We love it when our guides do big things. Redline Guide Ken Hodges just finished summiting the highest 115 peaks in New England — better known as the NE115. This includes 48 mountains in NH, 46 in NY (Adirondacks), 14 in Maine, 5 in Vermont, then two more — Slide and Hunter — again in NY (Catskills).
With two friends, Lynn and Celeste, I finally finished my NE115 this past weekend on Saturday Nov 11 atop Hunter Mountain in the beautiful Catskills of NY. Because of my work schedule in my previous life, it took me several years to finish. I had finished the Adirondack 46ers four years ago but life gets in the way of things sometimes so it took retirement to find the time for my first visit to the Catskills. Several weeks before I had finally gotten around to completing the NEHH and the NE67 in the Carrabassett Range [Maine] so my goal was to “git ‘er done” before year’s end. Hiking in the Catskills was a great way to finish; relatively smooth trails with gradual ascents and descents, along with fantastic views of rolling mountains. After a five-hour drive out there Friday we picked a short 2.5-mile hike to Slide Mountain. That out-and-back hike took a couple of hours. On Hunter the next day, we picked an 8.4-mile loop with an option for 2.2 more miles extra to an overlook (which we decided to bypass). Hunter Mountain was fulfilling with awesome views from the fire tower. We headed back ready for a celebratory meal and an adult beverage or three. The next day we decided on a short hike (3+ miles) to Giant Ledge which was actually a highlight of our trip because of the incredible views from the multiple ledges. —Ken Hodges
Sounds like an excellent trip, Ken. Much of the difficulty with these lists pertains not to trail difficulty or mountain toughness, but rather time and and travel. The logistics are half the battle. Completing a list like the NE 115 takes time, energy, money, and a great deal of commitment. We are suitably impressed with Ken’s accomplishment.
Also impressive are these photos of his trip.
High fire tower on Hunter Mountain.
The Hunter Mountain summit.
Catskills signage.
Guide extraordinare, Ken Hodges.
Taking it all in at the end. Sublime views. Finishing is sometimes a bittersweet moment.
Congratulations Ken! What an amazing accomplishment. Job well done!