Maps, Elevations & Summary
Route to Summit: Harriskat to Thumbs Up to Thumbs Down to Harriskat TrailsReturn Route: Loop
Distance: 5.5 miles
Maximum Elevation: 2,028 ft.
Trail Report
This was to be an extension of a hike I did a couple of weeks back, to Skatutakee Mountain. This time, however, I was going to continue on to a second summit, Thumb Mountain. Arriving at the trailhead about 7:30 a.m., the temperature was hovering around freezing. Donning a fleece and gloves, I left the Harris Center parking lot and made my way through the forest along the HArriskat trail which was already covered in leaves.
After a mostly level walk through numerous boulder fields, i found the junction of the HArriskat and Thumbs Down trails and headed up the Harriskat. in no time at all, I was sweating and stopped to get rid of the fleece and gloves. The temperature had risen into the 40's with the wind decreasing somewhat as I continued the climb, past two rock walls, a short but steep ledge and onto the familiar open ledge of the Skatutakee summit.
The trees have all but obscure the view of Monadnock but the Wapack trail ridge could be seen clearly. Someone had left a mini-cairn made from some unique white rock, probably quart.
After a brief water and apple break, I geared up and headed down the Thumbs up trail which descended steeply a ridge between the two summits. The mile long walk was pretty easy through very open hemlock forest until it finally intersected with the Thumbs down trail just below the Thumb Mountain summit.
The beginning if the summit spur was quite steep but there were plenty of rock to provide adequate footing. After the initial, very steep 100 feet, the trail became less steep as it approached the summit. At the summit, I was greeted with a "Thumb Mountain" sign and a circular rock bench surrounding a cairn. The ledges just beyond this point offered excellent views of Mount Monadnock.
After a sandwich and water break, I headed back down the mountain to the Thumbs up-Thumbs down trail junction. At the junction, I continued down the mountain and hiked along the pretty lebel mountain base to the shores of Jack's pond.
The leaves were absolutely stunning. After a brief respite, I continued on, intersecting the Harriskat trail again and proceeding back to the Harris Center parking lot.
After a mostly level walk through numerous boulder fields, i found the junction of the HArriskat and Thumbs Down trails and headed up the Harriskat. in no time at all, I was sweating and stopped to get rid of the fleece and gloves. The temperature had risen into the 40's with the wind decreasing somewhat as I continued the climb, past two rock walls, a short but steep ledge and onto the familiar open ledge of the Skatutakee summit.
The trees have all but obscure the view of Monadnock but the Wapack trail ridge could be seen clearly. Someone had left a mini-cairn made from some unique white rock, probably quart.
After a brief water and apple break, I geared up and headed down the Thumbs up trail which descended steeply a ridge between the two summits. The mile long walk was pretty easy through very open hemlock forest until it finally intersected with the Thumbs down trail just below the Thumb Mountain summit.
The beginning if the summit spur was quite steep but there were plenty of rock to provide adequate footing. After the initial, very steep 100 feet, the trail became less steep as it approached the summit. At the summit, I was greeted with a "Thumb Mountain" sign and a circular rock bench surrounding a cairn. The ledges just beyond this point offered excellent views of Mount Monadnock.
After a sandwich and water break, I headed back down the mountain to the Thumbs up-Thumbs down trail junction. At the junction, I continued down the mountain and hiked along the pretty lebel mountain base to the shores of Jack's pond.
The leaves were absolutely stunning. After a brief respite, I continued on, intersecting the Harriskat trail again and proceeding back to the Harris Center parking lot.
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