Best peak to end 4000 footer list in NH?

[Bushwhack]

On Mount Hale the other day, I ran into a fellow hiking up his first NH 4000 footer. He asked a great question- planning ahead, what is the best one to have as your last NH 4000 footer, which one to celebrate on? I recommended against Washington because of the crowds and the parking lot. I was unsure, but tossed out these:

South twin for the isolation and views.
Carrigain for the views.
Adams for the difficulty, views, and lots of fellow hikers to share your celebration with if that is your thing.

Thoughts? Which one would you guys go with?

 

[dug]

I finished on Isolation. Some finish on peaks that allow for non-hiking guests to attend (i.e. Cannon, Washington, Tecumseh, Wildcat).

I didn't necessarily plan for it that way, it just happened as I was working on a few other things, and my trips didn't always involve an unclimbed peak. Weather, my dog, other guests, physical fitness all factored into a trip at any given day. So, in the end, I had two left: Owl's Head and Isolation.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Carrigain and Adams got my vote (Summer and Winter). Anything not too difficult, with views, makes a good finish peak. That way you can invite friends who are up for 'easy' hiking, but possibly not Owl's Head. Washington does have that 'plus' that almost anyone could be up there with you for a celebration. That was why I chose Whiteface for my 46 finish.

 

[dailey7779]

I met a hiker on Saturday who was about to finish Sunday on Bondcliff. He had a perfect weather day for his finish from a beautiful peak. What it must have been like hiking from Bond, his 47th peak and descending to Bondcliff and seeing the ridge laid out ahead of him for the first time on his way to the final peak.

I finished on Carrigain, which was great. I didn't really plan it out that way from the beginning but when I had about a half dozen peaks left it was the one with the best views remaining so I then decided to save it for last.

-Chris

 

[1SlowHiker]

I finished my NH48 on Isolation. I had planned to finish on Madison but when I did Isolation the week before the snow was too deep and unbroken for me so I gave up and shifted to Madison. Did Isolation a week later (I think). Wasn't a bad place for me to finish because I kind of like isolation but It wasn't quit as isolated as I would have liked it. Plan to finish my NEHH on Vose Spur this summer. So I can leave a 100/100 note in the canister . I may try to finish my winter 48 on Carrigain but that's probably a few winters away yet.

 

[TEO]

I've never gotten hung up on which peak to finish a list on, although I do know that I'll finish the MA 3k'er list on Saddle Ball. That said, the idea of Bond as #47 & Bondcliff as #48 is pretty cool, just make sure it's a blue sky day for that one. If you want to party with friends non-hiker friends, Washington & Canon are obvious. Just remember that descending via the Huntington Ravine Trail after a couple of six packs or a couple bottles of sparkling wine may not be the wisest choice.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Bond! It's the rarest one to finish on.

Tim

 

[Driver8]

I've thought of Carrigain and Moriah. Now that I think about it, though, I might just save East Osceola for last, which will make it easy to celebrate in Lincoln, which I've come to love. I tried to get it with O last August, but only had legs and time enough for the one. Grabbing the two of them together to close out sounds like a good idea. The thought of Moriah is that I will probably save Maine, or most of it, for after the Whites, and Moriah looks out toward Maine, plus is convenient for a nice dinner in Gorham after, and Moriah is done often on its own.

 

[Stan]

Erik and I finished on Owls Head with some friends but that peak was pure serendipity ... We scheduled our peaks on a multitude of other factors and Owls head, as for so many other peakbaggers, was the last one. We did it in mid October and the weather was like late November ... a fine time to do a three day backpack in the Pemi Wilderness, which we otherwise enjoyed but we held off the champagne celebration until we were cozily in front of the wood stove at the Lincoln Woods visitor center ... actually, each night out was a celebration of sorts.

With us, any peakbagging list we finished was based more on being the last one standing, there being more important considerations in scheduling for us. Besides, why finish on a marvelous peak if the weather is terrible ... if it is terrible you might as well go to Owls Head!

By the way, this topic seems to come up about every 10 years so a search on VFTT would be fun for whichpeaktofinishlastonoholics ... in fact, I should check them to see if my memory of Owls Head was the same on previous threads.

 

[Scubahhh]

I finished on Isolation but would recommend Moosilauke, my favorite, at night under a full moon.

 

[Raven]

I finished on Moosilauke by design (at least once I had less than 20 to go). West Bond was my last winter peak, but that was the way it worked out - I had attempted it numerous times. Also a good one to finish on, so I was happy it worked out that way.

