4000 Footers

Hiking North and South Twin in December

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 …

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Hiking Mt Carrigain in December

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′ …

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Hiking Mt Garfield in December

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 …

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Very Cold Toes on Mt Field in November

Climbing 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 …

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Hiking Mt Moriah in November

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 …

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Hiking the Twins and Galehead in November

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 …

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10 Tips for Climbing Mt Washington in Winter

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 …

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Hiking an Adams and Madison Loop

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 …

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Hiking to Owls Head Mountain in September

Hiking to Owls Head

Owls Head Mountain (4025′) is a White Mountain 4000 footer that is located deep in the Pemigewasset Wilderness. While it’s not a difficult peak to climb in terms of elevation gain, it’s an 18 mile out and back day hike with numerous …

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Backpacking the Bonds

Backpacking the Bonds

The Bonds – Bondcliff, Mt Bond, and West Bond are three of the most scenic 4000 footers in the White Mountains, a place with no shortage of mountaintop views. They’re eleven miles from the nearest trailhead, smack in the middle of the …

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