Outdoorsy Things.
Peak Bagging: Mt. Tom, Mt. Field, and Mt. Willey
I knew that Mt. Tom was going to be a viewless summit- but I didn’t realize that Mt. Field and Mt. Willey would be too. When I did my research, I originally only looked up Mt. Tom and then a trail map on how the three peaks are connected. I’m definitely someone who hikes for views so it was a little disappointing to be greeted by three piles of rocks, but it is what it is!
Peak Bagging: Bondcliff, Bond, + West Bond
The Bonds Traverse is just over a 22 mile out and back hike in the Pemigewasett wilderness of the White Mountains. The trail is rated as difficult, likely due to it’s length. The actual terrain of the hike is a moderate incline for the majority of the trail with a few river crossings. Should you want to make it into an overnight backpacking trip, the Guyot Shelter is on a spur trail by West Bond.
Summit Cat Nap + Sunrise: Mount Jackson
Located in Carroll, New Hampshire, Mount Jackson is one of the shorter 4000’ers at 4,052’. My friend Kayleigh and I started this hike at midnight on October 8th, summited just before 2am, and then laid out our sleeping pads and sleeping bags until sunrise.
The hike up was easy-moderate, it wasn’t super steep but the majority of the path involved stepping around rocks and roots- it felt like more than some trails. The end of the trail was the hardest with some scrambling to do. My guess is this would have been a little easier to do in the daylight!
Early Bird Gets the Worm: Sunrise Hike on Mount Hale
On Wednesday (7/14) I posted a poll on my Instagram story: psycho morning hike, or sleep in? Psycho morning hike won out! But to be honest, I probably was going to do it either way. Mount Hale is #37 on the New Hampshire 4000’er list. It is such a short trail, and has a summit with no view, that it barely feels like one of the NH48.
Peak Bagging: Franconia Ridge Trail Loop (Little Haystack, Lincoln, + Lafayette)
WHAT. A. HIKE. (I say this in a good way). This 8.4 mile loop takes you up Falling Waters Trail to Little Haystack Mountain, then across the Franconia Ridge Trail to Mount Lincoln and Mount Lafayette, and down Greenleaf + Old Bridal Trails. You could do this in reverse, but and ascent on Falling Waters Trail was what All Trails recommended and I agree this was the better/easier way to complete the loop
The Lupines of Sugar Hill
Each June in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Sugar Hill comes alive with fields turned into a sea of purple and pink flowers. Lupines, a perennial, 3-6 ft tall flower bloom for a short period of time but put on quite a show. The town is so well known for it’s fields of lupines that they have a Lupine Festival every summer.
Peak Bagging: Garfield Mountain + Mount Galehead
We reached the Garfield Mountain campsite before dark and took a look around at the tent platforms and lean-to. We chose the first platform as it had no snow on it and it was closest to the cooking area. When we started to cook dinner it was already pitch black out.
May Showers Bring... May Snowstorms: Hiking Mount Moosilauke
This was my second time hiking Mount Moosilauke and it did not disappoint. I like this mountain because I find the forest here to be particularly beautiful and the hike itself is moderate so you can really enjoy yourself without getting too exhausted.
Peak Bagging: Wildcat Peak D + Peak A
My initial plan was to park at the Glen Ellis Trailhead and start the Wildcat Ridge Trail from there. But, the trailhead’s gate was closed and the road to it wasn’t plowed. This led me to start at Pinkham Notch at the Lost Pond Trail, which would add additional mileage to my hike. The Lost Pond Trail had a set of tracks before me, but it was kind of tricky with the snow and maneuvering over so many rocks.
A Pre-Work, Sunrise Hike on Cannon Mountain
The Kinsman Ridge Trail to Cannon Mountain- let’s talk about it! Steep! Nature’s stair stepper! The Kinsman Ridge Trail will make your legs feel something the next day. Again, I don’t know why people call this trail moderate, I would put it more on the difficult side because of how steep it is. Don’t be afraid to whip out those hiking poles- you won’t look weak.
An Early Wakeup Call To Hike Tuckerman's Ravine
Tuckerman Ravine is a hike you need to go on if you haven’t already. When the ravine is covered in snow, you may think you’re in Colorado! It is a popular place for extreme skiing, and hundreds of people hike up to the bowl to get in a good shred. If the bowl is too extreme for you, the Sherburn trail goes from the AMC hut down back to the base of the mountain. In the spring you’ll see loads of people hiking or skinning up. Even in the early summer of June you can still find snow up there and the occasional skier.
A Leaf Peeping Day Trip To Dixville Notch
When people think about fall in New England, I feel like they automatically think of either Vermont, or the White Mountains in New Hampshire. However past the White Mountains in what is called the Great North Woods, lies Dixville Notch.
A Cotton Candy Sunrise At Mount Willard
Mount Willard is one of my favorite places to hike in the White Mountains. Why? Because it is short. Ha. Plus it has a killer view, so what’s not to love?! Because it is a quick and easy hike, it makes it a great trail for a sunrise (or sunset) hike.
A Weekend Getaway to Twin Mountain
Over Labor Day weekend my friend and I stayed at the Twin Mountain KOA in Carroll, New Hampshire. I haven’t been to a campground in years. The last time was probably in elementary school or middle school. It was a low-key weekend- we relaxed, visited some breweries, and went swimming.
Leaf Peeping New Hampshire's Franconia Notch
Leaf peeping in the White Mountains was in full swing this weekend. Cars were lined up for a good half a mile at least from many trail heads and trails were heavily trafficked. I did two quick hikes: Mount Willard and Artists Bluff.