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 […]
A many-time returning guest came to us looking for a companion on a Mt Cabot hike — it’s one of those NH 4000-footers, in case you didn’t know. By “came to us” we mean he has been in communication with Redline Guide Chase Hall and planned this thing in the 11th hour, so to speak. Chase told us Cabot was happening in the morning. We did […]
A returning guest working on her New Hampshire 4000-footers reached out looking for a guide for the Wildcats. Her objective was to take on and beat the Wildcat Ridge Trail (WRT), bag the two peaks that count, then continue onto Carter Notch for a pleasant hike out via 19 Mile Brook Trail. The WRT has a reputation and appears on the Terrifying 25 list but our […]
She came to us looking to take on the notorious, the infamous, the fantastic and amazing Huntington Ravine on the east side of Mt Washington. For us, this is a fairly common request. And it’s one we love to be sure. Been there for ages, but really it just never gets old. For our guests it’s a must-see rite-of-passage. But it’s one many don’t want to […]
We get a lot of satisfaction helping our guests meet their hiking/climbing goals. We make friends along the way, to the point of becoming invested in the quests offering everything from pep talks to useful distractions, we’ve become accustomed to helping out when and where needed. One many-time returning guest came to us as he does yearly looking to check off some boxes and bag some […]
We’re sort of like the Educational partner for the Hiking Buddies group. With them/for them, we teach, we train, we do, we love it, and some fun is had along the way. It’s cool to be part of this. This past weekend yielded yet another fun Hiking Buddies educational backpacking trip adventure. This time the group ventured to Shoal Pond for some very legitimate Pemi Wilderness […]
Sometimes we require rope and other gear to get ourselves up the mountain. This stuff, we know, helps protect us. Usually, however, it’s not needed, we realize, but knowing it is there is a huge relief lending confidence as well as covering the what-ifs. And having confidence is a huge boost that sends us toward completing our goals without failing or falling, without actually needing the […]
And quickly if we can. Like the following week. Friday, please. The forecast did appear to enter a stable period around the time, so it was a go. It being an attempt on Mt Washington (FAQs). On lead with it was Redline Guide Chase Hall. The how-to was also specified. Our guest had climbed the mountain within the past year on the western approach using the […]
There is a test of courage and sanity on Elephant Mountain in Maine (one of the New England Hundred Highest). And by that we don’t mean the act of summiting — or figuring out where to start this bushwhack for that matter. The real test is whether or not to don the brittle plastic/rubber elephant trunk mask found at the summit. It’s nasty, mice chew it, […]
All of our famed NH 4000-footer peaks may be accessed by different trails (or from different directions) affording hikers a change of pace if taking them on more than once. This also affords them an opportunity to go the short/easy way, the long/hard way, or in some cases, the scary/technical way. For example, two peaks on the Franconia Ridge, Mts. Flume and Liberty (4329′ and 4457′, […]
