View source for Pack Monadnock

{{Short description|Mountain in New Hampshire, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{About-distinguish-text|a mountain located in Peterborough and Temple, New Hampshire|the nearby [[Mount Monadnock]] or with other [[Monadnock (disambiguation)|mountains named ''Monadnock'']]}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Pack Monadnock
| photo = Pack Monadnock.jpg
| photo_caption = Pack Monadnock from [[Temple Mountain (New Hampshire)|Temple Mountain]]
| elevation_ft = 2290
| elevation_ref = 
| prominence_ft = 1257
| prominence_ref =
| listing = 
| location = [[Peterborough, New Hampshire|Peterborough]] and [[Temple, New Hampshire]]
| range = [[Wapack Range]]
| coordinates = {{coord|42|51|46|N|71|52|43|W|type:mountain}}
| type = [[monadnock]]; [[metamorphic rock]]
| age = 400 million years
| last_eruption = 
| first_ascent = 
| easiest_route = auto road (seasonal)
}}

'''Pack Monadnock''' or '''Pack Monadnock Mountain''' {{convert|2290|ft|m}}, is the highest peak of the [[Wapack Range]] of mountains and the highest point in [[Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]]. The mountain, a [[monadnock]], is located in south-central [[New Hampshire]] within the towns of [[Peterborough, New Hampshire|Peterborough]] and [[Temple, New Hampshire|Temple]]. The {{convert|22|mi|km|abbr=on}} [[Wapack Trail]] and a number of shorter trails traverse the mountain. A firetower and ledges on the summit offer long views north to the [[White Mountains (New Hampshire)|White Mountains]], west to [[Mount Monadnock]], and south into [[Massachusetts]]. [[North Pack Monadnock|North Pack Monadnock Mountain]] is located directly to the north along the Wapack ridgeline; [[Temple Mountain (New Hampshire)|Temple Mountain]] to the south.

Much of the mountain is located within [[Miller State Park]]. A seasonal automobile road ascends from the south to a picnic area at the summit. The summit also has a staffed air-pollution monitoring station.

The east side of the mountain drains into the [[Souhegan River]] watershed, thence into the [[Merrimack River]] and [[Atlantic Ocean]]; the west side drains into the [[Contoocook River]], thence into the Merrimack River.

The mountain is the home of the Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory, where [[birdwatching|birdwatchers]] from around the region gather for the annual [[hawk]] migration.  During the peak migration season in September, birdwatchers search the sky for [[Kettle (birds)|kettles]] of hundreds of hawks [[swarm]]ing above rising thermals as they migrate south.

The mountain's summit at Peterborough is also home to the transmitter of two [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]]-market radio stations: [[NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards|NOAA Weather Radio]] station [[WNG575]] and 92.1 [[WDER-FM]], which airs a [[Christianity|Christian]] talk and preaching format.

== Etymology ==

According to local tradition, the word "pack" is a [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] word for "little" and "monadnock" is used to describe an isolated mountain summit; thus "Little Monadnock" refers to its relationship to the higher Mount Monadnock, {{convert|3165|ft|m}}, {{convert|11|mi|km}} to the west. Pack Monadnock should not be confused with [[Little Monadnock Mountain]], located {{convert|17|mi|km}} to the west.

==References==
{{portal|New Hampshire}}
* ''Southern New Hampshire Trail Guide'' (1999). Boston: The [[Appalachian Mountain Club]].

==External links==
* [https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/miller-state-park Miller State Park official website]
* [http://www.wapack.org/ Friends of the Wapack]
* [http://www.newhampshireaudubon.org/center_pack.php Pack Monadnock Raptor Migration Observatory]

{{Mountains of New Hampshire}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mountains of Hillsborough County, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Mountains of New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Raptor migration sites]]
[[Category:Peterborough, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:Temple, New Hampshire]]
[[Category:New Hampshire placenames of Native American origin]]