Yesterday I got up to 31 NH 4000 footers with Waumbek. Close to 2/3s done as there's 48 total. I'm a little disappointed though as that's only 4 this year and likely no more. 17 to go is still a bit and I can't just finish them quickly. Here's what I've done, and what I've had left. Also rating each mountain given summit, trail options and views.
2018: Made great progress for my first year. Only 1 hike but presidential traverse knocks out 7 of them and some great peaks.
1. Madison- 10/10
2. Adams- 10/10
3. Jefferson- 10/10
4. Washington- 9/10
5. Monroe- 8/10
6. Eisenhower- 8/10
7. Pierce- 6/10
2019: Decided to officially start going for the 48. Moosilauke was a bucket list peak. Planned on a pemi loop but settled for a short Franconia ridge loop with 4 great summits.
8. Moosilauke- 8/10 (might be higher but no views that day)
9. Flume- 9/10
10. Liberty- 9/10
11. Lincoln- 9/10
12. Lafayette- 10/10
2020: This was a great year in the whites for me. With a new interest in trail running, being located in NH for the fall (having an apartment) at UNH and no races with COVID, I got up to the whites a lot. Also did a franconia notch loop and presidential traverse which isn't reflected in the list below. 9 total + extra summits of presidential and franconia ridge.
13. Jackson- 6/10 (no views that day)
14. Willey- 5/10
15. Field- 5/10
16. Tom- 3/10
17. Cannon- 6/10
18. Garfield- 7/10
19. South Twin- 8/10
20. Bond- 9/10
21. Bondcliff- 10/10
2021: Mediocre pair, this was the shortest drive from my apartment at the time in Dover NH so went for that. Disappointed for sure but it didn't work out with summer racing and then refocusing on XC.
22. Whiteface- 6/10
23. Passaconaway- 4/10
2022: Similar comment as last year. No time due to a busy race schedule and then ankle sprains in late summer. Was at least able to get these 4, but a mediocre bunch.
24/25. S Hancock/Hancock: 5/10
26/27. N/M Tripyramid: 4/10
2023: Happy to at least do the mad river loop (Tecumseh + Osceolas) which was much better than the 2021/2022 peaks and a great weather day. Planned for a big day with 5 new peaks the day after Loon but didn't work out due to bad weather and wanting proper recovery. So only 4 if I don't get anymore unfortunately. Once again racing took priority.
28. Tecumseh- 7/10
29. Osceola- 8/10
30. E. Osceola- 5/10
31. Waumbek- 3/10
So 17 more, will list those in plans for future. Goal is to finish in 2025, may have a summer conflict next year so #32 could be in June 2025. But 17 isn't that many, the only issue my plans for these mountains are pretty long/hard routes and there's a decent amount that are difficult to group with others.
Next bunch:
Not a particular set/order but more/less how I want to do them. Could definitely shift around based on tolerance for longer/hard routes or weather (rather do scenic routes on a clear day)
(32): Galehead (with second summit of Garfield)- 14 miles, 4,400'
cool but mostly woodsy route. Originally was going to include Galehead in another route but that includes an OAB on the brutal twinway section (1,100' in 0.71 miles) on an already really tough and long route. This gives me a chance to check out some new to me trails of gale river and garfield trail, both of which seem pretty runnable/not too steep by whites standard. Also a water refill opportunity at the galehead hut, both before and after the summit as its an OAB.
Originally I had Galehead in this route and planned to do it the day after Loon but cancelled due to the weather and getting proper recovery. Moving Galehead to the other route does mean getting one less on this day, but makes the route a lot more manageable taking 3 miles and 1600' off. 8,000' is a huge day, 6,400' is a lot but more manageable. That being said taking Galehead off removes a hut access point.
Anyway, this route should be challenging and epic. Having done the section from North twin to bond before, I'd get to repeat most of it and there's beautiful open ridgeline running which I haven't experienced in my recent peaks which are mostly wooded, even most summits. Don't know much about Zealand or Hale though. Also includes the Zealand Falls hut as a refueling point (very short OAB).
(37): Cabot loop: 10 miles, 3,300'
Only peak but makes a nice loop out it and getting the non-4000 footer of the Horn. Get to explore the north edge of the white mountains and the kilkenny ridge trail. Should be one of the easiest options left.
(38-39): Kinsman ridge trail traverse: 14 miles, 6,300'
Brutal route with a lot of steep ups and downs, but nice traverse over Cannon, the cannon balls and kinsmans. A lot of terrain I've wanted to get over for a while, but it's a tough one and then I'd have to figure a way to shuttle back (likely drop a bike).
(40): Owl's Head: 21 miles, 3,700'
Long route likely without many viewpoints as it's mostly flat/gradual and runnable with a short OAB to owl's head summit just over 4,000'. Might be interesting to explore the middle of the pemi loop/wilderness.
(41-46): Wildcat-carter-moriah traverse- 18 miles, 7,000'-8,000'
Brutal traverse and requires a bike back, but gets a lot of peaks. Not particularly excited for this, but not dreading it either. Unsure if I'd do N-S or S-N. S-N has less elevation gain and gets a lot of the hard terrain done with early, but the bike back would be brutal all uphill with 1,000' gain. The opposite means really tough terrain to finish and more elevation gain total but the bike back would be super easy all downhill. Pick your poison I guess.
(47)- Carrigain lollipop- 13 miles, 3,800'
Saving carrigain and isolation for last as the summits are supposed to be stunning. Carrigain is more wooded but has a fire tower. Much rather do the lollipop than OAB. Seems mostly manageable other than a very steep pitch up to the summit.
(48) Isolation davis-dry river loop- 25 miles, 7,400'
big run but seems appropriate to finish out and skip the OAB option many take. A lot of above treeline for this one, should be a really cool route 100% on trails I haven't been on. Could also opt to finish with the second half of the presidential traverse as that's fantastic open ridge running.
So that should take me to 2025 or 2026, but hopefully I can make good progress in the next summer I have available. There's a lot of non-4000 foot peaks in the white mountains I'd like to do and of course, eventually the maine and vermont 4000 footers. There's a lot of cool trails/loops/traverses that'd be fun to put together or summits I'd like to do a second time and do a different route.
Here's some other peaks/landmarks I'd like to do also:
-Potash, Hedgehog, Sandwich, Jennings, Mt. Pemigewasset, Arethusa Falls/Frankenstein Cliff, Cathedral Ledge/Moats, Kearsarge North + Peaked, Middle, Black Cap, Baldfaces, Avalon + Willard, Welch + Dickey
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