Mountain Quest: Watatic

At 3 pm today I packed my backpack, dressed appropriately, and headed off to nearby Ashburnham, MA to climb Mount Watatic, as part of my 2010 Mountain Quest plan. I had all the stuff with me that I had last time, and in addition I brought a baseball cap to cover my head in direct sunlight, and I applied sunscreen to my nose & cheeks.

The beginning of the Wapack Trail, which is well-marked with yellow triangles, was basically just a rocky dirt road. Then it began to get steep, and I got winded a couple of times. There were several other people making the ascent today, including a kid who passed me doing a cross-country workout for his high school team. About halfway to the summit I got my second wind, and even the 'Heartbreak Hill' section just before the top was pretty easy going. Once I was at the summit I took a bunch of photographs of the blue-skied panorama. I could see Mt. Wachusett off to the southeast, and the rest of the Wapack Range heading north into New Hampshire. I ate the apple I brought with me, drank some water, and after a last look around (I wasn't inclined to use my sketchpad again this time, but better to have it and not use it, than to need it), I made my descent. I had my iPod on like last time, with Colbie Caillat and Cocteau Twins accompanying me down the mountain. A truly glorious day it was, if a bit windy, and since my brother lives practically right across the street from the entrance, I spent an hour hanging out with him and his family afterward. What a great start to Columbus Day Weekend...