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4000 footers

Author at the summit of Mt. Washington

4000 footers | guided hikes

Guided hikes of New England's 67 4000 foot peaks... safety, peace of mind, and summit snacks!

May 31, 2023

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She Hikes Mountains

Mount Moosilauke | 5-18-23 . My first trip up Moos

Mount Moosilauke | 5-18-23
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My first trip up Moosilauke in 2021 followed Beaver Brook Trail. I loved the cascades. I didn’t love the ice sheets. So, for this trip, I went to the other side of the mountain to try out Gorge Brook Trail.
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This hike was lovely. The steeper sections were managed by forgiving switchbacks and although there was still a significant monorail, the postholing wasn’t bad. That said, a lot of time was spent putting spikes on and taking them off as the snow conditions changed on the upper section of the trail.
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After stopping to enjoy the views at the top, I took the Carriage Road and Snapper Trail route down for a change of scenery. Both trails were moderate and exactly the same distance as Gorge Brook Trail.
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The hardest part of this hike was walking back up the dirt road to where parking is allowed! Also, the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge is now on my summer must-do list. What a beautiful place!
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#mountmoosilauke #hikethewhites #hikenh #gorgebrooktrail #springhike #nhviews #mountainview #springcolors

Pleasant Mtn: Southwest Ridge Trail to Sue’s Way

Pleasant Mtn: Southwest Ridge Trail to Sue’s Way
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I’ve never been up the Denmark side of Pleasant Mtn. I chose it because it’s the longest route and I was looking for miles & elevation… minus postholes. I got my wish!
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At the summit I opted to extend my hike by crossing the ridge to Bald Peak and taking the North Ridge Trail and Sue’s Way loop over to the ski lifts and back to Bald Peak Trail. That added 4.5 miles and almost 800 feet of elevation to my hike to make a 10 mile/+2750ft day… with NO miserable postholing!
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I can’t say enough good things about this hike. The view is beautiful (look at all the snow on Washington!), the terrain is varied, and it’s only an hour from Portland. Also, I swear there were more green leaves when I came down than when I started up. Everything and everyone is ready for sunshine and warm weather!
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#springhike #pleasantmtnme #mtwashington #snowypeaks #sunbeams #hikeme #nopostholeshere #traininghike #summeriscoming #greenleaves #westernmainemountains

can you spot the pup on the move 👀 . . . #hikin

can you spot the pup on the move 👀
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#hikingwithdogs #springhikes #tuneuphike #hikelocal #mainewoods #dogsinthewoods

I am over-the-mountain excited to be joining @adve

A blue bird day on blueberry ledge! . Yesterday wa

A blue bird day on blueberry ledge!
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Yesterday was all-conditions hiking on Mount Whiteface. Hard packed snow in the morning softened to slippery mush in the afternoon. A combination of bareboots, snowshoes, spikes, and butt sleds were necessary!
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I love this trail’s varied terrain and incredible views. The top is steep, and coming down on loose snow was a little dicey, but ‘tis the season for sketchy conditions in the Whites.
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Getting very excited for summer hiking!
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#mountwhiteface #ferncroftnh #blueberryledgetrail #allconditions #postholehikes #summitviews #hikenh #nh48 #winter48 #nhmountains #winterhike #bluebirdday

Mt Pierce… & a few steps toward Eisenhower 🏔️
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Tuesday’s storm melted more snow in Portland than it left behind. Not true in the mountains! 29” of new, powdery white stuff. It was a winter wonderland.
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Crawford Path was broken but soft enough to require snow shoes. It was peaceful in the woods until we hit the ridge, and then the wind was aggressive. A few solo hikers had broken trail from Pierce to Eisenhower, but with the wind we weren’t sure if the break would last or be swallowed by drifts. We stared toward Eisenhower but pretty quickly decided it wasn’t a good idea to push it. We probably had time to get to the summit and back, but that time left zero room for error. It was the right choice.
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Clouds rolled in and icy rain started falling shortly after we got below tree line. It would have been a miserable trek across the ridge.
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And, @rootsinme, we wouldn’t have had time for a full rack of ribs at the Muddy Moose.
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#mtpierce #hikesafe #hikenh #hikenhwhitemountains #nhpresidentialrange #winterhike #hungryhikers #freshsnow

