When it comes to hiking in New Hampshire, it’s taken several years but I think I’ve found a happy balance — a good, relaxing and yet ambitious summer hiking plan involves an array of hikes with relatives as well as solo hikes.
That’s exactly what I did in 2016. On the one hand, I wanted to knock off as many hikes from my “52 With a View” summit list. On the other, I sought to share mountaintops with relatives, to see my two-year-old nephew Nathaniel scale a peak, to make the most of my only summertime vacation with the family.
The successful result was 13 consecutive days of hiking, which sounds crazy — and maybe even masochistic – on the surface, but in actuality wasn’t because the tame, short tromps through the woods balanced out the tough ones. Here’s a brief summary of my two weeks in my favorite place.
Hike 1 — No peace atop Rattlesnake
After a long day in the car from DC, I arrived in Sandwich, NH, just a bit after dinner the evening of Saturday, July 30. I ate a bit and then the Dad, cousin Caitlin and her boy Jake (great name, by the way) joined me on a leisurely hike up West Rattlesnake for sunset. What followed was one of the very few disappointing experiences I’ve ever had atop a mountain. The problem: West Rattlesnake has gotten so popular and is such an easy walk that it’s become a casual-people, non-hikers “hangout.”
When we arrived atop the summit, it didn’t take me long to sense trouble. I took a short side path into the woods to relieve myself, and I stumbled upon a keg. Yes, a beer keg on a mountain. I was amused, but I also knew what it probably meant. Moments later, as we settled on the sloping granite rock overlooking Squam Lake, I couldn’t help but notice the large throng of kids maybe in their late teens or early 20s on the other part of the summit, red solo cups in hand. At first, the volume level wasn’t too bad, but as dusk descended on us, what’s usually a peaceful place transformed into a cacophony of loud conversation and artificial music. I couldn’t take it anymore. Our night was ruined.
Mental note: No more weekend nights atop West Rattlesnake.
MILES HIKED: 1.8
Hike 2 — Peace atop Eagle Cliff
Thankfully, the masses haven’t noticed another local gem of a short hike. On Sunday morning, Rose’s family including Andrew and the kiddos, Nathaniel and Grace, arrived. The kids weren’t quite ready to take to the trail, but Andrew joined the Dad and me for an afternoon jaunt up the 0.5-mile trail to Eagle Cliff. From its summit, we enjoyed the never-get-old views and chatted with a friendly group of men. As is customary after Eagle Cliff hikes, I jumped in Squam Lake to refresh. Perfect Sunday afternoon.
MILES HIKED: 1
Hike 3 — Time to go solo, get them miles
Monday didn’t look like an ideal hiking day (overcast, rain in the forecast), but I couldn’t let that stop me. After two days of warmup hikes, I was anxious to begin chipping away at the 30-plus “52 With a View” peaks left on my list (side note: Once I’ve completed this list, I will have essentially climbed the 100 tallest/most interesting mountains in New Hampshire; not bad).
What I originally planned as a 6- to 8-mile hike became a 14-miler. Oops. With bumper-to-bumper traffic heading into Conway, I instead opted to take a left on the Kancamagus and knock out Paugus and Square Ledge. What I didn’t realize at the time was the length the hike would entail. It was a good 6 miles before I even reached Paugus, and another few miles to Square Ledge, before completing the loop with a descent. Through it all, I encountered:
0 people
1 decent view
Infinite rain drops
Having changed my itinerary and with no phone service, I knew I needed to be extra careful. A fall and serious injury could mean spending a night (at least) in the woods by myself. But I had no issues, and even ran several of the trail’s flat and down portions. I had zero slips, so of course when I stopped along the Kanc to soak my feet on the drive back I lost my footing on a rock and went down hard. My butt would be sore for three days afterward.
Still, worth it.
MILES HIKED: 14
Hike 4: The little guy’s first hike
On Tuesday we were back to West Rattlesnake but under very different circumstances. I harbored no illusions about tranquility nor solitude atop the uber-popular peak. Rather, I only cared about watching the nephew Nathaniel on his own two feet climb a mountain (and the 11-month-old niece Grace get a lift up one). And Nathaniel was something else, sports fans. I say this with pride — the little guy needed no help the entire way up. As we passed dozens of fellow hikers of all ages and dog after dog after dog, Nathaniel kept powering up on his little legs with his hands always at the ready to assist him with the next step.
