These are the precise words used by Redline Guide Arlette Laan to describe the intro-style women’s-only backpacking adventure that occurred this past weekend. It’s a mere five words, true, but it was a solid declaration. It stood in its own. This trip was the second-to-last Hiking Buddies trip of the season. The next one is to be held on August 24th-25th. The reason we’re being so […]
The title doesn’t speak of one looking for solitude, but rather it refers to a squat 4000-footer called Mt Isolation (4004′) located on the Montalban Ridge which stretches southward from Mt Washington. It’s a popular mountain to those who have hiked to its summit before. And for others who haven’t yet been, it’s a necessary mountain. In some cases, both adjectives — popular and necessary — […]
For a quite a while Redline Guide Mike Maciel has been the guide (read: friend/coach/companion) on demand for guidance and oversight on one older gentleman’s quest to complete New Hampshire’s 48 4000-footers. In this post we will cover two more mountains from that list: Owls Head Mtn (4029′) and Mt Carrigain (4680′) — numbers 46 and 47, respectfully. Yes, he’s almost done. One peak remains, Mt […]
Most hiking lists in this region are satisfied by summiting something, but not all. Some lists are all about the trails — either hiking all the trails, or just the terrifying ones — or all about the views. Case-in-point: The 52 With-A-View list. While most of the objectives covered by this list are indeed mountain summits, some only require one make it to the primary viewpoint. […]
While we had a presence in Franconia Notch — a team climbing to The Watcher — and a Presidential Traverse was in the making, Redline Guide Chase Hall was also leading a trip. This one to the summit of Mt Washington — the tallest peak in the northeast. All of these luckily (and unplanned) taking advantage of some sublime mountain weather. What follows is Chase’s recap […]
One of our guests had signed up for this past winter’s overnight adventure at the Mt Washington Observatory (MWOBS), but something came up that interrupted these plans and our guest was given a credit to use later. Fast forward to later — to now — and the credit was applied to something just as cool and perhaps a bit more personal. A self-challenge: a one-day Presidential […]
That hike up the slide is worthy of anything on the Terrifying 25 list! —Ken Hodges A returning guest reached out hoping to climb The Watcher and asked for Redline Guide Ken Hodges with whom she’d hiked with on earlier guided trips. For those who don’t know, The Watcher, also known as the “Old Lady of the Mountain” — which lives on the east side of […]
A many time returning guest returned once again. As per his usual, our guest, working on his GRID (hiking all the 4000-footers, every month of the year, which equals 576 summits) sought his regular guide/companion Redline Guide Chase Hall. The objective on this day was to get our guest three peaks closer to his goal. The peaks were the trio on the Willey Range, specially Willey, […]
Some people glance out their window toward Mt Washington remarking on how it looks, so rugged and alpine. A mountain’s mountain if there ever was one and the tallest in the Northeast. And Mt Washington is special, unique in myriad ways; a record maker and breaker known for its crazy weather, to be sure. And for many, it really is worthy of a person’s bucket list […]
We admit that “Backpacking Introduction” would be far more telling than using the somewhat ambiguous “Camp Craft” but it is the same thing. Sort of. Our thinking is that while some people say backpacking is “roughing it,” the camping part of a backpacking trip should be anything but rough. In other words, one thing’s survival while the other’s living. Good food, comfort, cleanliness, fresh water, warmth […]
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 […]
They reached out to us looking to schedule a custom three-day Rock Climbing Progression for members and leaders of their Scout Troop. We were happy to help out and gathered the team. The make up of this rock climbing intro group was four Scouts with two adult leaders, so six people. As a result, we wanted two qualified guides instructing each day. As was, however, due […]
