Pierce Was Perfect

A guest contacted us in the 11th hour looking for a guided hike. We were glad to help and after a brief interview/discussion, we decided Mt Pierce should fit the bill perfectly. Especially considering the high wind and chance-of-showers forecast we looked at. Limiting the exposure was a sound judgement, particularly with a newer hiker. On lead for this trip was Redline Guide Deb Dunn. If you think her name is familiar, it’s because we recently mentioned her for upgrading her medical certification. Deb graciously provided the following:

Our guest, a woman from the northeast, is an intrepid explorer who has traveled all over the world, and hiked in the Amazon of Columbia in years passed. Which made today incredibly special since it was not only her first time hiking in the White Mountain National Forest, but her first time in the state of NH! (Welcome!)

The predicted rain and wind never came to pass — thanks to the magic of a blessing from somewhere — which afforded us a gorgeous, calm, quiet leisurely lunch on the summit of Mt Pierce, though it was certainly colder up there. And she got to experience the temperature change at elevation, which sometimes hard for new WMNF hiker to fathom. The gray jays didn’t disappoint either paying us a visit (we didn’t feed them, though… LNT).

This was a metaphorical day of sorts, too, as the fall turns leaves, our guests turned over a fresh leaf by donning her hiking boots for the first time since before COVID — a welcome respite from the world of business and Zoom!

We ascended the Crawford Path, and enjoyed some terrain variety by descending via the Webster Cliff Trail to the Mizpah hut, then the Mizpah connector trail back to the Crawford Path. She was a rock star negotiating the steep rocky sections down to the hut. A perfect day all around!

She opted for the Ready Pack and was very impressed with the thought and care that went into outfitting hikers with the necessary warm clothes and gear needed for an enjoyable and comfortable day in the mountains.

I thoroughly enjoyed my day getting to know this fantastic lady, and enjoying the mountains together. —Deb