Hike 5: Two-hike Wednesday
I combined family and personal hiking on Wednesday and knocked off another summit in the process. In the morning, the family took the Mt. Cannon tram up to the summit of the 4,000-footer while I got my heart racing and sweat pouring by hustling up the 2-mile steep trail. I didn’t beat the family, but I wasn’t all that far behind them either. On top, I got the little man Nathaniel to walk up the stairs of the fire tower summit with me — his second climb to the top — and we posed for some photos with Franconia Ridge in the clear behind us. The descent was tricky as I navigated slippery rocks and roots, so it was no surprise that when I reached the parking lot, the parents were chilling at the little cafe waiting — they had been there for a while.
I was set on bagging a new peak during the afternoon, so we compromised and decided that while I hiked the 1.7 miles up Mt. Pemigewasset they would do the Flume Gorge trail. Neither of us had done either hike before, and we both enjoyed the experiences. While Pemigewasset is usually a very popular hike because of its ease, length and accessibility off of I-93, I did it late enough in the afternoon that I encountered just a few people. When I emerged from the forest and gained the ledges of the summit, I took in commanding views to the west and then I walked around to the official top that offered a through-the-trees look at Liberty. I joined a group of maybe five 20-somethings and their dog; not bad company before a quick descent and back in the parking lot a bit after 4pm.
MILES HIKED: 7.6
Hike 6: Let’s get serious
The Friday before my trip after a November Project workout, I was discussing weekend plans — so, of course, New Hampshire — and a friend of mine, Katie, overheard. “You’re going to New Hampshire?” she asked. I learned that she would also be in the state, and actually the same region, for a few days. Katie being very much into the outdoors, she and I made tentative plans to do a hike together in the Granite State. (Note: While I have several friends in DC who are into hiking, I’ve never found people my age either in NH or who want to/can come to the state to join me on my hikes. So it was really nice to have a non-family member hiking companion possibility.)
Initially I considered a hike that would net me a new 52 With a View peak or two in addition to Mt. Isolation, a 4,000-footer I’ve only done once (I’m also trying to get through the 4,000-footers for a second time). But when I learned that Katie, while she had done some hiking mostly in the Albany area where she stayed, hadn’t done the Presidential range and Mt. Washington, New England’s tallest, I decided our hike needed to include that. Plus, the forecast was perfect. One should never assume, but it at least appeared that the high peaks would be out of the clouds. I decided on a 12-mile loop that would include a summit with a really neat top (Mt. Monroe), an AMC Hut (my fave, Lakes of the Louds), the big guy (Washington, 6,288 feet), and miles upon miles of walking out in the open and breathing in the coolest widespread views.
Everything turned out as well as I could have hoped for. Katie, in as good hiking shape as me, pushed the pace, we had a nice balance of conversation and just enjoying the scenery, and weather was unseasonably balmy. I never even put on more than a longsleeve shirt, which is crazy for that region at any time of the year. I stood outside the hut in a T-shirt. Katie picked up quickly on what the coolest parts of such hikes are (the summits to yourselves; Monroe), the lakes by the hut (which were also crazy warm), and the open-air walking, and what’s not so great (the tourist-crowded summit of Washington, which we departed after a few minutes and a photo).
On the way down we stopped at Lion’s Head and its rocks that jut out into Tuckerman Ravine for a second cheese-and-crackers lunch. We had enjoyed the hike so much that we were behind schedule to get Katie back for her 6pm dinner, so we scrambled down the steep trail from Lion’s Head to Tuckerman and then jogged the rest of the way back to Pinkham and the mile on the road to the Glen Boulder trailhead where we had started the day. We were a little late, but Katie got her dinner and we both got one helluva an adventure. I’d done it before, but it never matters — every NH hike, every experience feels fresh and is equally enjoyable even if it’s my 10th time up a mountain.
MILES HIKED: 12
Hike 7: All by ourselves
A day after climbing the flanks of Mt. Washington with dozens of others, and then being surrounded by tourists on top of the behemoth, the Dad and I somehow found a new mountain to climb on a Friday afternoon that we had completely to ourselves. This hike demonstrated to me as much as any in New Hampshire that it’s not too difficult to get in a great trek without the crowds. Our hike was a 5.6-mile round-tripper up Mt. Tremont (3,371 ft), another on the 52 With a View list. We got a late start around 2pm, and climbed through the quiet woods up 2,600 feet until we emerged onto a small sloping summit.
