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A friend and I did the same route on the same day, and we were both delighted to be out in such a pretty place in such great conditions. I think we saw you -- I don't vividly remember the faces, but of all things I think I keyed on the bright green bowl while negotiating the slabs and people...

Actually, in the context of a full-on mountain winter, the benefit you cite cam diminish almost to the point of elimination: when there's 3'-8' of snow under you, the placement options for your bag/pad/bivy (or tent) can actually be more numerous than the hammock placement options, which are...

I've had experience with thick stretches of hobblebush on the trail - very feisty root/runner system - takes some effort. The good news: it doesn't re-encroach that quickly, so it's a reasonably satisfying investment of effort. More good news: it's actually only 1.8 miles from the Kanc to the...

For those not aware, each year the AMC chapters run some highly acclaimed instructional programs, open to everyone, related to winter hiking and camping. Rich instructional content, takeaway materials and hands-on gear demos, as well as lots of hours in the company of experienced leaders whose...

From Philip... Tents vs. Tarps Winter Bakeoff

I'm guessing that you've met a different bird. It is a somewhat less traveled stretch, though, if S of the Stonybrook Trail -- so both we and he will meet less often. Good to know about!

As of this past May, the South Carter sign was still there. It's on the backside of a tree at the high point ~15' W of the trail. It's similar to ones on Cabot (no longer there) and Whiteface (still there as of this past October). As I indicated, I don't have a specific memory of the Middle...

Back in late March, he chased me from the South-Middle col almost all the way to the Middle summit cone. However, I saw no trace of him when I was back there in May. Coupled with reports from others who were there from May on, and who didn't report seeing him, I fear that something may have...

My White Mountain activity ramped up in 2007, and at that point the signs weren't there. However, fear not for navigation -- these signs *were* there. The South Carter sign is still present. I don't specifically remember seeing the Middle Carter sign of late -- the photo is from 2013. Alex

If the cheapo gloves you described are $4.99 Gorilla Gloves, you've tried what I swear by on hikes when temps are cool enough or the hand hold requirements rough enough to require light gloves. I like the ventilation from the mesh, and the grip of the rubberized fronts. Also, on cool days one...

My first time was 45 years ago, and at that point I fell in love with the trail. I too think it's changed. In the 'old days', the ledgy stretches were much narrower, with more foliage assists on the sides -- the increase in traffic over the intervening years has widened the trail, reduced the...

The Katadyn is a great and very popular filter, as is the Squeeze. As noted, the Katadyn is really fast, and the Squeeze is really light. Both are vulnerable to failure in the field, but you can back yourself up for the Squeeze's primary mode of failure (ruptured bag following a too-hard...

In contrast to the Grayl, Sawyer does *not* say that the Squeeze can do viruses -- so virus-wise, at least, the Grayl is *more* effective than the Sawyer. Relating to usefulness if you're a winter hiker: neither filter, once used on a trip, has a field procedure for emerging unscathed from...

People usually find it much easier to deal with rough trails when heading up rather than down. If you don't mind a little disruption to your sleep cycle, you could go for a Bondcliff sunrise (and the hour or two following), which can be devastatingly beautiful on a largely clear, hazy summer...

Another component to be aware of is that several agencies conduct acts of maintenance or cleanup on a random basis because they're there on a given day and see something that needs doing: staff from USFS, AMC, RMC, WODC, DOC, etc. And just getting started: USFS backcountry patrol volunteers...

I take it from your description that the fabric and stitching are still sound, and that the only issue is the taping. If this is correct, then the solution is SeamGrip, a product in McNett's Gear Aid product line. It's a polyurethane that you brush on over the line of stitches on the backside...

I get the distinction you're making, but don't see a better solution. The best way IMO would be for Google to mark off and label the entire 100MW area, and then label the AMC land as "AMC Conservation Lands". However, I think Google can only delineate jurisdictional areas, which THE 100 Mile...

Um, in this case, I think that healthy skepticism may be running amok. I'm not knowledgeable enough to attest to the exact boundary accuracy of "the light green area" on the Google map, but its size looks about right: in its Maine Woods Initiative, the AMC acquired and permanently conserved...

Mt. Cabot via York Pond Bunnell Notch and Kilkenny Ridge Trails 5/20/2016 Trail Conditions: Since the trail reports from last weekend, conditions along this route have greatly improved. Ice is limited to just a few small spots on the upper part of the route, and traction is unnecessary. The...

Tim, I think the point you're making is that he morally EARNED the peak because he had a more arduous day visiting Boundary Peak than one would have had by driving to Gosford Provincial Park and hiking barely a mile. I appreciate that value system and the associated transitive logic - but it's...