Trip Reports

Thanksgiving on the Kinsmans

Lonesome Lake and the Northeast CannonBall

As we neared treeline on North Kinsman, Mr Bunny paused to admire the rime ice that coated the stubby spruce trees near the mountain summit. It had taken on a curious orange glow instead of crystalline white, diffusing the glare of the waning …

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Hiking North and South Doublehead

North Doublehead Cabin

North and South Doublehead are two picturesque mountains located just outside Jackson, New Hampshire, on the eastern edge of the White Mountain National Forest. They’re moderate peaks to climb with special interest to skiers, because one of the trails on North Doublehead is a backcountry …

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Bushwhackos on Mt Deception

West Deception

I’ve fallen in with a delightful group of bushwhackers who enjoy hiking up trailless peaks as much as I do. Our latest conquest were the twin summits of West and East Deception (3671′), two 3000 footers that overlook the valley with the Cog …

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Climbing Mt Rosebrook

Southern Presidential Range from Mt Rosebrook

If you tell a White Mountain peakbagger that you’ve just climbed Mt Rosebrook (3004′), they’re likely to look at you funny and ask where the heck that is. Mt Rosebrook is the main peak of the Bretton Woods Ski resort across the …

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Climbing The Captain

The Captain

The Captain is a remote 3540 foot mountain named for its resemblance to El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Located between South Hancock Mountain and Mount Carrigan in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, it’s a rugged off-trail bushwhack on the New Hampshire Hundred …

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AMC Map and Compass Course

Canister on Little Wildcat

Joe Comuzzi and I taught the AMC’s Map and Compass Course again last weekend at Harvard Cabin in Pinkham Notch, a 2-day class which combines a morning of instruction with two hikes to practice off-trail compass and navigation skills. The instruction includes some …

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The Fourth Hitchcock

Historic Registers on East Hitchcock Mountain

Kris and I were well on our way to sumitting West Hitchcock, our fourth Hitchcock in one day, when we let down our guard and used our eyes to navigate instead of our compasses. It’s such a simple mistake, but people do it all …

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Backpacking the Royce-Speckled Mountain Loop

Basin Pond, Evan Notch

The Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness is arguably the best-kept secret in the White Mountain National Forest. Located entirely in Maine, it is adjacent to Evans Notch and the Wild River Wilderness, providing hikers with the opportunity to create multi-day backpacking routes through a …

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