Thompson Hill - Murdough Hill - Little Thompson Hill (NH) *6/12/2026*

Thompson Hill

Location: Hillsboro, New Hampshire
Mileage: 4.8 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1388 Feet
Trails Used: Wenny Baker Trail, Bushwhack, Road Walk
Views: None. Large cairns and rock walls
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: None

After working the overnight shift on Thursday, I was surprisingly alert, so I decided to squeeze in a quick hike Friday morning. I left work, drove home to grab my gear, and headed straight to the trailhead. I’d been to Thompson Hill once before, back in June 2015. I got ready fast, since the bugs were already swarming. Rain was in the forecast the whole time, but it held off until I finished. The humidity was intense, and the bugs stuck around for the entire hike.

The trailhead parking area for the Wenny-Baker Forest and the trail to Thompson Hill is located off County Road in Hillsborough, with space for just two or three cars.

The Thompson Hill Trail begins gently, but the steep climb soon takes over, and combined with the high humidity, it made for a bit of a challenge today.

The Thompson Hill Trail leveled off around this point, so I slowed my pace to cool down as I hiked toward the summit.

 The area is full of rock walls, and this stretch follows the Thomson Hill Trail.

An intriguing rock cairn appears as you approach the summit of Thompson Hill.

The true summit of Thompson Hill, at 1,780 feet, is reached by a short herd path from near the viewpoint in the summit area. On a clear day, you can enjoy views of Pats Peak Ski Area and even Mount Monadnock.

I didn’t take any more pictures after this point, as the rest of the hike from Murdough Hill to Little Thompson Hill was a loop bushwhack through scrappy woods and steep terrain. With swarms of blackflies and mosquitoes and bad weather rolling in, I decided to bag the two peaks quickly and get back to the car before the rain hit.

Thompson Hill, the tallest spot in Hillsborough, New Hampshire, sits within the scenic Wenny-Baker Forest.

Moxham Mountain (NY) **5/31/20206**

Moxham Mountain

Location: Minerva, New York
Mileage: 5.2 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1080 Feet
Trails Used: Moxham Mountain Trail
Views: 180 from Summit and Several Ledges
Difficulty: Moderate

Hiking Lists: Adk-9 Challenge/Adirondack 29er Challenge

On Sunday, before heading back home to New Hampshire, Amy and I stayed in Keene, New York after hiking Silver Lake Mountain, Cobble Lookout, and Panther Mountain the day before. We woke up early for the roughly hour-long drive to the Moxham Mountain trailhead, where parking fits about five to six cars if done correctly. We got ready quickly as the bugs were already swarming and hungry, then signed the kiosk logbook a few feet up the trail—always a smart step, since you never know what might happen on a hike.

The trailhead sign points you in the right direction, though it’s slightly tucked away among the trees at the start of the Moxham Mountain Trail.

Pink Lady Slippers were plentiful along the Moxham Mountain Trail, in numbers unlike anything I’ve seen on a single mountain. I had no idea it’s illegal to pick them in most states, so it’s best to enjoy their beauty by snapping photos and leaving them undisturbed.

                      About a mile into the hike on the Moxham Mountain Trail, the ledge views began to appear.

The Moxham Mountain Trail transitions from rocks and roots to rocky ledges, yet never becomes overly steep on the way to the summit.

                          A view of Gore Mountain, the largest ski area in New York, owned by the state.

A solitary patch of wild columbine rests just below the summit of Moxham Mountain.

The view from the ledges offers a stunning perspective toward the summit of Moxham Mountain.

More views from one of the eleven ledge outcrops just below Moxham Mountain’s summit, looking back down the ridge we climbed.

Cloudy skies surround us as we stand atop Moxham Mountain, at an elevation of 2,461 feet.

Overall, it was a pleasant hike. There was a simple water crossing, a muddy patch, and some bothersome bugs, but we made good time getting back to the car. We passed around ten people and a few dogs heading toward the summit. I brought my bug zapper racket and used it sparingly on the way down—it works, and who cares if anyone stares.

Hunter Mountain (NY) May 17th, 2026

Hunter Mountain

Location: Hunter/Lexington, New York
Mileage: 7.6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1914 Feet
Trails Used: Spruceton Trail
Views: 360 from Inside the Fire Tower Cab
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: Catskill Fire Tower Challenge/Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondack/Catskills)/Catskill 3500 Club

Since we were tackling the Catskill Fire Tower Challenge and had hiked Red Hill and its fire tower the day before, Hunter Mountain was next on our list. I figured this one wouldn’t be too difficult, as the route follows old roads all the way to the summit, with the elevation gain spread out over the roughly 7.5-mile round trip. When we pulled into the parking lot off Spruceton Road, a few cars were already there. We geared up and started up the road.

The Catskill Fire Tower Challenge requires you to climb all eight Catskill fire towers between January 1st, 2026, and December 31st, 2026. Hunter Mountain is #1 on the Catskill Fire Tower Challenge and #1 on the Fire Tower Challenge (Adirondacks and Catskills).

The start of the Spruceton Trail, just off Spruceton Road. 

