The White Mountain 4000 Footers
I'm don't consider myself a peakbagger, but I have climbed a significant number of the 48 peaks that comprise the White Mountain 4000 footer list this year while section hiking the Appalachian Trail. So with the approach of winter, I'm seriously considering climbing more during the winter season in order to stay in shape and practice the mountaineering skills I picked up last winter.
There are actually more than 48 four thousand foot mountains in the Whites. This list, which is maintained by the Appalachian Mountain Club, was introduced in 1957 to get climbers to hike some of the more remote peaks in the range.
Hikers who complete the list get to join the 4000 Footer Club and attend an awards dinner. The vast majority of hikers bag their peaks in spring, summer, and fall, but a tiny minority climb them all in winter.
Most of the 4000 footers in the White Mountains are reachable on day hikes, but some are quite remote and require multi-day trips to access. I always like the fact that there on still some places on this earth that you can only get to by walking. All of the peaks on the current list have trails, but a few are not maintained.
My focus during October and November is going to be to complete the remaining 4 sections of the New Hampshire and Massachusetts Applalachian Trail that I want to finish this year – I have about 30 miles left – but I may still try to bag some of the higher 4,000 footers before snow and ice descend on the Whites.
I've listed all of the peaks below that are in the White Mountain 4,000 footer list (often incorrectly referred to as the New Hampshire 4000 footers) and the dates that I climbed them. As you can see, quite of few of them are on the Appalachian Trail. Suffice to say, that New Hampshire is a tough section of the AT.
| Mountain | Elevation | Date | Appalachian Trail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 6288 | 2009-06-07 | Y |
| Adams | 5774 | 2009-06-07 | Y |
| Jefferson | 5712 | 2009-06-07 | Y |
| Monroe | 5384 | 2009-09-05 | Y |
| Madison | 5367 | 2009-06-06 | Y |
| Lafayette | 5260 | 2009-08-15 | Y |
| Lincoln | 5089 | 2009-08-15 | Y |
| South Twin | 4902 | 2009-03-14 | Y |
| Carter Dome | 4832 | 2009-06-05 | Y |
| Moosilauke | 4802 | 2007-09-01 | Y |
| Eisenhower | 4780 | 2009-08-30 | Y |
| North Twin | 4761 | 2009-03-14 | |
| Carrigan | 4700 | 2009-10-10 | |
| Bond | 4698 | ||
| Middle Carter | 4610 | 2007-07-07 | Y |
| West Bond | 4540 | ||
| Garfield | 4500 | 2009-10-30 | Y |
| Liberty | 4459 | 2009-08-15 | Y |
| South Carter | 4430 | 2007-07-07 | Y |
| Wildcat | 4422 | 2009-06-05 | Y |
| Hancock | 4420 | ||
| South Kinsman | 4358 | 2007-06-24 | Y |
| Field | 4340 | 2009-10-04 | |
| Osceola | 4340 | 2009-10-25 | |
| Flume | 4328 | 2010-01-24 | |
| South Hancock | 4319 | 2010-01-30 | |
| Pierce (Clinton) | 4310 | 2009-08-30 | Y |
| North Kinsman | 4293 | 2007-06-24 | Y |
| Willey | 4285 | 2009-10-04 | |
| Bondcliff | 4265 | ||
| Zealand | 4260 | 2009-03-13 | Y |
| North Tripyramid | 4180 | ||
| Cabot | 4170 | ||
| East Osceola | 4156 | 2009-10-25 | |
| Middle Tripyramid | 4140 | ||
| Cannon | 4100 | ||
| Hale | 4054 | 2009-03-13 | |
| Jackson | 4052 | 2009-08-30 | Y |
| Tom | 4051 | 2009-12-19 | |
| Wildcat D | 4050 | 2009-06-05 | Y |
| Moriah | 4049 | 2007-07-07 | Y |
| Passaconaway | 4043 | ||
| Owl's Head | 4025 | ||
| Galehead | 4024 | 2009-10-17 | |
| Whiteface | 4020 | ||
| Waumbek | 4006 | ||
| Isolation | 4004 | ||
| Tecumseh | 4003 |
Related posts:
Hi Phil,
I assume you know about this one
http://www.48×12.com/home.shtml
Now the 48×12 patch is worthy of sewing to my backpack.
Since I only hit these peaks if they happen to be along my path, it may take me a long, long time.
Goal: 576
Completed Peaks: 8
Peaks to go: 568
Goal: 576
Percentage Completed: 1.4%
Yeah. Those people ARE Crazy.
Sectionhiker Dude.
In your posting about the White Mount 4000-footers, you write:
“There are actually more than 48 four thousand foot mountains in the Whites.”
There are? What are they? Just curious — I’ve lived here in NH for years and hiked the 48 recognized by the AMC, but wasn’t aware that there were additional 4000-footers up here beyond the 48.
Also, you write that “but some [of the 48] are quite remote and require multi-day trips to access”…
I think that, even in winter, all of these are do-able as day hikes — even Owls Head or Bondcliff. I’m a moderate-speed hiker and have done Bondcliff in seven hours, and Owls Head in under ten (in winter). I think, again, that all of the peaks — even the most remote — are accessible as day hikes.
(Just sayin’…)
Here’s a list of all of the NH peaks that are 4,000 or higher. The numbered ones are on the WM 4,000 foot list. The rest aren’t.
http://peakbagger.com/list.aspx?lid=21410
I can’t make owls head in winter from the kanc or rt 3 in daylight. You must hike fast.
Sectionhiker Dude –
RE: the list of 48 4000-footers — sure; I agree that there are more than 48 points in the White Mountains that are 4000 feet or higher in elevation — I think what I was getting at was by what method do you qualify that? The Peakbagger.com list uses “160 feet of clean prominence” for the ranked peaks, while the AMC folks say that to qualify for the list, “a peak must rise 200 feet above any ridge connecting it to a higher neighbor”….
…perhaps pointing that out in your post might aid in clarification…?
RE: Owl’s Head — daylight or not, it’s still a single-day hike for even a hiker of moderate speed. AMC book time from Lincoln Woods is 12 hours, without the two common bushwhacks. In winter, on a packed trail with everything smoothed out by snow, starting at first light around 6:00 am (an hour before sunrise, so, via headlamp) you can be at the slide by 9:30 — it’s pretty much all flat trail. You can summit an hour later and then be back at the trailhead before sunset.
(Go for it!)
Regardless, even with a small amount of headlamp hiking at the beginning and possibly the end, a moderate-speed hiker can make even the most remote 48 4000-footer hikes in a single day…
Why not savor it? You professional peak baggers miss out on the joy the hiking if you race for a peak. Take a look around. Watch a chipmunk for an hour. Go for a swim. Chill dude.
Seriously — that wasn’t the point of my original comment.
My point was simply — in response to your blog posting — that one can do any of the 48 4000-footers in a single day at a normal pace. No stress…no running…nor professional peak-bagging credentials. Just average physical abilities and perhaps a bit of experience hiking. And one can even chill in the process…
(Yawn [I am soooo chillin'])…with that information, someone can gauge whether to plan for a long day hike (with a chatty chipmunk or red squirrel as companion), or take longer (with tent, several days’ leave from work, etc.).
To your point, I disagree. I just got back from the hancock loop. -25 windchill and 5 major stream crossings. Why don’t we just agree that people should hike their own hike.
How were the chipmunks?