I use this Caltopo map to plan out my next hike. It’s usually a work in progress until late the evening before the hike. Feel free to check it out to see what plans I’m brewing.
See where I’ve hiked recently: 2022 Summits
I use this Caltopo map to plan out my next hike. It’s usually a work in progress until late the evening before the hike. Feel free to check it out to see what plans I’m brewing.
See where I’ve hiked recently: 2022 Summits
On a pleasant Sunday in December Jeff, Michael, Richard and I bushwhacked to Whaleback South and Big Coolidge just outside of Lincoln, New Hampshire to hit a couple New Hampshire 200 Highest peaks. Half of the hike was up the Old Osseo Trail, which had cairns and yellow blazes. The out and backs to Whaleback South and Big Coolidge were bushwhacks through mostly open forest.
Date: 12 December 2021
Distance: 7.1 miles
Moving Time: 03:23:59
Pace: 28:28/mile
Elevation Gain: 3684′
I shot up to the White Mountains to do some tracing of trails and a couple New Hampshire 500 Highest peaks. After the easy hike to Black Cap I headed to Cranmore Mountain and caught sight of a black bear cub off in the forest. I passed a bunch of mountain bikers on Cranmore Trail and wish I had brought my wallet when I discovered that there was an ice cream shop (with beer) at the top of the ski lifts. After heading back to the trail head I bushwhacked up to Hurricane Mountain. I decided to head down the road a little ways to approach the climb where it was less steep, but halfway up I found an old trail with blazes and cairns, and followed it to the summit and back down to the road (the more eastern route on the below map).
Date: 06 June 2021
Distance: 6.3 miles
Moving Time: 02:15:43
Pace: 21:42/mile
Elevation Gain: 1581′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Black Cap Trail
Cranmore Trail
Black Cap Spur
The Taconic Crest Trail is the third Northeast Ultra 8 hike that I completed. It traverses a mountain range that makes up the northern half of the border between Massachusetts and New York and hits Vermont for a hot minute. Jeff, John, Michael and I got a Tentrr in Vermont for the night before and after, and hiked the trail on a perfect Saturday in May. The trail mostly cuts through mellow terrain in hardwood forest with the occasional vista and pond, but there are definitely a few climbs not to scoff at. We were alone for the most part but we started to see people around Berlin Mountain, and White Rocks with its Snow Hole seemed popular.
Date: 15 May 2021
Distance: 36.5 miles
Moving Time: 12:01:54
Pace: 19:45/mile
Elevation Gain: 8921′
I thought I’d be worn out after doing a training hike on Mount Chocorua the day before, but my legs felt fresh and I had a free day. So, I was targeted an area of the White Mountains closest to me with trails I haven’t hiked and peaks on the New Hampshire 500 Highest list. I ended up chosing Province Pond Trail and the northern peak of The Twins, and Mount Shaw. It looked like a nice combo of trail and bushwhack, and the total distance would only be around 6.5 miles. A shorter distance as it was approaching noon when I decided to go. What I didn’t expect was that the fire road leading to the trailhead was closed, which added another 4 miles. There were some rocky climbs during the bushwhack, and I came across a mountainside covered with hundreds of trillium, more than I’ve ever seen in once place. The views around Province Pond were particularly beautiful.
Date: 09 May 2021
Distance: 10.6 miles
Moving Time: 03:36:48
Pace: 20:22/mile
Elevation Gain: 2552′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Province Pond Trail
The weekend before our big Taconic Crest Trail traverse, Jeff, John and I headed to Mount Chocorua to get in a last training hike. We set up for a traverse over Mount Chocorua with 1.5 ascents of the mountain. We needed to get back to the Portland area in early afternoon so we started crazy early, which is always beneficial for finding parking and beating the crowds. It was perfect hiking weather with high clouds, and I was able to trace 3 new White Mountain trails.
Date: 08 May 2021
Distance: 13.4 miles
Moving Time: 05:16:18
Pace: 23:37/mile
Elevation Gain: 4944′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Middle Sister Trail
Camp Penacook Spur
Wetamoo Trail
On a nice day during their April vacation, I brought my sons up to Camden Hills State Park to hike the two most popular mountains in the park. We enjoyed the nice view of Camden from the top of Mount Battie, and continued past the ocean vistas to the viewless Mount Megunticook. After hiking out we headed to Rockport for some Flatbread before continuing home.
Date: 20 April 2021
Distance: 5.6 miles
Moving Time: 02:24:49
Pace: 25:41/mile
Elevation Gain: 1647′
When I woke up with the birds at Trapper John Shelter, I made coffee and breakfast and started a fire in the stone chimney in front of the shelter. It was a quick hike down to Dartmouth Skiway where I met Jeff and we shuffled our cars, so we’d have one at the parking area for the end of the day. There were a lot of people out at Smarts Mountain, a New Hampshire 200 Highest, but the trail beyond the summit had not been broken out. I was feeling wet and cold at that point from pushing through the snowy trees, so there was a moment of doubt about continuing. But we pushed on, and the fast hike/jog down J Trail on the northern face of Smarts Mountain was one of my favorite parts of the day. After climbing Mount Cube, another NH200, with its nice views and unique quartz summit, we finished at my car at Gilman’s Corner. This and the previous day’s hike completed a nice 30+ miles section of the New Hampshire Appalachian Trail for me.
Date: 18 April 2021
Distance: 16.4 miles
Moving Time: 06:47:37
Pace: 24:48/mile
Elevation Gain: 5256′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Holts Ledge Trail
Lambert Ridge Trail
J Trail
Kodak Trail
As the snow began to melt in Spring, I was struck by trail fever. I needed to spend some time on the trail. But I knew that too much elevation would mean old snow and ice, which wouldn’t be pleasant. So I focused my attention to section hiking the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. With some coordination with Jeff, I selected a section from the New Hampshire and Vermont border, where on the second day Jeff could help me shift cars and we could get a couple New Hampshire 200 Highest mountains.
The first day of the hike was from Hanover, New Hampshire to the Trapper John Shelter near Dartmouth Skiway. Dartmouth College allows section hikers to park at A Lot if they call and leave info about their vehicle and how long it will be there. So I parked there and walked across campus to the Connecticut River to start. Of course it snowed the day before, so much of the day was through sticky snow that was the perfect depth to make it difficult to hike both with and without microspikes. I hardly saw anyone, just a trail crew at Velvet Rocks and a few people near South Moose Mountain. The sun was setting as I reached the vista at the top of Holts Ledge, my favorite spot for the day.
I set up in the Trapper John Shelter and had a facepalm moment as I chucked my new ultralight bear-hang kit into bear-hang tree. The paracord tangled as I threw it and I wasn’t holding or standing on the end. Every time you think you’re experienced at something, you do something stupid. I was getting ready for bed when a couple showed up, they had been following my tracks all day. We talked for a bit before they (successfully) hung their food and set up their tents nearby. The next day I would be hiking the AT to Gilman’s Corner with Jeff.
Date: 17 April 2021
Distance: 18.8 miles
Moving Time: 07:29:59
Pace: 23:58/mile
Elevation Gain: 5161′
Tracing White Mountains Trails:
Velvet Rocks Trail
Hanover Center Trail
Moose Mountain Trail
Trapper John Shelter Spur
Lindsay and I got up early on a weekend in April to hike Pleasant Mountain for sunrise. We didn’t get to the summit before sunrise, but we did get to the vista from Ledges Trail for it. After enjoying the peaceful summit for a while we returned to our car.
Date: 11 April 2021
Distance: 3.6 miles
Moving Time: 01:47:27
Pace: 29:53/mile
Elevation Gain: 1516′