The first thing I noticed up top was a spot nestled among the trees just below the rock with widespread views to the west. Can you say “Perfect Camping Spot?” Don’t tell anyone — thankfully, readership of this is nonexistent. I’ll be back to camp soon! It was a hot late Friday afternoon, so we just basked in the sun, eating and enjoying another great mountaintop view. Nothing spectacular happened on this hike, but it didn’t disappoint in any way either.
While Rose, Andrew and the kiddos left early Friday morning, concluding a really fun visit, reinforcements arrived in the evening in the form of Mom and Dad’s friends Charles, Allison and her granddaughter Ayla — new potential hiking partners. One week of hiking was in the books, and another beckoned.
MILES HIKED: 5.6
Hike 8: To the firetower!
Knowing Katie was still in town, I decided to try to maximize the potential of a fast hiking partner for another day. Katie was in for an afternoon hike (after her morning family tramp, because who doesn’t enjoy a two-hike day?), and we decided on Mt. Kearsarge North — another 52 With a View one. I spent the morning at the one spot in Sandwich with decent Internet, the cafe that had reopened under new ownership during the summer, catching up on some work and then headed back toward the Conway area in the early afternoon (side note: I put some serious miles on the Civic this trip, driving over two hours for the majority of these hikes).
Kearsarge was a fun hike. Over 3.2 miles, we gained 2,500 feet so it was no joke to reach the 3,268-foot peak. During our climb, we came upon a big black dog and a golden retriever. Their owner offered me M&Ms. This was going well! We didn’t stop besides that the entire ascent and I’m not sure Katie even took a sip of water. The summit was cool. The old firetower is sealed very well and, fun fact, you can sleep there without a reservation — it’s simply first-come, first-served. So this is another place I’ll surely revisit. We enjoyed another cheese and crackers lunch, snapped a bunch of photos, and then cruised down the trail where we ran into yet another I-want-this-dog dog, a border collie that looked groomed for the mountains.
Katie was a great hiking partner, and I look forward to hopefully being able to do this again. After dropping her off in Albany, I returned to Sandwich and got in a beach swim before a huge spaghetti dinner.
MILES HIKED: 6.4
Hike 9: Singing our way down the mountain
I didn’t wake up Sunday with huge expectations, because it’s good to have a day when you just let things develop — at least every now and then. Thankfully, a hike was in the cards. My streak could stay alive. More Ann Arbor friends, Tom and Linda, had arrived Saturday, and they were ready to hit the trail. So our whole crew made the trek up East Rattlesnake to the much-less popular but equally beautiful summit that provides views of Squam Lake. On top, we met a nice group of German guys (side note: Germans know how to hike! Later in the month, I’d encounter dozens of them hiking in Alberta, CA) as we snacked and enjoyed another sunny New Hampshire morning. The crews, always musically inclined, started singing songs on the descent.
I forget where, but I ended the day at a beach somewhere. I had plans laid out for some ambitious hikes to make a real dent in the 52 With a View category. My biggest mileage days were yet to come.
MILES HIKED: 1.4
Hike 10: Three ascents, five peaks
10:06am — Leave the Red House
11:38am — Begin hike up the Sugarloaf Mountains north of North Conway 12:53pm — Down from about 3.5-mile loop hike over two peaks with tremendous views of Presidential range, to the north (ran all the way down)
1:13pm — After drive, start 1.8-mile hike up Black Mountain trail, see no one
1:53-2:04pm — Spend 11 minutes on mostly wooded top with obstructed views (of note, views from the lodge that sits 0.3 miles from the top and can be rented out weren’t bad, including a really cool perspective of Washington)
2:26pm — Back down
2:48pm — After steep, rough drive up dirt road, reach trailhead for Iron Mountain. Immediately blown away by scenery and views from meadow of Mt. Washington.
3:22pm — Reach the summit, but not before gazing out in awe from viewpoint along the way of one of the best views of Washington I’ve ever taken in from the south.
3:35pm — Get to my turnaround point, the south cliffs, and look out across Route 302 at the range of mountains including the previous Friday’s destination, Tremont.
