]

Carol,
You always have interesting and informative posts. I know I've said this a million times, but I'd like to hook up with you and do some hiking in your area. And maybe see a game at Fenway Park. Hey, I can dream, but who knows? i havent given up on this.

It would be an honor, Tames :asian:

I haven't given up on hoping that you will be able to visit sometime

 

[arnisador]

Cool!

 

[Carol]

Many of the trails on the mountain are centered around the Halfway House as a focal point.

The White Arrow trail is one of the oldest, and most used trails on the mountain (and in the nation, for that matter!) While I did hike it yesterday, I did not photograph any of it...this time. With near record temps over 90F on the mountainside, I focused my efforts on assisting injured and dehydrated hikers.


White Arrow Trail by Sikaranista, on Flickr

I wasn't as up for negotiating the crowds of the busy White Arrow, today. I decided to take the road less traveled, and head to a sub-peak of Monadnock, known as Monte Rosa.


Monadnock 010 by Sikaranista, on Flickr


The vista from the Monte Rosa summit was a bit hazy due, but still offered a beautiful glimpse in to Vermont and Massachusetts.


Hazy Vista by Sikaranista, on Flickr


It also offers an impressive view of the main summit, and a trail to the main summit as well. (That's also a hike for another day)


Summit with rainclouds by Sikaranista, on Flickr


My favorite feature of this summit, however, is this impressively large weather vane!


Monte Rosa by Sikaranista, on Flickr

 

[Carol]

For the return trip, I took the nearly parallel Fairy Spring trail.


Decision Point by Sikaranista, on Flickr

The trail goes right across Fairy Spring:


Fairy Spring by Sikaranista, on Flickr

Finally, the trip took me by the remains of Fassett's Mountain House, which was a simple stone cabin only a few hundred square feet in size. Joseph Fassett was in the building trade, and built the cabin by a creek in the mid 1850s to cater to guests of the mountain. Fassett was a squatter who did not own the land...and died mysteriously in 1858.


Fassett's Mountain House by Sikaranista, on Flickr

As simple as it was, Fassett's Mountain House was a pleasant place to sit and take a break. While it doesn't offer any view, it surrounds the person with the the sounds o the creek softly flowing across the rocks, and the sight nature's greenery slowly taking back what was once man-made. My visit was limited though, as modern technology alerted me to the stormclouds getting closer to the mountain.

It was time to call it a day.


Fairy Spring cairn by Sikaranista, on Flickr

 

[Xue Sheng]

I climb Mt Monadnock back in the mid 70s with my dad. I don’t remember the names of the trails but we went up one of the longest to the top and saw almost no one all the way up. I think we actually saw about 4 to 6 people coming down and absolutely no one, but us, going up.

At the top I was rather surprised to find it as crowded as a NY City subway at rush hour.

On the way down we took the shortest trail, which was rather steep and rather crowded.

However it was still a great climb and a great memory of hiking with my father.


Thanks Carol for posting this

 

[Carol]

I climb Mt Monadnock back in the mid 70s with my dad. I don’t remember the names of the trails but we went up one of the longest to the top and saw almost no one all the way up. I think we actually saw about 4 to 6 people coming down and absolutely no one, but us, going up.

At the top I was rather surprised to find it as crowded as a NY City subway at rush hour.

On the way down we took the shortest trail, which was rather steep and rather crowded.

However it was still a great climb and a great memory of hiking with my father.


Thanks Carol for posting this

Thanks for sharing your story too. Its great that you got to spend some time like that with your dad

Boy you aren't kidding about the crowds. Its one of the most frequently hiked mountains in the world and it gets insanely busy.

You and your dad probably started off at the Park Headquarters at the foot of the White Dot trail. A short hike up White Dot brings you over Cascade Link, which you can follow all the way out to the very long Pumpelly trail, and then follow Pumpelly to the summit. That's a very nice hike.

Coming down, you likely took the White Cross back to HQ, which is not on the map graphic here but it largely runs parallel to the White Dot . It is consistently steep but avoids the scrambles that are further up the White Dot -- and its also the most popular way down. I'm sure you had lots and lot of company

View attachment $Trail-routes.jpg

 

[ballen0351]

Thats cool. My kids went on their first "hike" this weekend. Went to a state park did a few small trails thru the woods each one was little over a mile each way they loved it and want to go do some longer ones.