4000 Footers

“The Lincoln Brook Trail is beautiful in the morning sun”, I thought as we hiked back after camping near the base of Owls Head Mountain, deep in the Pemigewasset Wilderness.  My friends Ken and Karen and I had backpacked in the day …

The complete Mt Tripyramid Loop traverses North Tripyramid (4180′), Middle Tripyramid (4140′), and South Tripyramid mountains, climbing up an avalanche slide and own another on the other side. It’s a classic White Mountain’s hike, with a steep ascent and sublime views. “I’m sure …

Mt Cabot is the northernmost White Mountain 4000-footer and a 9.6 mile out and back hike with 3,000 feet of elevation gain. The last time I climbed it was on November, 4th of last year (2021). I remember that hike vividly because …

Mt Jackson is ranked #38 on the White Mountain 4000 Footer List. While it is only 4052′ high, it’d be natural to assume that it’s an easier mountain to climb. Most people don’t make that mistake twice. But the effort required to …

One of the classic hikes in the White Mountains is a traverse of three 4000 foot mountains: West Bond, Mount Bond, and Bondcliff, collectively known as The Bonds. All of these summits are above treeline and provide fantastic views of the Pemigewasset Wilderness …

There are two seasons in New Hampshire’s White Mountains: winter and everything else. After six months of winter, a very long winter, I am ready to hike on dirt again. But, this being mid-May, winter is still hanging on above 3000 feet, …

Mt Monroe is the fourth highest four thousand footer in the White Mountain National Forest, while Mt Washington is the tallest, #1.  They’re often hiked on the same day because they’re adjacent to one another in the middle of the Presidential Range …

Mts Eisenhower, Pierce, and Jackson are three 4000-footers in the Southern Presidential Range just south of Mt Washington. Eisenhower and Pierce are often hiked together, but adding Jackson makes for a much longer loop, just under 13 miles in length with 4,000 …

Mt Madison (5367′) and Mt Adams (5774′) are two mountains in the Northern Presidential Range of the White Mountains. Madison is the fifth tallest 4000 footer in the Whites, while Adams is the second tallest, after Mt Washington, which is #1. Climbing …

The second half of March is usually a good time to climb Mt Washington because the weather tends to moderate as winter turns to spring. You still need to watch the weather forecast carefully and avoid high winds, frigid temperatures, and storms, …

How long does it take to hike a Presidential Traverse? That depends on a lot of factors, but there is a way to figure it out using a navigational aid called a Time Control Plan. Time control plans (TCP) are used to estimate …

A winter ZBonds Traverse is 23.5 miles long and climbs four White Mountain 4,000 footers: Mt Zealand, West Bond, Mt Bond, and Bondcliff with 4,500 feet of elevation gain. While you can backpack it or stay at the Zealand Hut at mile …

Mt Isolation is one of the most remote White Mountain 4000 footers and makes for a long day in winter conditions. The best winter route starts from the Rocky Branch Trailhead off Rt 16 south of Pinkham Notch but still requires several …

Mt Liberty and Mt Flume are two 4000 footers at the south end of Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire’s White Mountains.  They’re usually climbed on the same day because their summits are only about a mile apart and connected by a ridge. …