Mount Monroe from Mount Washington
Mount Monroe is a jagged prehistoric looking summit that rises sharply over the Lakes of the Clouds and it's hut just 1.5 miles south of Mount Washington. The Ammonoosuc Ravine trail is the fastest way to get to the summit of Mount Monroe but for those hardcore hikers who prefer a long, rough, rugged, and wild hike the Dry River trail provides another route to Mount Monroe. Views from the Monroe's summit to the north of Lakes of the Clouds, Mount Washington, and it's summit cone are magnificent. Views to the east of the Camel's Hump, the Boot Spur, Isolation, and the Dry River Wilderness extend forever and are breathtaking. Mount Monroe also has a sub peak called "Little Monroe" which has excellent views as well and on the Mount Monroe Loop between peaks is a Cairn which I call the "Cross Cairn" which is pretty nifty looking!
Trails I've Hiked
-Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail/ Mount Monroe Loop: 3.5 miles, 2,500 feet. The trailhead is on the Base Road off Route 302 in Brenton Woods. The trail takes you to Lakes of the Clouds Hut and is protected from the weather for almost all of the way. The "Ammo" trail follows close by the Ammonoosuc River, you also cross the gem pool, and there is an excellent side path to "The Gorge" which is the bottom of two 600 foot waterfalls. The trail gets extremely steep at 2.1 miles in right after passing the Gem Pool, ascending 1,550 feet in just 1.0 miles! High winds out of the west and north west can be brutal past lakes of the clouds while ascending the rocky Mount Monroe Loop. In the winter the trailhead is closed but Base Road is usually plowed (mostly untreated) to Marsh Field Cog Station.
-Crawford Path/Mount Monroe Loop: 7.0 miles, 3,500 feet. The trailhead for Crawford Path is across the street from the Highland Center at Crawford Notch off Route 302. It is the oldest continuously used trail in the United States and is an extremely popular trail that is well marked and has incredible views. The trail has moderate grades and decent footing the whole way but has knee hammering boulders and rocks above treeline that will give your feet a beating when descending. From the Webster-Cliff Trail Junction to the Gulfside Trail just below the summit of Mount Washington it is part of the Appalachian Trail. The trail passes around the summits of Mount Pierce (.1 miles via Webster Cliff), Eisenhower (.4 miles via Eisenhower Loop), Franklin (.1 miles via a side path), and Monroe (.4 miles via Monroe Loop). From Pierce to Washington the trail is very exposed running above treeline and can be dangerous in low visibility and bad weather which only gets worse as you continue up towards Mount Washington.
Dry River Trail: 9.6 miles, elevation gain of 4,000 feet ending at Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The Dry River Trail has easy to moderate grades with decent footing to the suspension bridge but then becomes a rough and rugged primitive trail that is usually wet and muddy. The trail always follows close by the Dry River until it finally ascends steeply to the Lakes of the Clouds. Until reaching treeline the trail has one good view early on but mostly it's in the woods in the middle of nowhere! Views once above treeline are pretty interesting of the backside of Mount Monroe and the final tenth of a mile toward the hut offers a unique and pretty cool view of the hut. There is one shelter left along the trail, Dry River Shelter #3, which is located 6.3 miles in from Route 302 and 2.3 miles below Lakes of the Clouds. The river crossings on the dry river trail can be difficult to dangerous after heavy rain so caution should be used.
Trip Reports:
November 19th, 2016: Presidential Range Traverse, North to South
July 12th, 2016: Up Tuckerman Ravine, down Crawford Path, up and down Mount Monroe Loop, up Crawford Path & Camel Trail, across Davis Path, down Boott Spur Link and Tuckerman Ravine Trail
June 18th, 2016: Presidential Range vs. Great Range Traverse Challenge
June 16th, 2016: Presidential Range Traverse, North to South (No Report)
September 26th, 2015: Presidential Range Traverse, North to South (Run)
February 27th, 2015: Up Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, up Monroe Loop Trail, up Crawford Path, across Gulfside Trail, up and down Jefferson Loop Trail, across Gulfside and Westside Trail, down Crawford Path, up and down Eisenhower Loop Trail, across Crawford Path and Webster Cliff Trail, down Webster-Jackson Trail, Route 302, Mount Clinton Road, and Base Station Road walks
December 15th, 2014: Presidential Range Traverse, North to South
October 11th, 2014: Up Dry River Trail, southbound along the Crawford Path, Monroe Loop and Eisenhower Loop Trail, down Webster Cliff and Mount Clinton Trail, out via Dry River Trail
June 15th, 2014: Presidential Range Traverse, North to South
April 12th, 2014: Up Crawford path, down Cog Tracks
March 7th, 2014: Up Ammonoosuc and Crawford Path, across Gulfside, Clay Loop, and Jefferson Loop, down Jewell Trail
October 12th, 2013: Presidential Range Traverse
October 12th, 2013: Up Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Monroe Loop Trail, Crawford Path, down Gulfside Trail, Jewell Trail, Base Station Road
July 21st, 2013: Double Presidential Range Traverse
June 16th, 2013: Jefferson through Webster Loop
March 9th, 2013: Presidential Range Traverse
May 20th, 2012: Double Presidential Range Traverse
May 19th, 2012: Madison through Isolation Loop
May 6th, 2012: Jefferson through Jackson Loop
January 22nd, 2012: Up Ammonoosuc Ravine, Monroe Loop, across Crawford Path, up and down Eisenhower Loop Trails
September 25th, 2011: Up Jewell Trail, across Gulfside Trail to Sphinx Trail, up and down Sphinx Trail, up Mount Clay Loop and Gulfside Trail to Mount Washington, down Crawford Path, up and down Mount Monroe Loop Trail, down Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail
June 27th, 2011: Double Presidential Traverse
Friday April 22nd, 2011: Up Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Monroe Loop Trail, Crawford Path, down Cog Railway
Sunday October 3rd, 2010: Up Tuckerman Ravine, Crawford Path to Mount Monroe, across Camel Trail, down Boot Spur Trail
September 18th, 2010: Up Davis Path, down Dry River Trail
July 31st, 2010: Up Caps Ridge Trail, across The Cornice and Gulfside Trail, trailwork on Sphinx Trail, up Mount Clay Loop and Gulfside Trail, down Crawford Path, up and down Monroe Loop Trail, down Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, across the Jewell, Boundary Line Trail, and Jefferson Notch Road back to the Caps Ridge Trailhead
June 19th, 2010: Full Presidential Traverse (North to South)
June 12th, 2010: Up Caps Ridge Trail to Jefferson, Gulfside Trail and Mount Clay Loop to Mount Clay and Washington, Crawford Path and Mount Monroe Loop to Monroe, down Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail
April 24th, 2010: Up Crawford Path down Cog Railroad
January 23rd, 2010: Up and Down Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail
November 8th, 2009: Up Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail to Monroe Loop Trail, up Crawford Path, down Gulfside Trail to Jewell Trail
September 20th, 2009: Up Huntington Ravine Trail and Nelson Crag Trail, down Crawford Path to Monroe Loop Trail, Across Camel Trail, down The Boot Spur
August 8th, 2009: Presidential Traverse (South to North)
June 28th, 2008: Presidential Traverse (North to South)
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