If you had only one mountain?

[brianW]

I am currently reading "Good Morning Midnight" by Chip Brown and there was one line that really got me thinking. It went something like "do you apperciate the mountains more by hiking one mountain 100 times or 100 mountains once" Now if you could only hike one mountain the rest of your life, as many times as you wish, which mountain would it be?

After some thought I picked Mt. Monadnock. Yes it is crowded at times but it also has 36 miles of trails. I can do it in about 3 hrs or with a little thought make a very long hike with the many side trails. The forest is varied and some of the trails follow streams. It has a feel of a larger mountain. Since it is the largest mountain in sw NH the views are great. And it is close to home, a 15 minute ride beats a 2.5 hour drive.

What mountain (if you had to) be yours?

 

[Skyclimber]

I would have to say Algonquin. I love the trail and the spectacular views. Especially the beautiful view of Colden, Flowed Lands. I've already climbed it close to thirty times.

 

[Grumpy]

Mt. Colden, for me.

Partly because there are many good memories from across the years connected with it. Partly because of the distinctive way it looms above Lake Colden and Flowed Lands. Partly because of the way it walls in Avalanche Pass on one side. Partly because of its unique position between Mount Marcy in one direction and the MacIntyre Range in the other, and the sweeping views it offers out across valleys and distant mountains in other directions, yet.

G.

 

[yogi]

Bondcliff for me.

 

[Waumbek]

Vive Lafayette, but I Like Ike, too.

 

[--M.]

Very musical!

I've thought about this frequently, as I walk weekly in the same woods I've been wandering through for 25 years. They're unremarkable in many ways, but I really love them now. There are pleasant views and all, but mostly, it's for the workout, solitude and liberation of thought processes.

Substituting an actual 4000-footer with real views would add some complexity, but my guess is that the result would be the same in the end.

 

[skiguy]

I'd have to say Carrigan because of the comprehensive views of the NH Four Thousand Footers. Although it would be a different story if the tower was'nt there!

 

[bruno]

adams. and i LIKE owl's head. so there.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Though neither are 4,000 footers I'd pick Welch & Dickey. I love those two for the open ledges and the great views. Can't get enough of them.

 

[dRitter]

I'm partial to Garfield, sitting on the view of the peaks surrounding the Pemi form an enormous amphitheater, with Owl's Head sitting in the audience.

 

[cp2000]

I love Cardigan/Firescrew.

Bald peak. Nice veiw of Newfound. I used to hike this mountain 3-5 times a week after I got off work.

 

[Rivet]

Only one mountain... that would be like being married. Uggh.

 

[anita514]

lafayette or jefferson
both were incredible climbs!

 

[sapblatt]

The one...

Of the mountains I have climbed I would say Jefferson.
Of the ones I still will climb I have sneaking suspicion that Bondcliff and Adams will be right up there too!

 

[vtlukekultv]

washington. it's got a lot of it all. i don't know how many miles of trails there are, but that one mountain could keep someone busy for a few days. sure there are an awful lot of people, but hey, it's nice to have someone to talk to sometimes. there are approaches from every direction, and possibly the widest variety of activities are possible on this mountain, from hiking to skiing to climbing to weather observing. viva big dub.

luke

 

[jrbren]

Would all the other mountains still be there ? In other words if I picked Haystack becasue of the view, that would not make sense because all the other peaks Haystack has a great view of would be gone. What would replace them, a shear rock face, gradual slops to sea level, an ocean, Walmart parking lots ?

Supposing that the land remains unchanged and god would strike me dead if I set off for any mountain other then one, I guess I would choose Mt. Washington because of the variety of approaches from easy walks to technical climbing. Because of its bulk and height it also has the greatest variety of feature and climate zones, moreso then any other eastern US peak. That said I rarely go to Washington because Adams is much closer drive to me by about 1.5 hours round trip coming from Vermont, and Adams gives me everything that Washington gives me. I neglected the drive in my choice above, assuming Washington gets the nod being a tad taller and I assume that the concessionaires would be there to serve me lunch . I also could only climb Adams from the south or north, because coming from the east or west would put me on another Mountain and god would be forced to kill me.

I do not know enough about peaks outside the northeast US to consider those.

I do not like to drive, by and large, so this year I have indeed climbed only one Mountain, 5 times now since Jan 1, that being NY's Whiteface. Oops, I did take the side trip to Ester on one occasion this year.

 

[Sherpa John]

The list is to long and unfair.

Lafayette
Isolation
Owls Head
South Twin...

 

[sierra]

with no hesitation, Id take the beloved Rockpile.

 

[Artex]

I'm partial to Garfield, sitting on the view of the peaks surrounding the Pemi form an enormous amphitheater, with Owl's Head sitting in the audience.

Very poetic!

For me, I'd have to say Katahdin.

 

[marty]

Goose Eye in the Mahoosucs is definitely the one for me!