I spent most of this month off-trail down in Boston, helping a family member recuperate from major surgery. It was important that I be there, even though it meant leaving my beloved White Mountains for close to four weeks. I decided to …
Read More »4000 Footers
Backpacking to the Center of the Pemigewasset Wilderness
Mount Guyot is a 4000 footer (4580′) located near the center of the Pemigewasset Wilderness, almost exactly halfway between Franconia Notch and Crawford Notch, as the crow flies. Pronounced “Gee-oh”, with a hard “G”, it’s named after the Arnold Guyot, a geography …
Read More »Hiking a Mount Lafayette Loop on Less Crowded Trails
Mt Lafayette is the highest peak on Franconia Ridge and the most popular because day hikers and backpackers can stop at the Appalachian Mountain Club’s nearby Greenleaf Hut to refill their water bottles and buy lunch. It can also get very busy …
Read More »Above Treeline Winter Hike to North and South Kinsman Mountains
“You know, thirty-below isn’t that bad if you’re dressed properly”, said Eliot, as we stood in the sun by the South Kinsman Mountain summit cairn. We were suited up in full above-treeline regalia including balaclava, facemasks, and heavy gloves. It was so …
Read More »Climbing Mt Eisenhower in Winter Conditions
Most winter hikers in the White Mountains check the weather a few times every day, so they can grab a good weather window to climb the more challenging above-timberline peaks and enjoy the view. With temperatures forecast in the ’30s and a …
Read More »Undercast in Franconia Notch
When we crested Kinsman Ridge, the first thing we saw was Franconia Ridge floating above a billowy cloud of undercast. Also called a cloud inversion, undercast occurs when a cold layer of air is trapped in a canyon or mountain pass and …
Read More »New Hampshire Appalachian Trail Section Hike: Rattle River to Lost Pond
The first backpacking trip I ever took in New Hampshire’s White Mountains started at the Rattle River Trailhead on Rt 2 outside of Gorham. We met at the shelter that first evening, 2 miles up from the highway, and then climbed Mts …
Read More »Undercast on Mt Madison in March
Imagine you’re standing on top of a mountain, looking down at a sea of clouds blanketing the valleys below. Called a cloud inversion or undercast, it’s a rare enough weather phenomenon that you’re willing to blow off work to climb a mountain to …
Read More »Climbing Mts Pierce and Jackson in February
“These aren’t 20 mile per hour winds,” I told Eliot, as we started climbing the Crawford Path up to the Southern Presidential Range, just south of Mt Washington in New Hampshire. Our destination was Mount Pierce and Mt Jackson, two 4000 footers, …
Read More »Climbing the Tripyramids in January
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 …
Read More »Climbing South Carter in December
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 …
Read More »Thirteen Falls Backpacking Loop Attempt
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 …
Read More »Hiking a Mt Flume and Mt Liberty Loop
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. …
Read More »Climbing North and South Twin Mountains
“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 …
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