Gap Mountain Trail

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 42.81870°N / 72.1379°W
Additional Information Route Type: Hike
Additional Information Time Required: Half a day
Additional Information Difficulty: Class with one scramble
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach

VIA GAP MOUNTAIN WHITE TRAIL FROM ROUTE 12: Take Route 12 to Gap Mountain Road (left heading from Keene and a right if heading from Massachusetts). This road is roughly right on the Troy-Fitzwilliam town line. Take Gap Mountain Road past Upper Gap Mountain road to the trailhead parking area on your left. Take the yellow trail on your left.


Route Description

Picture from the Middle Peak...


From the South
Gap Mountain Trail
2.8 miles (if not going to the top of the trailess South Peak)
Class 1 with one scramble


Take the yellow trail on your left roughly 0.4 miles to the Metacomet-Monadnock Interstate Trail. This trail is very gradual and actually feels as if you are walking away from the summit. When you hit the white blazed Metacomet-Monadnock Interstate Trail make a right on the trail toward Gap Mountain.

The trail will begin very gradual up toward is the summit. Rougly 0.3 miles you hit a sign marking where the former trailhead was (private property). The trail at this point will begin to steepen to a moderate climb. About 0.2 miles from the trail will enter the first small scramble. Just before the second scramble there will be a small footpath to the right which will lead to the true summit of Gap Mountain (South Peak). Stay on the trail past the second harder scramble and roughly 100 yards from this scramble will be the summit of the Middle Peak (great views). Conitnue 0.1 miles on the white blazed trail to the North Peak (great views).


Essential Gear

In summer this route this requires normal hiking gear. In winter though crampons and or yal-trak are required. Snowshoes are strongly recommended if you hiking just after a major snowstorm.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

Side Footpath to South Peak

South Peak is totally different from the other two. This peak is trail less with only a eroded footpath from the white blazed Gap Mountain trail just before the hardest scramble of the Gap Mountain Trail. Use caution if you are attempting to summit the south peak because the woods to this summit are very thick and both a great sense of direction as well as good route finding skills are necessary .

South Peak's views are very limited compared to the other summits. There view of Mt. Monadnock from this summit and a decent ledge view east towards North Pack Monadnock but that is about it. The summit is marked by a larger cairn that is completely wooded.


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.