White Mountains

Osceola Ridge Traverse Attempt

I co-led an Osceola Ridge Traverse attempt on an Appalachian Mountain Club hike on Saturday with my friends Michael and Alex. Our goal was to traverse the West (4114′), Middle (4200′), Main (4315′) , and East Osceola (4156′) peaks from west to …

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Mud and Blood on Mount Jefferson

Mt Jefferson (5712') - third highest peak in the White Mountains

Many New England hikers consider Mount Jefferson (5712′) to be the toughest peak to climb in the White Mountains. Most of the routes to the summit require miles and miles of above-treeline exposure on a rocky ridge that is constantly blasted by …

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Breaking Triail to Mount Carrigan

Philip at Carrigan Summit - Don't try Walking Backwards Wearing Snowshoes

Climbing Mount Carrigan (4700′)  in winter is an ambitious quest requiring 14 miles of hiking or snowshoeing and 3900 feet of elevation gain. Route finding and bushwhacking skills are also useful, as the trail reroutes resulting from Hurricane Irene washouts are poorly …

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Mount Osceola and East Osceola in February

Open Avalanche Slide on East Osceola

Mount Osceola (4340′)  and its subordinate peak East Osceola (4156′) are always a challenging climb in winter.  Scarred by avalanche slides and ice encrusted cliffs, it is hard to comprehend how rugged these mountains are until you need to carry full winter …

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Mount Field and Mount Willey in February

Webster Cliff from Mt Avalon, Crawford Notch

My friend David and I popped up to New Hampshire mid-week to hike two winter 4,000 footers, Mount Field (4340′) and Mount Willey (4285′) in Crawford Notch. While I’ve climbed these peaks many times, I’d never climbed them during the winter peakbagging …

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Mt Nancy Bushwhack

Norcross Pond

Yesterday was one on those perfect winter days in the White Mountains when it all came together – good friends, clear blue sky, gorgeous views, and a great climb. Our destination was Mt Nancy (3926′), a New England Hundred Highest Peak, which …

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Mount Garfield in February

Mount Garfield (4500') - Middle

The anvil-shaped spire of Mount Garfield stands an isolated sentinel at the north-western end of the Pemigewasset Wilderness with excellent views of the other peaks that ring the 182 square mile forest. Blasted by winds, its rocky summit provides meager protection to …

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