It was a beautiful day to guide a hike! . I couldn

It was a beautiful day to guide a hike!
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I couldn’t have asked for a better group of gals to tackle the sloppy, slippery snow. We shared amazing views, yummy food, and lots of laughs. They even opted for the longer route down!
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#mtpisgahmaine #maineguides #winterhike #microspikes #hikemaine #ihikeforsnacks

Puzzle Mountain . I had grand plans of scoping ou

Puzzle Mountain
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I had grand plans of scoping out the Puzzle Mtn and Woodsum Spur trails with a quick jaunt over to the Stewart Tentsite to decide if this is a good backpacking loop…
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😆
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The trail was broken until the Stewart Family Preserve, and then it was knee-deep drifts and wicked wind gusts. It was an exercise is patience and determination to get to the first summit of Puzzle.
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Luckily, it was a beautiful day!
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#puzzlemountain #graftonnotch #hikemaine #breaktrail #winterhike #snowshoes #wintersun #bananainspo #snowy

Mt. Washington | winter summit . I’ve been waiti

Mt. Washington | winter summit
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I’ve been waiting for the perfect winter day to climb Mt W… and yesterday was it! @rootsinme and I left Portland before the sun came up and were on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail by 8am. We planned to hike to the Lakes of the Clouds hut and assess the weather, which was predicted to become cloudier and windier as the day progressed. We reached the hut in base layers, under a full sun.
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We headed over to Davis Path (we meant to take Crawford but the cairns were buried in a big drift) and as we came up the ridge, we found ourselves above the clouds that were hovering on the east side of the range. Such an amazing thing to see, like looking at a snowy ocean!
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The snow was packed all the way from the trailhead to the summit, and we made the whole climb in microspikes.
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With zero wind and bright sun at the top, it felt like June. I rarely stop to rest on summits (too cold), but we were able to spend 20 minutes enjoying the view.
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Back at the hut, we looked up at Monroe and said, ‘why not?’ And that kicked off our unplanned-but-now-very-official Winter 48.
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We took the steepest part of Ammonoosuc on our butts (on purpose) and were back to the car by 3:30.
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I had some healthy nerves going into this hike. Our bags were packed for the worst and we got the absolute best. It was definitely worth waiting for the right day to climb the big guy.
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#mtwashington #winter48 #hikenh #nh48 #packfortheworsthopeforthebest #winterhike #wintersun #ammonoosucravinetrail

Beautiful weather and mashed potato snow on Pleasa

Beautiful weather and mashed potato snow on Pleasant Mtn!
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Bald Peak Trail was broken, but snowshoes were still a must. This peak is small AND mighty, rising 2000 ft in just over 2 miles, with steep sections and a rolling ridge. Great views and a lot of wind at the top.
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Luna loved every minute 🤍
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#hikingwithdogs #goldensofinstagram #hikemaine #winterhike #postholing #snowshoes #pleasantmountainmaine #wintersummit

The Moats . I love this hike, and I was excited to

The Moats
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I love this hike, and I was excited to try it in the snow. The trail was broken up to South Moat (from Passaconaway Rd trailhead), but beyond that it was fresh powder. It was manageable with microspikes, but snowshoes would have helped. Water was flowing over the ledges despite below freezing temps, and the snow was sticky in places (ice balls on the spikes).
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Also noteworthy: after the Red Ridge Trail cutoff (between Middle and North Moat), the Moat Mtn Trail drops into the woods. There are zero blazes btwn the cut off and the North Moat summit. ZERO. The trail was relatively easy to follow in the woods, but on the ridge it’s a crapshoot. Keep an eye on your GPS!
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The 11 mile round trip took 8 hours, thanks to the added work of post holing for several miles. The views were worth the effort. I think the Moats have some of the best under-4000-footer views in the Whites!
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#moatmountain #moatmountaintrail #hikethewhites #whitemountains #winterhike #postholing #hikenh #snow #snowyhike #grayskies #gooutside #winteroutside