There are a lot of good options; sometimes it's fun to consider not only the final mountain, but the route as well. Finishing with a traverse or with a great route like King Ravine on Adams or Huntington's on Washington, Castle Trail on Jefferson or the Howker Ridge of Madison, etc. An over night trip, etc. I like the idea of making the last trip about the route and trip as much as the peak itself.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

... it's fun to consider not only the final mountain, but the route as well. Finishing with a traverse or with a great route ...

I agree... I finished my winter list on Zealand but did the Bonds en route and it was an awesome day overall.

Tim

 

[dailey7779]

What Tim and Raven said is spot on. My girlfriend Whitney finished her first round on Owl's Head, by going over Lafayette and then down the Lincoln Slide on the way over to it. I was happy to be a part of such a cool finish

-Chris

 

[Driver8]

I finished on Isolation but would recommend Moosilauke, my favorite, at night under a full moon.

I started with Moosilauke on 5/5/12, the day of the Supermoon, which was clearing Blue Ridge as I got to my car and accompanied me all the way home through Vermont. What a special, beautiful day and night.

 

[Mike P.]

It depends on who you are celebrating with and to some extent the season. Here is what I did:

In 1995 did about 1/2 of the peaks before I decided I'd do the list, had done some in Maine so I opted for the NE 65 (pre-67 but did do Spaulding) Finished New England on Moriah with my wife & Mom as the distance was fair and the climb moderate. Shared a bottle of champagne. Finished in 98 when they knew it was going to be 67 but before Spaulding & Redington were mandatory.

Round 2 in NH, finished on Cannon day after Game 3 of the ALCS in 2004. Did solo, had Dad & his wife, my wife & two young kids take the tram up. Decided since I had about 1/2 of the ADK's I'd do the 115 which meant I'd have to do Redington & I did. Leaving Dial & Nippletop as they were among the few peaks I had left with a trail & not too long. (been on 7 left for a while) Kids should be able to finish with me.

Not sure where I finished round 3. Now have just two left on the solo 48, Zealand & oddly enough, Moriah. May try & get the solo list done this month. No way I am leaving Zealand for last. Bondcliff likely to be my 48th winter if I get around to doing the last 7. Either South Kinsman or Cannon will be last in summer. Cannon was the first 4K I did with my wife but not sure I can keep the kids off of it before I do the last few in summer.

It's your list, your finish

 

[TJsName]

Adams then Madison was my finish and it was great! Aside from having to go down the DW Scout trail after...

It was planned that way for years as another friend worked on his 48. Between the two of us, those were the best ones left that we both needed, so it wasn't planned from the start.

 

[jrbren]

I would advise a word of caution about saving peaks. In my case I saved Haystack for last in the Adirondacks. I think there was a 2-3 year difference in between my 45th and 46 the peak because it was tough to get the friends I wanted to hike with me together and have a nice weather day at the same time. I was careful not to save a peak like that for last and have only the view of the inside of a cloud. Result was I denied myself a very nice peak for a few years. When I did finish, all I could think of was I am not finished, no way. I "did" the NH 4K peaks next and did not save anything for last. It wound up being Carter Dome, a mediocre peak by White Mountain 4K peak standards. Like the ADKs, I was not finished. As long as I can walk I hope I never am, unless I move away to other interesting mountains. I would hate to save Madison and Adams because there are so many different interesting ways to climb them.

 

[peakbagger]

I didn't send in my application until I had a reasonable view from all the summits (that theoretically have a view).

I am an advocate or picking a summit where friends and family could visit, thus Wildcat D, Cannon, and Washington would all be contenders.

 

[sdways01]

I ended up finishing on Bondcliff by shear chance. I did about 3/4 of the peaks in the last year of completing the list my first time through. So I hiked what I wanted and wasn't worried about where to finish. I picked peaks with views for nice days and peaks with limited or no views for cloudy days. The only hike I really had planned out was a 3 day Presidential Traverse since I needed hut reservations. As I got closer, I planned to finish with that hike (so Jackson would have been last). I thought it would be nice to finish with the entire range. A week before that I was due to hike Zealand and the Bonds (only thing left before presi range), but when I got up in the morning I didn't feel well and I decided a long hike like that was a bad choice. So shortly after my presi traverse I finished with a Bonds Traverse. It was a great hike to finish with, but was made worse than it should have been by getting sick during the hike (for some reason) which made for a slower more tiring hike out.

I have no idea what peak I finished my second round of the 48 on as it was sometime last year when I was hiking the NE67 in a single year and I didn't pay attention to it. Although now that I do think about it, I believe it was Owl's Head.

Just remember that it isn't really a finish anyways... you'll be back to hike all/most of the peaks again.

 

[SpencerVT]

Of course it's a subjective matter of personal preference, but I would think Lafayette would be cool because of its centrality and views of so many other peaks/ranges. Moreover, there's not typically huge crowds up there, at least not as much as the Presidentials.