The Spruceton Trail is an old jeep road that leads all the way to the fire tower and the summit of Hunter Mountain. Back in the day, it was used by the fire tower staff when the tower was active.

 

About a mile and a half from the trailhead, you’ll reach Jones Gap, where the Hunter West Trail, Spruceton Trail, and the herd path leading to Rusk Mountain all meet. You’ll also find a horse hitching post here.

The John Robb Lean-To sits just a few feet off the Spruceton Trail, perched on a ledge. We skipped checking out the views since there were still people sleeping there.

Just before the junction to the John Robb Lean-To, there’s an interesting spring that’s also used by the horse's people ride to the summit of Hunter Mountain.

After passing the spring, this well-kept stretch of the Spruceton Trail leveled out, making for a fairly easy hike to the summit of Hunter Mountain.

The junction where the Spruceton Trail meets the Colonel's Chair Trail leads to the Hunter Mountain ski area.

The well-maintained service road and Spruceton Trail made for easy walking and hiking.

Amy is making her way up the Spruceton Trail, and we’re nearly at the summit of Hunter Mountain.

Perched on the grassy summit of Hunter Mountain at 4,034 feet, the fire tower and warden’s cabin offer a striking and scenic landmark.

The Hunter Mountain Fire Tower, standing about 60 feet tall, is the highest fire tower in New York by elevation. It was originally built in 1917 and relocated to its current spot in 1953.

The 360-degree views from the fire tower cab on Hunter Mountain were stunning today, with hardly a cloud in sight.

I think this is the original site of the fire tower on Hunter Mountain, which was first built out of logs.

We hiked down the Spruceton Trail, passing the summit, to a viewpoint near where it meets the Becker Hollow Trail.

We turned around and made our way back down, an easy and uneventful walk along the road and trail. I wish more hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire were this straightforward and relaxed. The footing was never tricky, and the varied terrain kept things interesting without being challenging. Combined with the beautiful spring day, it was a great hike to check this peak off the list.

Mount Starr King - Mount Waumbek (NH) **3/24/2018**

Mount Starr King - Mount Waumbek

Location: Jefferson and Kilkenny, New Hampshire
Mileage: 7.3 Miles
Elevation Gain: 2600 Feet
Trails Used: Starr King Trail
Views: 180 from Summits of Mount Starr King and Mount Waumbek
Difficulty: Moderate
Hiking Lists: Mount Waumbek : AMC NH 4000 Footers/AMC New England 4000 Footers/NE 115 4000 Footers/AMC 100 Highest/NH 200 Highest/NH 300 Highest - Mount Starr King: NH 52 With A View

I didn’t have the energy or motivation to hike the week before, so I decided to get out for a hike on Saturday. I wanted something quick and easy since I needed to make it to our March AMC Four-Thousand-Footer committee meeting ahead of the annual awards ceremony in April. A few days earlier, Brian messaged me saying Renee and Amy were planning to do Mount Isolation, but that was out for me due to the time and distance involved. His next suggestion was Mount Waumbek. At first, I thought it wouldn’t work for the same reasons, but after reconsidering, I decided to go for it. I met Brian and Renee at the exit 23 park in New Hampton, and we drove north to meet Amy and some of Renee’s friends at the trailhead parking area in Jefferson, New Hampshire. We geared up and crossed US Route 2 to start the hike.

The summer trailhead parking area for the Starr King Trail wasn’t plowed, so we had to leave the car in the winter lot on US 2 and walk up Starr King Road.

We stumbled across an old well along the Starr King Trail, which was once an old logging road.

The Starr King Trail was well-packed by snowshoes, making it very easy to follow.

I remember hiking this section of the Starr King Trail for the first time several years ago in winter, when the snow-covered trees made it feel like walking through a snow tunnel.

When we reached the summit of Mount Starr King, at an elevation of 3,915 feet, people were snapping photos of a Northern Cardinal enjoying some leftover trail mix.

From the summit of Mount Starr King, the view stretches toward Mount Washington and the Presidential Range, their peaks hidden away in the clouds.

Brian stands atop the fireplace remains, all that is left of the shelter that once stood on the summit of Mount Starr King.

Our next stop, Mount Waumbek, is just a mile away, nestled behind the trees.

After descending from the summit of Mount Starr King, we headed toward Mount Waumbek. The snow along the Starr King Trail was a little soft here, so most of the group had switched to snowshoes by then.

The summit of Mount Waumbek, at 4,011 feet, is clearly buried under deep snow, judging by how much of the sign is hidden.

Panoramic view from the lookout just below the summit of Mount Waumbek.

Brian, Renee, and Amy at the scenic spot just below the summit of Mount Waumbek.

Brian and I at the Mount Waumbek viewpoint, taking peak-level nerd selfies.

After one final break at the summit of Mount Starr King, we made great time hiking back down to the car.

It was a great day for a hike with good company. The winter conditions were just right, and the trail was packed enough to skip the snowshoes. The views were pretty good for winter, and I still made it back in time for the committee meeting call.

Mount Starr King is the highest point in the town of Jefferson, New Hampshire and is located in the Pliny Range.