Jefferson Notch Road is closed, gated, as it usually is at this time of year, so this was going create a problem as they knew. Ideally the team — consisting of Redline Guide Chase Hall and an oft-returning Gridding Guest — wanted to hike up Caps Ridge Trail to the Mt Jefferson summit. They felt going up Jewell or any other route was going to be […]
The “shoulder seasons” — one in the spring and one in the fall — demarcate winter and summer, but do not do so with an exacting edge, to be sure. One day it’s warmish and sunny, on next day it’s socked-in and rainy, and then you have one of those ridiculous May snowstorms. Our guests didn’t ask for this, but they did clear treeline on the […]
A returning guest reached out asking about a backpacking trip with amazing views for her birthday. With all things considered, the lookout tower on the 52WAV-famed Kearsarge North seemed ideal. There it is possible to take in an incredible sunset, have a pleasant night’s sleep out of the elements (with no bugs), and awaken to an incredible sunrise (complete with the mountain’s shadow stretching out over […]
Our regular readers will know this story by heart by now. The story goes like this: 1) One oft-returning guest comes to us. 2) He’s working on his Grid. 3) We explain that the Grid refers to hiking all the 48 4000-footers in every month of the year. 4) We link to our 4000-footer page to inform the uninformed. 5) We add that Redline Guide Chase […]
Thousands of people have completed the 48 4000-footers in New Hampshire. At a glance this may indicate that accomplishing this is somehow easy. But it’s not. For the thousands of people who have done it, there are millions who haven’t and many of those dare not even try. To successfully complete this list you have to have what it takes. You need time, the drive to […]
Another day of chipping away at the Grid — hiking all 48 4000-footers each month — brought one of our oft-returning guests three peaks closer to the end of his very long tunnel: North Twin, South Twin, and Galehead. Much of this progress process has been under the watchful eye of Redline Guide Chase Hall. Chase is particularly qualified to lead these trips as he has […]
We have guided our guests on all of the 4000-footers on multiple occasions, but some have been requested more than the rest. The northern Presidentials, for example. Additionally Isolation, the Bonds, and Owls Head are requested quite often. This trip, hinted at in the title, was for the Owl. Leading this trip was Redline Guide Chase Hall. What follows is his summary of the tour along […]
The notorious Mount Washington is known to be the “home of the world’s worst weather.” And often times — most of the time, actually — it lives up to its reputation, especially in the winter and spring. The weather up there offers brutal cold, extreme winds, and lots of snow and rime ice. Read about it here. On other days, however, it’s a real gem. And […]
Another person working on their 48 came to us looking for a companion/guide, and we were happy to help. As many people have come to realize, hiring a guide offers a host of advantages, not just a competent companion, but so much more. On point for this particular trip — which was to bag the summit of Mt Jefferson for #45/48 — was Redline Guide Chase […]
It’s spring in the Valley but still very wintery at higher elevations. Despite this fact, however, most folks are in spring mode. As if to punctuate this, Redline Guide Debra McCown checked in at the AMC Trails Desk at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center and suggested it was time to close the Lion Head Winter Route. This decision is one the USFS “Snow Rangers” make, but […]
The difficulty of any challenge is defined by those who attempt it, meaning it is always a matter of perspective. Regardless of said perspective, though, we can all hopefully agree that New Hampshire’s Mt Washington, at only 6288′ above sea level, is a pretty tough mountain to beat. The relentless incline, the steep sections, and some often wicked ground conditions mean this stubby mountain is no […]
Good day, good conditions, and good times on the old Rock Pile. Our guest reached out wanting to ski in Tuckerman Ravine and had a special interest in Left Gully. We were up to the task so on the calendar it went. Leading on this backcountry ski adventure was Redline Guide Glenn Van Neil, and he did great. Our guest mentioned this afterward: “I had a […]
