point6 Conquers America's Most Hiked Mountain

Yesterday point6 had the delight of visiting Mount Monadnock State Park in Jaffrey, NH.  Those of you not familiar with Mt. Monadnock, it is the most frequently hiked mountain in the United States and third most in the World.  At 3,165 ft (965 meters) the mountain is unusually above treeline. 
When we had the chance to speak with a ranger, she gracefully provided us with the low down on the mountain and its history.  After the Revolutionary War, New England was a hotbed for raising merino sheep.  As the sheep population continued to rise, farmers required more land.  So, to create more 'open' space they would set fires.  One of these fires got a little out of control and burned on Mount Monadnock for over 2 weeks.  This is why the mountain is now above treeline and has exposed rock at just over 3,000 ft!  No one ever wrote about the incident in papers or such because it was very common to see fires burning in the distance.  Next time your in New England, be sure to cruise up to Mount Monadnock for a hike or to take in the views.