On September 13th, approximately thirty-five students from Saint Anselm College, led by the college’s hiking club and SEAL, hiked Bald Mountain in Antrim, New Hampshire. It was about a forty-five-minute drive to the scenic location in the hills of NH. Seeing the beginning of Fall colors start to emerge made the hike very pleasant. Bald Mountain in Antrim, NH, is called that for its rocky, treeless summit, a characteristic shared by many mountains of the same name throughout the country. Another mountain right in Campton, NH, shares the same name. Bald Mountain’s origin is tied to a historical fire that cleared the vegetation from its peak, leaving the area bare and exposed, hence the name Bald Mountain. The loop takes you up to a secluded ledge perch with views over a pond and then rounds out the trek with a walk along the same pond’s shoreline. The first part of the trek is on the Tamposi Trail, a one-mile, easy trail to the top of Bald Mountain, which starts from the back left corner of the parking area. Climbing up an embankment, the trail rises briskly through a wonderland of boulders. After 0.2 miles, it turns right and crosses a stone wall, leveling off a bit. It dips down a bit and passes through an unusual abundance of rocks, then climbs again to reach a trail junction. At this point, the trail levels off and crosses an abrupt changeover from hardwoods to conifers. Just after that, the trail bends right and ascends more gradually to the top of Bald Mountain. After another right turn up on the plateau, the trail passes over some bedrock at the highest point. The group stopped at the summit for Mass, said by Fr. Aloysius Sarasin. Celebrating Mass while being surrounded by God’s creation was absolutely beautiful. From the top, you could see all the orange leaves beginning to emerge around Willard Pond. Jake Strittmatter ’27, president of the hiking club, remarked, “Our Hike up Bald Mountain was one of the most memorable experiences we’ve had as a club. It was a wonderful way to bring everyone together and celebrate Mass in such a beautiful setting. We’re especially grateful to Father Aloysius for organizing it.” It was an excellent way to bring the college community together, especially in such turbulent times that the world is currently experiencing. It was very peaceful and something that we all needed. The broad ledges provide an expansive southerly view. The trail will continue down at a diagonal across the opening. To the left, off to the east, Crotched Mountain is the dominant feature, with the smaller Uncanoonuc Mountains seen to its left. Further over to the right, at the end of a long, trailing ridge, are Rose and Winn Mountains. To the southeast, over nearby Carpenter Marsh, are the twin Pack Monadnocks. More minor summits in the Wapack Range continue to the right, including Temple Mountain and Barrett Mountain. Further in the distance, Wachusett Mountain stands by itself. More to the southwest through the trees, Mt. Monadnock rises behind the rolling ridge of Skatutakee and Thumb Mountains. You can also see further to the north, toward a wind farm over Tuttle Hill. The trail drops quickly, cutting across the hillside. It then descends through a more boulder-filled forest, crossing some stone walls, to an intersection with the Tudor Trail. The part of the trail that Saint Anselm students hiked was approximately two miles in total. The hiking club has been around for three years at the college, started by Jake Strittmatter ’27. Jake commented that, “He is really proud of getting students off campus and around in nature, spending time outdoors helps everyone relax about school and life, feel happier, and connect with each other.” “Hikes like this one with the Mass show how special it is to share those moments together,” he said. The hike took about an hour and a half to complete. The group came back tired but filled with a sense of accomplishment from the day.