We mentioned in the blog post about his last hike that we led with this now-returning guest that there were two peaks left to finish his quest for the 48, and that after it, only one remained. Well, fast forward to this hike led by Redline Guide Hayley LaPointe, and now the deed has been done. #48 on Owls Head Mtn — or rather #48 after returning to the trailhead. After all, as with many hikes, reaching the highest point means you’re only half way done. But with that we’ll step aside for Hayley to tell the rest.
Guests reach out to us at Redline Guiding for many reasons. Some want to learn about the ins and outs of hiking, some are looking to hike a particularly challenging trail and others simply want help celebrating a massive achievement, like completing the NH48 4,000 footers. Our guest had one summit left to complete his NH48, which happened to be one of the more remote peaks in the White Mountains: Owls Head. The hike out to Owls Head is a long slog, one that our guest, who is has quite an impressive hiking résumé (ADK46er, Catskills 4 Seasons, 100 summits of Breakneck Ridge, Mount Elbert, Mount Shuksan, Mount Whitney summits, to name a few) didn’t want to hike alone. We gladly accepted the request to join him on his final peak.
The miles passed quickly while our conversation flowed; we talked about the differences/similarities between the White Mountains and the Adirondacks and reviewed highlights of our guest’s NH48 journey. Before we knew it, we were at the junction of Lincoln Brook Trail and Owls Head slide, where we began our big ascent of the day. With careful attention to our footing, trying not to dislodge rocks, we made our way up the slide and to the summit of Owls Head. HOORAY, CONGRATULATIONS! Our guest insisted that we did not celebrate until making it back to the car (can’t jinx it!), so down we went!
Once our guest touched his car, it was finally time for high fives and balloons! What an achievement. To my guest, it is an honor to be a small part of your NH48 journey, which has required a huge commitment of time, traveling from New York for each hiking trip. I hope this achievement makes you feel… delightful! —Hayley