Mount Pisgah | Winthrop, ME . This little mountain

Mount Pisgah | Winthrop, ME
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This little mountain (807 ft) has big feelings! The 60 ft tower at the top provides views of the Whites and Mt Washington on a clear day. The Tower Trail is lined with old stone walls and gnarled sugar maple trees. The elevation gain is a modest 334 ft, but the uphill is enough to get your heart beating.
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Take Blueberry Trail down for a nice 2.4 mile loop, or add the Ledges Trail for even more mileage.
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Mount Pisgah Conservation Area is managed by the Town of Winthrop and the Kennebec Land Trust. It’s just under and hour from Portland!
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#hikeme #kennebeclandtrust #mtpisgah #smallhikes #maineviews #winterwalk #winterhike #towerview #snow

Piper Hammond Loop . I wanted to get to the mounta

Piper Hammond Loop
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I wanted to get to the mountains before the storm… and maybe avoid some holiday tasks…
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I’ve hiked the Piper Trail to Mt. Chocorua, but I’ve never continued over the summit to Liberty, Hammond, and Weetamoo Trails.
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It was a snowshoe situation the whole way up. Crusty snow at the bottom and then deep, fluffy snow at the top.
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I took the West Side Trail to avoid going over the exposed summit. It was broken at the start… by a moose, whose trail eventually turned into the woods and left me in knee-deep drifts. Liberty and Hammond Trails were broken and had beautiful views.
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Weetamoo Trail wasn’t broken at all… but it is now!
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Overall, this was a tough hike. Every step was hard, even with snowshoes. But I got to spend the day in the woods, decompress before the holidays, and break a trail through the silent snow. I have no complaints.
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#mtchocorua #hikenh #hikethewhites #holidayhike #mountaintherapy #solohike #gooutside #snowhike #winter #snowshoeing

Bald & Speckled Mtns . I love it when a hiking tri

Bald & Speckled Mtns
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I love it when a hiking trip takes me through towns I’ve never seen and on roads I’ve never traveled on.
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After choosing a different hike and finding a seasonal road closure (luckily before we got there), we ended up in Woodstock, ME to hike Bald and Speckled Mountains. The drive up there was beautiful, passing through old farmland and small towns, and only 1.5 hours from Portland.
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This 4.7 mile, 1600 foot gain hike is rated hard on AllTrails, thanks to a very steep final half-mile that requires some scrambling over rocks. It would make a great conditioning hike to start the season. The rise never really lets up, and there is a nice variety of terrain before you reach the steep section. Both summits were beautiful with clear views of Mt. Washington, Sunday River, and three wind parks.
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Warning though, there is also ice. We bushwhacked around it, but it was still pretty sketchy. Spikes would have helped, but in some places it was too slick even with traction.
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I didn’t realize until we got there, this is also the location of Shagg Crag, an enormous granite climbing wall. We’ll be heading back for that activity another day and will definitely hike these two mountains again… maybe when the ice melts or gets covered by snow!
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#shaggcrag #hikemaine #climbmaine #hikemainemountains #winterhike #mainetrails #crags #rockclimbing #icyhike #winterviews #bushwhacking
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@rootsinme 🥾

