The plan was to start in the north, stay at the RMC’s Gray Knob cabin, make the long haul to the AMC’s Mizpah hut, stay there for a second night, then head down on the third day. It didn’t, however, go that way. Problem is those rocks. For all who have hiked in the Northern Presidentials, they know: it’s not easy up there. Couple this with […]
Introducing “Safety Stuff” for Hikers and Other Mountain Enthusiasts Since pretty much day one, we made the conscious decision to empower people with knowledge, not just guide them. We accomplish this in various ways. For example, we seize upon teachable moments on trail and at the crag, whenever it makes sense — and of course if our guests are open to it. We also, as you […]
People come to us for all sorts of classes and adventures (we’re adaptable after all). One such request we get now and then is for hiking trips up to The Watcher (a.k.a. The Old Woman of the Mountain) in Franconia Notch. Perched high up on Eagle Cliff she surveys the Notch — probably thinking she’s happy to not be stuck in traffic. Getting up to her […]
Late for work, apparently, in 2024 a young woman named Tara Dower hiked (ran) the ~2,197 mile Appalachian Trail (AT) in a mind-blowing 40 days, 18 hours, and 5 minutes. She averaged an astonishing 54+ miles per day. Doing so she surpassed all previous records for both men and women, in any direction, supported or unsupported. Tara’s trail name is not Turtle. In fact she hiked […]
A travel company we’ve worked with for a couple of years sent another couple our way for a fairly easy half-day hike. After speaking with the couple we determined Mt Willard (a 2,850-foot 52WAV peak) would be more than enough. Not due to fitness, but more to do with simple vacation enjoyment. As it was, they did find our eroded trails a little on the wild […]
A really cool and relaxed couple asked Redline Guide and JP Mike Cherim to officiate their wedding at a spot close to their hearts: Norway Rapids in Waterville Valley. What follows are a handful of photos of the awesome occasion. Note Mike’s assistant, Rosie, was also present. Her job: chase those pesky squirrels, of course. On the way out Mike stopped by Big Pines since they […]
A many time returning guest from New Jersey was making the drive up to hike with us to grab the Southern Presidentials — at least from Eisenhower to Jackson, that is. The reason: plugging holes in her quest to complete all of the 4000-footers. In typical hiker fashion, she decided to make the trip even more worthwhile adding an extra day so as to tackle two […]
An international travel and tour company based out of California reached out hoping we could help them out. The mission was to help twenty older people from the United Kingdom discover some of the treasures located in the White Mountain National Forest. The plan was modified a bit as there were complications due to traffic and parking at some of the hot-spots along the Kancamagus Highway […]
A couple from California reached out wanting to hike Mt Washington but they weren’t without some concerns. Namely weather, which on Mt Washington, thanks to its reputation, is pretty normal and understandable. They wanted to know about our policies, the forecast, and some of the what-ifs. We calmly replied, answered their questions, addressed their concerns, lessened their trepidation, linked our policies, and shared one of our […]
Over the years we have had people hire us to keep them company, give them guidance, and to protect them as needed as they work on their lists (like the 4000-footers). Sometimes they reach out asking for assistance as they begin on their journey, maybe taking some of our classes to educate themselves and foster independence along the way. And on other occasions they work on […]
A new guest reached out from Texas hoping to have a bit of a holiday up here in New Hampshire. The attractions included hiking a mountain, some sightseeing, and seeing some of our foliage as it passes from one season to the next. Originally we were going to hike something in Randolph on day one, but due to time constraints we opted for something closer and […]
The theme is to try and try again. In the books and movies the protagonist usually succeeds and in the real world things can be more hit or miss. In this case, our protagonist exited scene one defeated but then by the end of scene two she carried the trophy of success. No special effects or movie magic, no ace up the sleeve, no gimmicks, just […]