4:30pm — With a stop back at my favorite spot included, return to the car.
MILES HIKED: 10.1
Hike 11: The biggest day
Don’t let how Tuesday started fool you. Yes, I began the morning cruising a pontoon boat in Squam Lake. It was relaxing. It was lazy. It was glorious. And I could have enjoyed the boat, the water, the perfect temperatures, nice company, good food and drinks, and more all day. But c’mon, that’s not me! So after my boat fix of about 90 minutes, the Dad and Tom dropped me off at the Sandwich boat dock when they picked up the rest of the crew and I returned to the Red House to get my hiking stuff. I had a big day — in fact, my longest-mileage day — ahead of me.
My plan was to summit four 52 With a View peaks to really cut into my remaining list. Originally, I had planned on doing it as a camping trip, but A) I left my camping stove at home in DC; and B) It’s really hard to pass up a thought of going back to the Red House for big meals and a bed (I told myself I’d save all my camping for my upcoming Banff and Jasper trip in the Canadian Rockies).
I started the hike on the Mt. Davis Trail and covered the 2.3 miles to the Crawford spur in great time. It was one of the hottest and stickiest days, so I was sweating buckets by the time I scrambled up the granite and gained the widespread views of mountains left, right and in front of me. Mt. Crawford’s not surprisingly a popular destination, as I saw several groups up top. After a quick snack and getting my photo taken by a nice man from Vermont, I headed back down away from the crowds. I was just getting started.
The 1.5 miles between Crawford and the Mt. Parker trail was almost entirely flat, easy, and with openings that offered more views. In other words, you can’t ask for much more. When I reached the spur, I decided to continue on for the 1.3 miles to Stairs Mountain before coming back for Resolution and Parker. It was a climb, but the grade never got too ridiculous. And the top of Stairs was pretty close to what I imagined, with two or three campsites tucked just inside the canopy of trees and a ledge with tremendous views to the east and south. The one thing Stairs lacked that Crawford had was the viewpoint of Washington and the Presidentials.
To give you an idea of how fast I was moving, I left Stairs at 2:36pm and was on top of Resolution by 3:07pm. So 1.8 miles in 31 minutes. I knew I had a lot of ground still to cover, and I had realized I forgot to transfer my headlamp from my overnight pack to my day pack. From Resolution’s summit, the real challenge of the day, especially from a mental perspective, began as I descended into the woods for the 2.4-mile trip to Mt. Parker. From the get-go I could tell the trail got little if any use. I busted through cobwebs, stepped over many fallen logs, and generally felt like I was in the middle of nowhere and no one was near.
This is hard. Hiking alone when you’re still technically “hiking away from your destination,” I’ve found, is one of the toughest challenges of being out in the woods. Your mind wanders. You push the pace. You have to catch yourself and remind yourself to slow down, that everything’s going to be fine. You have to remind yourself to soak up the fact that it’s a Tuesday and you’re in the middle of a forest while most people are slogging through another workday inside.
I emerged from the woods sooner than I anticipated, and I was genuinely shocked when I saw two women atop what I assumed had to be the summit of Parker. People! I was even more taken aback when one of them said to me, “Hey, didn’t we see you yesterday?” I stumbled to find the right words, but yes, these were the same two women I had seen at the beginning of my Iron Mountain hike. Go figure. Crazy world! They informed me that they were continuing east and camping at a site on the Mt. Langdon Trail. They had come from the same direction as me. I scrambled down the trail a way just to make sure there wasn’t another ascent soon after to a real summit, and there wasn’t. I had made it much faster than anticipated. As the women took off for their destination, I allowed myself to sit for a bit and soak in impeccable views of the shrubs in front of me serving as a foreground for Mt. Washington in the late-afternoon sky.
Just as surprising, with some jogging included I gained Resolution for a second time 42 minutes later at 5:10pm. By then the lighting in the sky was tremendous and I spent 10 minutes snapping photos and laughing at how incredibly beautiful it all was, and how I had it all to myself. So lucky, I was. I jogged a good portion of the way down to complete my 15.8-mile circuit, finishing up around 6:40pm. In all, the hike/run took me 6 hours, 27 minutes. And as if it wasn’t enough, I completed an epic Tuesday by enjoying all of the colors of a standout New Hampshire sunset at the town beach as darkness finally enveloped me and my gorgeous surroundings.
