We have come to understand over the years that some folks don’t like the term “bluebird day.” We have no idea why this is, perhaps it’s too cliche. It makes little sense. Or it did make little sense. It has recently come to light that this entire dislike of the term was a trend started by the gray jays. Ahh, rearing its ugly head again, the […]
We had three hiking tours out there in the White Mountains over the past two days and decided to consolidate them in one brief overview. The first was assisting a peakbagger with getting Madison and Adams in winter. On task for this was Redline Guide Ryan Mcguire. They were able to summit both mountains. The second tour was to assist another winter peakbagger with two peaks […]
Two days, one guest, intensive private training on day one followed by an ascent of Mount Washington on day two. This, among many activities, is what went on the past few days. Owner Mike Cherim led the training on day one, then Redline Guide Ryan Mcguire led the climb the next day. Oh, and what a day it was. We had long been hoping for snow, […]
A returning guest visited us hoping to do some backcountry skiing. There was only one problem: the snow had just started falling that morning and it had so far been a lean snow year. In other words, we didn’t quite yet have enough of a base to ski on without trashing our gear. Redline Guide Ryan Mcguire, who was going to take him on the tour, […]
After a while the snow, rocks, and ice no longer look all the same. After a while every minor nuance on the mountain is a known thing, an old friend we recognize by their shape. We become very, very familiar. This is good, during a whiteout this familiarity can be super useful. The recognition of a lowly ice-encrusted mass of talus can keep us on the […]
We figured it would take about eight miles of extension cord to run space heaters at the shelter located at Ethan Pond — and that’s assuming the AMC would even let us plug in at the Highland Center. So, we just knew in our hearts there had to be a better way. And certainly, with our expertise we could come up with something. Perhaps by way […]
We had trained two teams and led them on a hike toward the summit of the frosty “Rock Pile” named Mt Washington this past weekend. This stout 6288′ (4000-foot-plus) mountain is known for its extreme weather, and that’s what the weekend offered. Inset you can see the MWOBS forecast for the Sunday attempt. Note the winds and wind chills. The mountain was earning its reputation. The […]
[…] views are secondary, hiking the Whites is sublime. Our returning guest, a former student, wanted a 4000-footer, something on her list — after all, she is working on hiking the 48 recognized 4000-footers in NH. She also wanted to keep the mileage down being that this would be a full-on winter hike during full-on winter conditions, and a winter shakedown hike at that. Given this, […]
This weekend sort of started the ball rolling for us, so to speak. It began Saturday with a Winter Skills course followed by a Mountaineering Skills course. And this was followed the next day with a successful ascent of Mt Washington — the tallest most badass peak in the Northeast and the crown jewel of the White Mountain National Forest. Atypical of its badassness, however, the […]
“The bears were really active. We followed one up the mountain the entire way, then again on our way down. Probably the same bear — maybe peak-bagging. We never laid eyes on him but we knew he was very close. And likewise to be sure.” This was reported to us by Redline Guide Ken Hodges. Ken was in Vermont guiding a returning guest who opts for […]
In the Valley the leaves have mostly dropped. For days there has been frost on surfaces in the morning. We had a dusting of snow the other day which remains in shady places. The seasons are changing. Here in the Mount Washington Valley, it’s clear winter is stepping up ready to take Autumn’s place. That’s here in the Valley. And from here in the Valley, one […]
With water levels too high to comfortably execute their Plan A, the team’s hope of exploring the ledges of Popple Mountain would have to wait. And, thus a Plan B was formed. Redline Guide Mike Cherim motioned with a thumb over his left shoulder toward the lovely Jackson, NH, and suggested another local “trailless” peak: Thorn Mountain. It was back to the drawing board for our […]
