On the sixth Tuesday of every month people admit that hiking Mt Washington is easy-peasy. At every other time it’s a tad challenging, at least on some physical and/or mental level. Sure there are people that make it look easy, and a good lot can hike it twice, back-to-back, without suffering that satisfying feeling of wooden quads the next day, but for most mere mortals, the […]
Ahh, the soothing sounds the stream gurgling, interrupted only by the rap-rap-rapping of a large pileated woodpecker. The family flew in from San Diego, California. This is where we have to insert the obligatory joke about their arms being tired. Okay, that done, we can move along. They had never been to New Hampshire, but they found value in a guide on another trip they had […]
Of all the Presidentials, the 5372-foot Mt Monroe stands out as one of our favorites. We think this is thanks to a couple of attributes. First of all, unless blowing your mind by coming at it from Mt Washington or from points south, the regular access trail — the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail — is a delight. It’s rugged, quite varied, and even exciting in places. A […]
There are several chunks of New Hampshire that Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hikers fear/loathe/admire/respect more than others — one notable example being the Mahoosuc Notch, that one billed as “the toughest mile on the AT.” The guide books speak of the wildness or ruggedness of these chunks. The words they use in these tomes may conjure up visions of deep, dark, and prehistoric wilds, the wet rock […]
A couple visiting from New Jersey wanted to get some hiking done on some of the White Mountain’s rugged trails. The group size was variable over time as the planning part went on, and the objectives changed a few times, but finally a plan did come to fruition. Namely it ended up being two days of hiking for two people with two 4000-footers Pierce and Eisenhower […]
This morning a prior adventures guest and student posted on Facebook that she finished her 48 4000-footers. We congratulated her in a comment. She, in turn, gave our comment a heart and thanked us for our help. That comment drove home the point that we help the starters start and the finishers finish. We help bridge the gap between plan and action, either by bolstering the […]
We try really hard during our multiple trip-planning phases. Being a private outfitter we usually have one and two guests at a time, making it a bit easier to make all the people happy all the time (though that is allegedly impossible). But we still work at it. It’s something we don’t take lightly; always hoping we can create that magical just-right Goldilocks experience. These phases […]
Sounds pretty interesting naming a hiking trail that’s flattish in places and often muddy The Isolation Mud Flats, but really it’s apt so we took some liberties and got creative on that front. Once you see the video, you should see for yourself a touch of the mud and agree with the naming. This trip, led by Redline Guide Phoebe Seltzer, showed a many-time-returning guest the […]
Like so many people out there doing this crazy, awesome thing, one returning guest — a former navigation student — working on her 48 4000-footers (now with 17 to go) reached out looking for a knowing companion to go with. A little oversight can sometimes be a very good thing. Thus, we encourage this, not just because it’s how we earn a living, but because it […]
Just a hike, not necessarily a mountain, no summits needed or lists fulfilled. Just a plain old hike. Our returning guest was clear. She wanted a brain-clearing, joint-limbering trek into a wild areas. Sweating would be okay but let’s not make a day of it. Get me out there! We knew what to do. It would involve a little heavy lifting early on — while it’s […]
One of the most rugged and fearsome locations in the White Mountain National Forest is the Presidential Range — including the notorious Mt Washington (6288′) — particularly the gnarly yet exquisitely beautiful and pristine northern end. This section includes such mountains as Jefferson (5716′), Adams (5799′), and Madison (5366′). And of course also Mt Clay (5533′) — but this last one doesn’t “count” as a “NH […]
The best climber in the world is the one having the most fun! —Alex Lowe Indoor experience obtained from a climbing gym is a fantastic way to get into the sport of rock climbing. And an upward transition to climbing outdoors is sort of a natural segue for those with access to the world’s great climbing crags. We’re fortunate here in the Mt Washington Valley in […]
