What a wicked awesome experience for my first time hiking the Whites!
When she first called she was pretty sure a full day hike would fit the bill, so to speak. Our guest was fit and regularly went to the gym, and also did some hiking back home, but being from the flatlands of Florida, however, we had to have a heart-to-heart elevation talk. We explained that not only is pressing oneself up a mountain a lot more challenging than just taking a walk or hiking in flat terrain. This discussion prompted some consideration. Moreover, we wouldn’t be doing our part if we also didn’t also inform our guest that not only do our trails go straight up, but they’re also quite eroded in places making them look more like rock-strewn stream beds. This effectively prompted our guest to select a half day instead of a full one. We wouldn’t make as much money, but we felt this would provide a better experience overall. As it turned out, this was a good call. How do we know? Well, our guest wrote the following:
What a wicked awesome experience for my first time hiking the Whites! Thank you both so much and especially to Tim. You designed the perfect hike for me! I will be back in the winter, gentlemen, for my first snow hike! If you’re ever in Florida and would like to learn to scuba, I can hook you guys up! —Guest
What we selected was Hedgehog Mountain (one of the 52 With A View), taking it on via the UNH Trail. The plan was to travel counterclockwise allowing our guest to summit first, then, if feeling it, taking on the East Ledge or even the whole loop.
Redline Guide Tim Jones was on point for this hike and apparently made a fine impression. as mentioned. Tim, like many of our guides lately, supplied us with a summary of the day to help us create a better blog post. What follows is Tim’s lovely perspective. Thanks!
Report: It’s a matter of perspective… Our Floridian guest thought it was a cool morning (74°F) with low humidity (82%). She wanted a “Goldilocks Hike” for her first ever mountain exploration, and Hedgehog Mountain via the 4.8 mile UNH Trail loop with 1300 feet of elevation gain seemed like the perfect choice. Overnight rain had left the roots and rocks on the trail slick enough to require focus. Our guest, very fit from regular gym visits, took to it like she’d been doing it all her life. As we went higher, the air grew less humid as the day warmed up, and there was a breeze on Allens Ledge, the Summit, and East Ledges. All made it very pleasant and the mostly-blue skies with scattered cloud shadows chasing each other across the nearby hills made the views particularly satisfying. We only met a few other hikers; the gentle breeze and a few songs from robins wood thrushes and a lone chickadee were the only sounds we heard for most of the trek. It was a beautiful day in the mountains. —Tim
What follows are photos of the day contributed by both Tim and our guest. Thanks!
