Trip Reports

North and Middle Sugarloaf are two smaller peaks located next to Mt Hale with great views of Mt Washington and the Presidential Range. They’re not an obvious destination in winter because the Forest Service road leading to their trail head is gated in winter and closed to wheeled vehicles. But the …

Appalachian Trail Shuttles are hiker taxis that will ferry you to and from the trail when you need to leap-frog to the end of a section or need a ride to a nearby town, hostel, train or bus station. They’re part of the unregulated network of hiker services that you …

You do (still) need maps to hike the Appalachian Trail, but they’re probably not the kind that you expect. There are two halves to every Appalachian Trail experience: backpacking the trail itself and navigating the communities that border the trail. While you don’t need to carry paper maps anymore to follow …

North and Middle Tripyramid are two 4000 footers located in the Waterville Valley, in the southern section of the White Mountains. They’re quite close together and usually climbed on the same day. South Tripyramid is another peak on the same ridge, but is not climbed as frequently because it’s not …

Mt Tremont (3371′) is a picturesque 3000 footer in Crawford Notch overlooking Sawyer Pond, Greens Cliff, and the Sandwich Range to the south. It’s a relatively short (2.8 mile) but steep hike (2550′ of ascent) up to the summit viewpoint. You can also approach the peak from the south on …

Backpacker Magazine got it right when they named Mt Washington (6288′) one of the 10 most dangerous hikes in America. Several weather patterns collide on Mt Washington and produce its notoriously foul weather, which can move in quickly.  The winds on Mt Washington exceed tropical storm force (40 mph) 110 days …

South Carter Mountain (4430′) is a White Mountain 4000 footer located in the Carter Moriah Range, almost due east from Mount Washington. It’s one of the more moderate 4000 footers to climb and a good peak to start the winter hiking season with. I was joined on this hike by Keith …

Late autumn/early winter conditions are notoriously tricky to forecast in New Hampshire’s White Mountains and you need to be willing to modify or abort your trip plans when conditions on the ground don’t meet your expectations. I found myself in that situation the day after Thanksgiving (11/23/17), on a late …

Mt Flume and Mt Liberty are the two southernmost 4000 footers on the southern end of Franconia Ridge. Sometimes called “Fliberty”, they’re frequently hiked together in a loop since they’re only separated by a 1.2-mile walk along the top of the ridge. Of the two, Liberty gets the most traffic …

The Attitash Trail runs west to east over Table Mountain and Big Attitash (Mtn) before dropping down to Diana’s Baths outside of North Conway. It’s a pretty trail to hike in autumn when the leaves have fallen and you can see views of peaks and waterfalls that are normally hidden …

People who section hike the Appalachian Trail, hike it a segment at a time, on weekends or whenever it’s convenient for them to get away for a few days. There’s no need to quit your job or school. While it’s not as glamorous or social as a thru-hike, you can …

“South Twin must be the most climbed mountain on the 4000 footer list”, said my friend Lisa, “It’s on the way to so many other peaks”. South Twin Mountain is at a cross roads for anyone hiking from the Pemigewasset Wilderness to the Zealand Valley or Crawford Notch areas of …

Pungent. That’s the best way to describe the smell on the Zealand Trail as you approach the Beaver Ponds. They’re an essential part of the Zealand Valley ecosystem providing open space for migrating flocks of birds to land and rest while accelerating the decomposition of the trees and grasses they …

When people visit the White Mountains, the two geographic features they remember the most are the mountains and the notches, which are giant mountains passes that link different regions of the area together. When you drive down the narrow two-lane roads that snake through Franconia Notch, Crawford Notch, and Pinkham …