The forest service road (Haystack Road, also called FR #304) that leads to the North Twin Trail trailhead is gated in winter. While you can hike 2.5 miles along Haystack Rd to the trailhead from Rt 3, it’s much shorter to park …
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Hiking North and South Twin in December
North (4761′) and South Twin (4902′) are two mountains on the north side of the Pemigewasset Wilderness. They’re difficult to climb in winter conditions because the road leading to the trailhead is gated closed in winter. There’s also a hazardous water crossing …
Read More »Hiking Mt Carrigain in December
Mt Carrigain (4700′) is a beautiful mountain on the southeast edge of the Pemigewasset Wilderness that boasts a viewing tower and a magnificent open ridge walk below the summit. It’s normally a 10 mile out and back hike with a whopping 3400′ …
Read More »Hiking Mt Garfield in December
Mt Garfield (4500′) is a 4000 footer on the famous Pemigewasset Loop. Located just north of Mt Lafayette, it is blessed with a fantastic view of the Twins, the Bonds, Owlshead Mountain, Franconia Ridge, and countless other peaks. Unfortunately, the summit was …
Read More »First Woman Finishes the New Hampshire Triple Crown, Denise Stassis
Denise Stassis is the first woman and fifth person to finish the New Hampshire Triple Crown of Hiking, finishing the White Mountains 4000 Footer Grid, Hiking the White Mountains Trails List, and Climbing New Hampshire’s 500 Highest. The White Mountains 4000 Footer …
Read More »Very Cold Toes on Mt Field in November
Crawford Notch is one of the big mountain passes in the White Mountains and the dividing line between two mountain ranges, the Southern Presidentials leading to Mt Washington and the Willey Range, which forms the steep western wall of the notch opposite …
Read More »Hiking Mt Moriah in November
Mt Moriah is a 4000 footer overlooking the town of Gorham, NH, at the north end of the Carter Mountain Range in the White Mountains. There are a number of different trails that climb to the summit, but the most direct is …
Read More »Hiking the Twins and Galehead in November
Climbing the White Mountain 4000 footers gets more difficult in November with the onset of colder weather, seasonal and fire road closings, cold water crossings, and fewer daylight hours. But the show must go on if you’re hiking The White Mountain 4000 …
Read More »10 Tips for Climbing Mt Washington in Winter
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 …
Read More »Backpacking a McCrillis Loop with Guthook
My friend Guthook (Ryan Lynn) and I try to get together every few years for a backpacking trip to reconnect and catch up. We’re in touch online, but there’s nothing like getting out into the woods, climbing a few mountains, and camping …
Read More »Backpacking the Bonds in October
October is always a month of transition in the White Mountains from the peak foliage of Columbus Day to the onset of winter on the higher summits. The mood of the weather gods can seemingly change overnight, so it’s best to take …
Read More »Hiking an Adams and Madison Loop
With a high-pressure system parked over the White Mountains, I set out for another October climb in the Presidential Mountain Range. With temperatures in the high forties, winds under 20 mph, and fall foliage peaking in the valleys below, I looked forward …
Read More »Hiking a Monroe, Washington, Clay, Jefferson Loop
Winter comes early at the higher elevations in the White Mountains, especially on Mt Washington and in Presidential Mountain Range. Our first high elevation snowfall this year (2021) was on September 30, so when you get some good days in October where …
Read More »Hiking The New Hampshire Triple Crown
New Hampshire is a great place to hike with thousands of miles of hiking trails and large tracts of wilderness to explore. While a lot of hikers flock to the White Mountain National Forest to climb the 48 four thousand footers and …
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