MILES HIKED: 15.8
Hike 12: Charlie’s muddy faces
The original plan for Wednesday was to hike the famous, always-stunning Franconia Ridge — me, the Dad, Charles, Allison and their friend. However, mother nature had other ideas, sending us an iffy forecast. And the last thing you want on that ridge is moody weather. So we decided to wait it out a day. I wondered, for all of a minute, if I would break my days of hiking streak. Of course not! Instead, after enjoying Old Home Week’s traditional book sale and a brief coffee shop break, I convinced the others and Charlie the Pomeranian to join me for a 52 With a View Hike up Mt. Roberts (2,582 feet).
The weather was still iffy and the sky started sprinkling on us as we began the hike. However, that soon dissipated and we simply hiked under cloud cover on an easy-grade path. It was so awesome having not just the Dad, but Mom and Charlie (and Charles and Allison) along on a non-Rattlesnake hike.
After about a mile in, we emerged from the woods and much of the rest of the hike was somewhat open. Of course, we couldn’t see anything so we didn’t know what views existed (or not). Everything was muddy and wet, which slowed our progress and also turned Charlie’s face into a wild mass of fur and dirt. Hah! It took us a while, but we gained the summit at 5pm and enjoyed a rest and a snack. On the descent, as is often the case on hikes — because hikes are the best, and amazing things always happen — the clouds suddenly lifted and with the evening light shining, created an absolutely beautiful sky in all directions.
The trickiest part of the descent was remembering to focus on each step on the slippery surfaces as opposed to looking at Lake Winnipesaukee and the remaining slivers of clouds lingering in the sky. We stopped at a spot where on the way up we couldn’t see a thing, but now we could almost see the Red House. The light crested brilliantly above Red Hill and Eagle Cliff to the west. What had turned out to be a fun walk through the woods with no views (better enjoy the conversation!) had turned into an absolutely gorgeous outing.
We got down at 7:11pm, Charlie’s face was somewhat clean again, and we walked past a field with horses who gazed at us longingly not wanting us to depart. But alas, we were hungry. We found a Mexican restaurant in the small town of Moultonborough we had never tried before, and it turned out to be a great decision. The delicious, filling meal capped off an unexpectedly great hike. Mt. Roberts, we will be back!
MILES HIKED: 5.0
Hike 13: Franconia Ridge
I finished off 13 hikes in 13 days in style with a classic — up the Bridle Trail to Greenleaf Hut, then to the top of Lafayette, before taking the ridge over Mt. Lincoln and then to Little Haystack, and down the Falling Waters trail. The Dad, Charles and Allison joined me, and the weather was superb — if even a little hot. But in New Hampshire when you’ve got great visibility and you can walk that ridge in a T-shirt, there’s no complaining. That’s for sure. I’ve now done this hike a handful of times, but it never gets boring.
The views emerging as you gain elevation on the winding Bridle Trail. The soup we got to fuel up at the hut. The ascent out in the open to Lafayette, the peak that never seems to get closer. The swarms of people on all parts of the summit, lounging here, napping there. And of course, the ridge and its incredible views. Clouds prevented views of the distant Presidentials, but everything else nearby was in sight. Cannon. The Kinsmans. The Bonds. Everything to the south. We were hiking late enough in the day that once we got about half a mile past Lafayette, the crowds thinned.
We finished the loop at 7:50pm, with still some light left in the sky, fully satisfied and tired. When we returned to the Red House after 9, Mom had soup on the table and Charlie greeted us at the front door. What more can a group of hardy hikers ask for?
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And that was it. My knees were telling me to take a break, and I was content to comply. So on my final day in New Hampshire’s paradise, I settled for our annual trench-cleaning morning of work and then Bearcamp Pond in the afternoon. We all enjoyed watching a storm move in over the pond and then ran into the water when it was clear the thunder and lightning weren’t around anymore. It was the perfect soak to cap off a well-balanced, activity-packed two weeks in New Hampshire.
Mountains remain on the 52 With a View List (in fact, double digits). And of course, there are dozens of others I’ve done that I’ll enjoy just as much next time. So suffice to say, 2017 should be equally wonderful.
Until then.
— Jake
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