United States – Sweaty Hiker

June 19, 2019

A Moose on Moosilauke – Mount Moosilauke and South Peak, White Mountains, New Hampshire Day Hikes

Last weekend I added another peak to my NH48 list by submitting Mount Moosilauke on a quick day hike. I haven’t been hiking much this spring due to my desire to get my house fixed up and put on the market sooner than later. I had heard that Moosilauke is one of the easier 4000 footers so I figured it would be a good warm up for the summer. They were right.

June 1, 2019: The Mount Moosilauke and South Peak Loop day hike.

Some days you just need to hike and this was one of those days. I woke up early on a Saturday morning and drove to the White Mountains in NH for a simple day trip. While many would say 4 hours each way for a 7.2 mile hike is a little drastic, most hikers would agree it is a worthwhile trade off. I pulled in to the access road for the Moosilauke Lodge, parked, laced up my boots and hit the trail sometime around 11:00am.

The trail enters the woods just below the Moosilauke Lodge and, while I am thinking about it, that lodge looks like an awesome place to stay. It is owned and operated by Dartmouth College and staying there is very affordable.

April 3, 2019April 3, 2019

The 4000 Footer That Wasn’t – Mount Tecumseh, White Mountains, New Hampshire Day Hikes

As you may have heard, the NH48 is now the NH47. In February, Mount Tecumseh was demoted from being a 4000 footer. New surveys place it’s elevation at 3,995 feet instead of the 4,003 feet it was previously thought to be. But wait! I didn’t hike it in February. I hiked it in December so I hit the summit before it officially shrank so I am adding this to my NH 4000 footers list and you can’t stop me.

December 8th, 2018: A daytrip up Mount Tecumseh.

The day started in the parking lot of Waterville Valley Ski Area in the mid-morning. I decided to bag a quick peak since I was out at a party the night before and was really feeling it when I woke. The Mt Tecumseh Trail is the quickest way to the top of a ~~4000 footer~~ 3,995 footer so it worked perfectly for my needs. The trail starts on the right-hand side of the parking lot when you are walking up towards the ski area and from there just winds it’s way up the “lookers right” of the ski area.

November 15, 2018November 15, 2018

New Jersey Backpacking Itinerary: Pine Barrens Loop – Batsto to Lower Forge

Batona Trail through the Pine Barrens in Wharton State Forest

I took a trip to New Jersey to check out the Pine Barrens in Wharton State park. This was a quick overnight trip that should be suitable for novice backpackers but is also a fun night out in the woods for anyone who just wants to get away.

The Dirt:

Length: 15 miles (approximately 7.5 miles per day)
Elevation gain: 213 feet (Flat as a pancake)
Type: Loop
Permits: Needed – I paid $10 total.

The Trails: Continue reading “New Jersey Backpacking Itinerary: Pine Barrens Loop – Batsto to Lower Forge”

October 22, 2018November 15, 2018

New Hampshire Backpacking Itinerary: South Kinsman, North Kinsman and Cannon Mountain

Many people have a goal to do all of the NH 4000 footers at some point in their lives. I never really shared that desire until this year. Unfortunately, you need to document the dates you hiked to each summit so many of the peaks I have hiked in the past will need to be completed again so I can set a date for each peak. This trip will allow me to bag three more peaks: South Kinsman, North Kinsman and Cannon Mountain.

The hike, at only 11-12 miles could be done as a day trip but I chose to do this as an overnight backpacking weekend, staying at Kinsman Pond. With a total elevation gain of 4500 feet, it still can be a bit of a challenge for some so don’t let the short length fool you into thinking this is a beginner hike. If you do this as an overnight, the mileage is roughly 6 miles for each day.

The Trails:

You will be parking at the trailhead near Lafayette Campground to start your journey. Continue reading “New Hampshire Backpacking Itinerary: South Kinsman, North Kinsman and Cannon Mountain”