new goals

[Pamola]

Echo once again on the congrats! See you at the dinner!

Like any goals, once you reach it you look around for something else to take its place. Fairly natural. Without that, you may fall into some hiker funk watching cspan, eating bugles, scrubbing old stoves with a toothbrush and watching your hair and beard grow out for lack of a list. Minus the cspan, I'll admit I've been there.
Personally, I'm doing a few things to combat the post-list doldrums.
#1. Winter's coming. Automatically and quietly working on a new list without really realizing it.
#2. Live vicariously! I have a friend who is a Bonds trip away from the 48 himself, so I am pestering him to get out (and bring me) more than he wants.
#3. Plan something ridiculous. I hope to follow in the footsteps of Guy Waterman (rest his soul) and get the 48 from every compass point. I probably won't, don't really want to, but it's just ludicrous enough to get me to enjoy normal pursuits again.

Enjoy the freedom of not having a list or the challenge of a brand-new and scarier one!

 

[RoySwkr]

Based on AMC statistics, more hikers quit after the NH 4k than do another of their lists.

The New England 4k and Adk 46 are possibilities that require more driving.

If you really like the NH 4K, keep at them and do them every season then every month.

If you want to add a few and stay in NH, try the Trailwrights 72. If you really like NH, there is the NH 100 and NH 3k.

You can start trailbagging, such as Cohos Trail or Monadnock-Sunapee.

There are also a couple peculiar lists that someone may mention.

 

[skibones]

Thanks for all the lists. WOW! For the time being I may just try to get in some peaks close to my home in the White Mts. Maybe next spring I'll have a biking goal and just hike for fun. But it's similiar to my saying every year that I won't ski race and then I find myself in the local beer league. Some things are just addicting. In the future I hope to see more VFTT hikers than I did this hiking season. I did see Sapblatt and Bobby in the Appalachia parking lot the morning of my accent to Adams and Madison.

 

[SherpaKroto]

Let's not forget "52 with a view". This is a great list to work on when you want to bring someone out to get them into hiking, or are looking for something a bit different. Some are rather short hikes, but all have great rewards.

Here is another list of lists page created by Fred Shirley that might peak your interest:NH Mountain Hiking . I've started looking at some of these to get me back out there slowly.

Congrats on completing the list! Whether you know it or not, you'll be counting everything from now on

 

[Neil]

This is true. There are about 500 115'ers and almost 6,000 46R's, and at least 7,000 NH 4K'ers. I realize there is room for error here, but not many people do both lists.

If you live in Boston, or Maine how long a drive is it to Lake Placid?

I pretty much stick to the ADK's because I can get there in 2½-3 hours whereas Goreham is a 4 hour drive from my house. (I used to think 4 hours was a long drive until I started hiking with people from Syracuse, Rochester and Poughkeepsie.)

 

[DougPaul]

Many list-chasers hike peaks in poor weather conditions. You can now go back and see the views that you missed the first time...

Doug

 

[Tom Rankin]

If you live in Boston, or Maine how long a drive is it to Lake Placid?

I pretty much stick to the ADK's because I can get there in 2½-3 hours whereas Goreham is a 4 hour drive from my house. (I used to think 4 hours was a long drive until I started hiking with people from Syracuse, Rochester and Poughkeepsie.)

The other way around, it's 10 hours or more to Baxter, and 6-7 to the Whites. You tend to go for several days, rather than doing the Pressie traverse from down here in a single day!

All of my trips to New England have been worth it!

 

[DougPaul]

If you live in Boston, or Maine how long a drive is it to Lake Placid?

My house (NW Boston suburb) via Albany: 310 mi, 5+ hrs.

Closest part of the Whites: 2.5 hrs (Waterville area)
Farthest part of the Whites: 3.5 hrs (maybe 4 for the N approach to Cabot)

Doug

 

[dms]

Many list-chasers hike peaks in poor weather conditions. You can now go back and see the views that you missed the first time...

Doug

I never, ever intentionally hiked in the rain, I always waited for a sunny forecast, that's why it took me 25 years to do the 3k list!

 

[skiguy]

Many list-chasers hike peaks in poor weather conditions. You can now go back and see the views that you missed the first time...

Doug

Glad you brought this up. I have met many a list chaser who has done this.Going back for the view is an excellent idea and many times you can take a different trail and it is almost always like climbing a different mountain. Now there is a list or two .....NH 48 or Adk46 via every trail on each Peak. Probably been done by you redliners. Remember too you can always go Higher!

 

[dug]

Since it took me so long (20+ years), and I started as a four-year old, I went back and did many over again because I didn't remember them that well. Gave me a chance to do them with my dog, too.

As for hiking in the rain, I save those for the lowland hikes to ponds, waterfalls, etc.

 

[DougPaul]

I never, ever intentionally hiked in the rain, I always waited for a sunny forecast, that's why it took me 25 years to do the 3k list!

That's less time than it took me to do the NH 4Ks...

Wasn't suggesting that all list-chasers made a habit of peak-bagging in poor weather. Just some.

I first did South Twin in heavy fog with thunder in the distance. (We were doing what would now be called a multi-day half Pemi-Traverse. We just called it a hike.) I've been back since--very nice.

Doug

 

[MadRiver]

Wasn't suggesting that all list-chasers made a habit of peak-bagging in poor weather. Just some.

Doug

We did a good 10 of the 48's in poor weather. One of these days I will redo them is sunny weather.

 

[skiguy]

I first did South Twin in heavy fog with thunder in the distance. (We were doing what would now be called a multi-day half Pemi-Traverse. We just called it a hike.) I've been back since--very nice.

Doug

This was the most evasive view for me on the NH48...I think it was the fifth time before I got the view. The first time was in August and there was accumulating sleet. Got off on the wrong foot I guess.

 

[Danielle]

We finished the NH 48 a few years back, and I set my sights on the NE 100 highest (which of course gets you the NE 4ks as well)... It seemed like that list was the most logical progression for those of us who are goal oriented and like lists! However, Snowman is not that thrilled about bushwacking (I don't understand why not... I mean, what's not to like about tromping through the woods, getting stuck in spruce traps? ) so we haven't gotten too far.... Oh well, there is still lots of time for us to get all 100 done.

Of course, another "next" is to do the peaks that we knew had a view but didn't see due to bad weather again. We've been up on the Bonds many times, but we've never had perfect weather. Guess we'll just have to go back

 

[Bobby]

Congats on your 48th. It was nice to meet you at Appalachia on Tuesday. How about just hiking, no goals, simply walking in the trees?

 

[Mike P.]

Congratulations.

I keep so many lists & that I can hike just about what I want & it fits some list:

Working on NH 48 in all four seasons, 37 all done in two, 37 in 3 & 16 in 4, The ADK 46, just 1/2 done & only get there once or twice a year, My personal top ten in each month, each quarter, keeping track of the Catskill 35, about 1/2 done but likely won't complete & I may go & finish round two of the NE 67

 

[Klutz]

Well, congrats. We've only just begun.....hey isn't that a song or something??? We will only be on #7 on our next trip, hopefully next weekend. Missed out this weekend, due to other commitments.....oh well.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Total for the year, so far: 12

I just started the NH 48 list this year too, and I've done 12 to date, with 2 more planned for next weekend (I too had committments this weekend). Lincoln + Lafayette for next weekend. I've done 6 trips, one per month, since May, and averaged 2 per trip: Moosilauke, Osceola+East, Tripyramid N+S, Whiteface+Passaconaway, Bond+W+Bondcliff, and Flume+Liberty (FOT48 where I met Cathy Crane and Tom Wheeler). I may get a trip in November, prior to a winter season hopefully filled with XC (I am a die-hard skate skiier). Three Bonds in a day was the highlight of my hiking year, and near the top overall. Thanks to Mohammed for his excellent "cheat sheet" web site--I've used it extensively in my trip planning (and Dave's too -- love to have pictures to go by.)

I took the slides for Tripyramid and Flume and loved them. My regular hiking partner and I have an ongoing debate over which is steeper -- not that I want to open this thread up to that. They are both difficult in their own ways.

Tim

 

[Periwinkle]

Yesterday I completed my 48. I was wondering what most hikers set for their new goals after completing this list.

Congrats on your 48! What day did you hike Adams & Madison? (I was up there recently on a "do-over")

As for post-48, after finishing, I swore off lists. I was done. I had pushed too hard to finish. I went back to "our" valley, going off trail and hiking every minor bump. It worked for me. Still works for me, to be honest. It's heaven.

Other than that, I'm on a generic do-over list: NH 48's that were just so awesome I needed to go there again. I hit a few this summer (including that last hurrah to the Northern Presis).

So, I'm all for taking a deep breath. Revel in your glory. Let it go for now. Just go to go out. Then you can look around and say "Been there. Done that." With a big deep sigh. How awesome is that?

Congrats again!