Thinking Spring with Petey on Pack Monadnock

Petey making his way on the snow covered trail.

Winter got a late start this year in New Hampshire, and it seems determined to stick around long after it has worn out its welcome.  The skiing conditions have been wonderful, but I am now ready for a change of season.  Last Sunday, I was determined to get a taste of Spring on the trails, so I headed south for Pack Monadnock (2,290 ft.) in the hopes that the trails would be mostly clear of the white stuff yet not too full of the muddy stuff.  What I found instead was much more snow from top to bottom than I had anticipated.  And while that would not otherwise have posed a problem, I also realized at the trailhead that my microspikes were not in the back of the car where I thought I had left them.

Petey questioning my preparedness

Thankfully, my boots have good tread and I was able to choose a route that was mostly in the sun.  So, my hiking companion Petey and I set out for the top of Pack Monadnock via an out and back 2.8 mile trip along the Marion Davis Trail.  While the trail was well packed and mostly slushy and not icy, the spikes would have made for a quicker descent.  Of course, I did not have to worry about Petey pulling on a leash or otherwise complicating our hike in any way.  So, we did not mind taking our time and carefully watching our steps along the way on such a beautiful and sunny day. 

Enjoying a sunny, dry section of the trail

We only encountered two other hikers on our way to the summit.  As I introduced my companion with, "This is Petey," the first hiker replied, "So am I, and so is he."  After chatting briefly with the Peters and asking that they share Petey's blog post with family and friends, we continued to the top of Pack Monadnock where we met with a few other hikers.  Petey kindly made the acquaintance of more hikers and posed for several photos.  He is a perfect gentleman in every way.

At the summit of Pack Monadnock

Found wandering as a stray in West Virginia last year, Petey made his way to New Hampshire late last fall and has been wintering in a foster home while waiting patiently for a family to adopt him.  Peter's early grey muzzle makes him appear older than his estimated six years of age, but he hikes like a dog half his age.  In addition to his distinguished appearance, Petey is completely friendly with everyone he encounters, including humans, canines and felines of all ages and sizes.  They say that 10 is the new 5 in dog ages, so the family who welcomes Petey into their home will have many happy, rewarding years of companionship ahead of them.

Smiling for the camera and the new friends he met!

You can learn more about Petey, share him with family and friends, and submit an application for adoption here on his Petfinder profile page. A full album of photos from Petey's hike to the top of Pack Monadnock is available online here at the Foster Dog Summit facebook page.  To support the efforts of Petey's rescue group with a contribution or to inquire about fostering a dog, please visit Canine Guardians for Life, Inc.

See you on the trails!