Avery Peak, Bigelow Preserve . Good thing @rootsi

Avery Peak, Bigelow Preserve
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Good thing @rootsinme didn’t listen when I said, “There won’t be much snow.”
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We had microspikes. We needed snow shoes… or skis!
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We broke trail the whole up Safford Brook Tr and the AT in ankle-deep snow. At treeline, ankle-deep became knee-deep, then thigh-deep in the drifts. We got to Avery Peak at 2pm with 50 mph gusts and made the choice to turn back instead of pushing on to Bigelow Peak.
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It’s tough to turn around when you’re working on your 4000s and the summit is in sight. But… going to Bigelow would have added at least 1 (probably 2) hours to the trip. Even with the u-turn, we hiked in semi-darkness and popped out of the woods at 5pm with only a sliver of moon in the sky. Bigelow Peak will be there, and we’ll go back for it another day.
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Aside from the blustery ridge and frozen summit, it was a beautiful, snowy day in the woods.
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#bigelowpreserve #averypeakmaine #at #winterhike #snowyhike #hikeme #me14 #ne67 #hikesafe #flagstafflake #mainemountains

Humphreys Peak | 12,633 ft . Arizona looked very d

Humphreys Peak | 12,633 ft
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Arizona looked very different today! I’ve had my eye on Humphreys Peak (highest peak in AZ) since I visited Flagstaff a year ago. The significant alpine exposure means it can be pretty wild at the top, so it’s not a hike to try on a whim. This time I came prepared and lucked out with a beautiful, sunny day.
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You can see the Grand Canyon and California from the top.
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#humphreyspeak #flagstaff #hikeaz #hikearizona #tundra #alpinezone #12000feet #hikethesouthwest #findatrail #hikeeverywhere #winterhike

Lower Antelope Canyon is one of the most beautiful

Lower Antelope Canyon is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
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It is powerful and humbling to visit this place in the Navajo Nation. Our guide, Arlo, told us he’s not that impressed by it. There are numerous slot canyons like this one on the reservation. This place is special to him because of its history. When the United States government forced his people toward Oklahoma, many hid in the canyons and remained on what was, is, and will always be their land.
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From the top, you can’t tell the canyon is there (last pic).
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#weareonnativeland
#lowerantelopecanyon #navajonation #arizona #slotcanyons #hikearizona #southwest #hikeaz #redrocks

Horseshoe Bend 🙌🏻 . . . #arizonahiking #sout

Horseshoe Bend 🙌🏻
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#arizonahiking #southwestcolors #horseshoebend #hikeaz

Saddleback and The Horn . The last time I hiked th

Saddleback and The Horn
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The last time I hiked these two mountains, it was a humid, foggy day. There were no views, but I had a feeling if I came back on a clear day I would not be disappointed. A beautiful day in November (65 degrees) proved I was right!
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The hike from Rt 4 on the AT is steady, varied, and pleasant. And long (7.3 miles to The Horn, so 14.6 round trip). Once you hit the alpine zone and the ridge connecting these two peaks, the terrain turns up. There isn’t much scrambling, but there are significant stretches of ledge, steady incline/decline, and very exposed summits (windyyyy). The views are worth every step. As @rootsinme said, ‘They rival any 4000 footer in the Whites.’ You can see Sugarloaf, Spaulding, Abraham, and Mt Blue, along with countless smaller mountains and forests.
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If you don’t want to take the long trek from Rt 4, start at Saddleback Ski Resort’s base lodge and hike up the slopes.
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#hikeme #hikemaine #saddleback #thehorn #at #appalachiantrail ##westernmainemountains #maineviews #alpinezone #me14 #ne67 #liveoutdoors #hikewithdogs #keephiking

Saco Heath Preserve . Two miles of unique, fragil

Saco Heath Preserve
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Two miles of unique, fragile raised bog traversed via wooden boardwalks. Lots of tamarack, cedar, and spruce. A beautiful place to spend an hour!
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Note: no pups allowed due to the rareness of the ecosystem.
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#sacoheathpreserve #sacomaine #boardwalk #hikelocal #gooutside #walkeveryday #hiddengems #localadventures #bog

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