By Marty Basch

It was lunchtime and the al fresco joint was aflutter. The "Jay" party of four waited patiently for their meal to be served, prepared table side. The fare was nothing fancy, just crumbs to be honest. But bold members of the hungry foursome flew from branch near the Mount Tom summit to outstretched hands, as a couple of generous hikers shared their well-earned lunch with the birds.

Those gray jays were looking to get plump for winter while hikers were enjoying yet another unseasonably warm glorious bluebird day in the White Mountains.

Tom Brady?

Mount Tom is number 40 in height on the state's 48 four thousand foot list. At 4,051 feet, the peak is located in the Crawford Notch, but also provides incredible views through the notch and out to Mount Washington.

Though worthy of having a mountain named after him, Mount Tom is not named after New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. The honor goes to Thomas J. Crawford, one of the brothers of Ethan Allen Crawford. The Crawfords were pioneers of White Mountain hospitality, opening the area to travelers in the 1800s. The legendary Crawford House was located near the base of Mount Tom.

Not that easy

Certainly not an easy trek, the climb up Mount Tom is a 5.8 mile roundtrip affair that was once described by a fellow hiker as "a fitness hike." That puts it on the harder side of easy in the four thousand foot league. Many peak baggers try to knock off Mounts Tom, Willey and Field in one 10 mile loop or a seven mile-plus Tom and Field circuit. That wasn't the intent.

A trio of trails lead to the Tom summit: Avalon, A-Z and Mt. Tom Spur. The trek begins from the parking area off Route 302 on the west side of Crawford Notch by the train depot and Appalachian Mountain Club’s Highland Center. Cross the tracks, head into the woods and enjoy a pleasant grade on Avalon.

From A to Z

The aptly named A-Z Trail which runs from between the Avalon and Zealand Trails is where the steep stuff lives. For a mile, hikers make their way up a gully. In the gully, hikers must first descend sharply to a stream crossing before the vertical ascent. The reward was a stand of rigid birches, snapping at a attention.

Hikers of all shapes and sizes were making the climb. There was French being spoken. A family of four hikers crept closer at each step while some others had their dogs with them.

When the Mount Spur Trail was reached, the regal dwarfed evergreen tunnel begins. The trees shrink and there are hints of beautiful blue sky overhead. After a short push through mud, rocks and roots, the false summit and dry blow-downs are where the views were reached. That's where the jays were having lunch, taking the handouts from a couple of hikers.

It would have been easy to just stay there, and take in the incredible White Mountain scenery. However, the summit must be conquered. Over the growing fir trees at the top, it was possible to see mountains like Carrigain and Sandwich Dome. Though pleasant, it was nothing compared to snacking with the jays.

One Tank Away

Mount Tom (Twin Mountain, N.H.) is:

*204 miles from Mount Tom State Reservation in Holyoke, Mass.

*105 miles from Mount Tom in Woodstock, Vt.

*259 miles from Mt. Tom State Park in Litchfield, Ct.