Gap Mountain

Infobox Mountain
Name = Gap Mountain
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Elevation = North peak convert|1840|ft|m|0|lk=on; South peak convert|1900|ft|m|0|lk=on
Location = Troy, New Hampshire
Range = None; southern New Hampshire uplands
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Coordinates = coord|42|49|18|N|72|08|23|W |type:mountain_region:US |display=inline (north peak)
coord|42|49|08|N|72|08|16|W |type:mountain_region:US |display=title,inline (south peak)
Topographic

Type = monadnock; metamorphic rock
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Age = 400 million years
Last eruption =
First ascent =
Easiest route = Metacomet-Monadnock Trail
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Gap Mountain, located in Troy, New Hampshire, is a rugged monadnock with two summits, convert|1840|ft|m|0|lk=on and convert|1900|ft|m|0|lk=on. The summits of the mountain are mostly bald and offer panoramic views of the surrounding rural landscape and of the higher and more popular Mount Monadnock. The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail passes over the north peak. The mountain, located entirely within the "Gap Mountain Reservation" managed by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, is named for the cleft between its two peaks.

The mountain is flanked by Mount Monadnock three miles to the north and Little Monadnock Mountain four miles to the southwest; it drains into the Millers River, thence into the Connecticut River to Long Island Sound on its east and south slopes, and into the Ashuelot River, thence to the Connecticut River on the north and west.

History and conservation

Gap Mountain was cleared of timber in the 1800s and used for pasture for nearby dairy farmers. The summit was still open pasture as late as 1950 but has become progressively more wooded since. In the 1960s the mountain was put up for sale and passed hands several times; a housing development and a ski resort were proposed. Local citizens, concerned about the fate of the mountain, formed a coalition and, with the help of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, began a twenty year effort to purchase and conserve Gap Mountain and its environs. Several land donations completed the project, enlarging it to more than 1100 acres. The mountain supports a variety of wildflower species unusual to New Hampshire. The summits of the mountain are still more or less bare and support extensive blueberry heath.

Recreation

Hiking and blueberry picking are commonly enjoyed activities on the mountain. Several trails are located on the mountain, most notably the 110 mile Metacomet Monadnock Trail which stretches from the Massachusetts/Connecticut border to Mount Monadnock.

References

* [http://www.forestsociety.org/ourproperties/featured/gap-mountain.asp The Forest Society's Gap Mountain page] . Cited Dec. 15, 2007.
* Baldwin, Henry I. "Monadnock Guide" Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, Concord, New Hampshire, 1987.
* "The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail Guide." 9th Edition. The Appalachian Mountain Club. Amherst, Massachusetts, 1999.

Links

* [http://amcberkshire.org/mm-trail Metacomet-Monadnock Trail] at AMCBerkshire.org
* [http://www.forestsociety.org Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests]