roadtripper
Well-known member
I spent a few hours yesterday brainstorming up "tips" on hiking the NH 4000-footers to help improve this page on my website:
Guide to NH's 4000-Footers
I then posted my draft list to a 4000-footer group on Facebook, which added several more great tips. Here is the full list of tips so far.
Additional suggestions/ideas/tips are encouraged!
1. Don't forget your camera, and remember to label the pictures after you are done with each hike (you'll want to capture these moments because finishing this list is a major personal achievement).
2. Use trailsnh.com, newenglandtrailconditions.com, vftt.org or other internet sites to obtain the latest in trail conditions (especially in winter, when conditions can be highly variable).
3. Buy the 4000-Footers of the White Mountains and AMC White Mountain Guide guidebooks and actually read each relevant chapter before you hike each mountain.
4. Bring friends with you as you complete this journey (so long as you sincerely believe they will be capable of hiking these mountains and will actually enjoy the peak(s) that you are selecting for them).
5. Try snowshoeing a 4000-footer when snowshoeing conditions are good (Waumbek, Tecumseh, or Tom would make an excellent and relatively safe first choice).
6. Join one or a few of the Facebook groups that are focused on the 4000-footers (you'll be inspired and also learn quite a bit).
7. Start thinking about which mountain you want to finish on so that you can complete this goal on a truly great peak (and not Owl's Head!).
8. Check the Mount Washington Observatory Higher Summits Forecast the morning before each hike (it usually gets updated between 4:00-6:00am each morning).
9. Go backpacking at least once (the Guyot shelter & campsites on the Bonds is a good option, but there are many other opportunities, including campsites, lean-to's, and backcountry huts).
10. Make sure to always hike with the 10 Essentials in your backpack.
11. Stay in an AMC or RMC hut at least once (tip: the AMC huts are much cheaper in winter and also for a short time period on the 'shoulder' seasons).
12. Invest in high-quality hiking shoes or boots (you'll probably go through a pair or two as you climb all these mountains).
13. Take an occasional break from hiking the 4000-footers and hike other awesome mountains like Cardigan, Major, Pine Mountain, Middle Sugarloaf, Willard, Sandwich Dome, Baldfaces, Chocorua, etc.
14. Put this on your resume after you finish the 48 (it shows recruiters that you are strong-willed / determined / goal-focused).
15. Don't forget that Maine, Vermont and New York have many of their own amazing 4000-footers that should be hiked.
16. Save your knees so that you can still hike when you are in your 70's (use trekking poles!).
17. Always leave a note or tell someone which mountain and trails you will be hiking (too many people get lost and/or injured in these mountains).
18. Don't leave anything valuable in your car (too many break-ins have been occurring, unfortunately).
19. Learn the value of hitch-hiking, using a car-spot, and/or mountain biking between trailheads (a traverse is always more interesting than an out-and-back hike!).
20. Don't plan many hikes for April or November (the conditions are usually not favorable).
21. Start your hikes early (i.e. before 6:30-7:00am) to beat most of the crowds (you might even catch a cloud undercast!).
22. Study hiking maps and be creative in the routes you take (you don't always have to take the easiest or most-straightforward trails).
23. Mid-week September hiking is amazing. Hike at least once during this timeframe (call out sick if you have to).
24. Once you finish the 48, help others finish their 48 list.
25. If the 'all-season' 48 list wasn't challenging enough for you (or you are ready for the next challenge), hike the 48 during the winter season (it's far more difficult / potentially dangerous).
26. Do at least one peak during the annual Flags on the 48 event (better yet, finish your list during the event) .
27. Carry the appropriate food based on the season you are hiking in (some foods will melt in summer, and some foods become rock-solid in winter).
28. Burgers and beer after at least some of the hikes (or all of them). You've earned it.
29. Do some of the optional but fun scrambles along the way (Caps Ridge, Flume Slide Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, North Slide of Tripyramid, etc.).
30. Introduce yourself to Steve Smith at the Mountain Wanderer in Lincoln at some point (there aren't many people as passionate about these mountains as he is).
31. Don't dread Owl's Head too much (it's not that bad, plus there are actually decent views on the slide) .
32. Get that $20 REI membership to save 8-10% on all full-price REI purchases for the rest of your life (you have no idea how much time you'll probably spend at their stores and on rei.com). Also, strongly consider getting the REI credit card (you can earn hundreds of dollars in dividends each year if you use this credit card as your primary card for your non-REI purchases!).
33. Do the great mountains on the bluebird days, and the less interesting mountains on the overcast or lousy-weather days.
34. Don't miss Mt. Garfield during peak fall foliage (several other peaks are also equally amazing during fall foliage).
35. Don't even try to get your friends to join you hiking when there is a Patriots game scheduled for that day.
36. Enjoy that Gatorade (or something similar).
37. Contemplate a one-day Bonds Traverse or Presidential Traverse (but don't underestimate their difficulty)
38. Keep a journal or at least keep a log of the order, dates, and hiking partners that joined you for each of the peaks (you'll wish you did later on)
39. Ibuprofen can be extremely helpful in controlling pain and/or reducing swelling.
40. Don't forget to have fun!
Guide to NH's 4000-Footers
I then posted my draft list to a 4000-footer group on Facebook, which added several more great tips. Here is the full list of tips so far.
Additional suggestions/ideas/tips are encouraged!
1. Don't forget your camera, and remember to label the pictures after you are done with each hike (you'll want to capture these moments because finishing this list is a major personal achievement).
2. Use trailsnh.com, newenglandtrailconditions.com, vftt.org or other internet sites to obtain the latest in trail conditions (especially in winter, when conditions can be highly variable).
3. Buy the 4000-Footers of the White Mountains and AMC White Mountain Guide guidebooks and actually read each relevant chapter before you hike each mountain.
4. Bring friends with you as you complete this journey (so long as you sincerely believe they will be capable of hiking these mountains and will actually enjoy the peak(s) that you are selecting for them).
5. Try snowshoeing a 4000-footer when snowshoeing conditions are good (Waumbek, Tecumseh, or Tom would make an excellent and relatively safe first choice).
6. Join one or a few of the Facebook groups that are focused on the 4000-footers (you'll be inspired and also learn quite a bit).
7. Start thinking about which mountain you want to finish on so that you can complete this goal on a truly great peak (and not Owl's Head!).
8. Check the Mount Washington Observatory Higher Summits Forecast the morning before each hike (it usually gets updated between 4:00-6:00am each morning).
9. Go backpacking at least once (the Guyot shelter & campsites on the Bonds is a good option, but there are many other opportunities, including campsites, lean-to's, and backcountry huts).
10. Make sure to always hike with the 10 Essentials in your backpack.
11. Stay in an AMC or RMC hut at least once (tip: the AMC huts are much cheaper in winter and also for a short time period on the 'shoulder' seasons).
12. Invest in high-quality hiking shoes or boots (you'll probably go through a pair or two as you climb all these mountains).
13. Take an occasional break from hiking the 4000-footers and hike other awesome mountains like Cardigan, Major, Pine Mountain, Middle Sugarloaf, Willard, Sandwich Dome, Baldfaces, Chocorua, etc.
14. Put this on your resume after you finish the 48 (it shows recruiters that you are strong-willed / determined / goal-focused).
15. Don't forget that Maine, Vermont and New York have many of their own amazing 4000-footers that should be hiked.
16. Save your knees so that you can still hike when you are in your 70's (use trekking poles!).
17. Always leave a note or tell someone which mountain and trails you will be hiking (too many people get lost and/or injured in these mountains).
18. Don't leave anything valuable in your car (too many break-ins have been occurring, unfortunately).
19. Learn the value of hitch-hiking, using a car-spot, and/or mountain biking between trailheads (a traverse is always more interesting than an out-and-back hike!).
20. Don't plan many hikes for April or November (the conditions are usually not favorable).
21. Start your hikes early (i.e. before 6:30-7:00am) to beat most of the crowds (you might even catch a cloud undercast!).
22. Study hiking maps and be creative in the routes you take (you don't always have to take the easiest or most-straightforward trails).
23. Mid-week September hiking is amazing. Hike at least once during this timeframe (call out sick if you have to).
24. Once you finish the 48, help others finish their 48 list.
25. If the 'all-season' 48 list wasn't challenging enough for you (or you are ready for the next challenge), hike the 48 during the winter season (it's far more difficult / potentially dangerous).
26. Do at least one peak during the annual Flags on the 48 event (better yet, finish your list during the event) .
27. Carry the appropriate food based on the season you are hiking in (some foods will melt in summer, and some foods become rock-solid in winter).
28. Burgers and beer after at least some of the hikes (or all of them). You've earned it.
29. Do some of the optional but fun scrambles along the way (Caps Ridge, Flume Slide Trail, Wildcat Ridge Trail, North Slide of Tripyramid, etc.).
30. Introduce yourself to Steve Smith at the Mountain Wanderer in Lincoln at some point (there aren't many people as passionate about these mountains as he is).
31. Don't dread Owl's Head too much (it's not that bad, plus there are actually decent views on the slide) .
32. Get that $20 REI membership to save 8-10% on all full-price REI purchases for the rest of your life (you have no idea how much time you'll probably spend at their stores and on rei.com). Also, strongly consider getting the REI credit card (you can earn hundreds of dollars in dividends each year if you use this credit card as your primary card for your non-REI purchases!).
33. Do the great mountains on the bluebird days, and the less interesting mountains on the overcast or lousy-weather days.
34. Don't miss Mt. Garfield during peak fall foliage (several other peaks are also equally amazing during fall foliage).
35. Don't even try to get your friends to join you hiking when there is a Patriots game scheduled for that day.
36. Enjoy that Gatorade (or something similar).
37. Contemplate a one-day Bonds Traverse or Presidential Traverse (but don't underestimate their difficulty)
38. Keep a journal or at least keep a log of the order, dates, and hiking partners that joined you for each of the peaks (you'll wish you did later on)
39. Ibuprofen can be extremely helpful in controlling pain and/or reducing swelling.
40. Don't forget to have fun!
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