Tag Archives: United States

Peak-Bagging

Posted on by under All Hikers, Family hiking, Hikers, Backpackers, and Campers, TakeaLongHike, The Outdoors, Trail Related

Sign at the summit of Mount Washngton, New Ham...

Sign at the summit of Mount Washngton, New Hampshire, United States. (1,917m/6,288ft) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Peak-bagging is hiker jargon for those who get satisfaction in summiting mountains. Peak-baggers will climb (bag) peaks usually in some type of organized quest. It’s how I developed a passion for hiking.

Some years ago, I met a hiker in the White Mountains who said he was going to summit all the 4000 footers in New Hampshire. There are 48, and he was up to 23. I checked my journals and realized I’d done seven. Over the next years, I finished the ones in New Hampshire and went on to complete all the 4000 footers in New England. There are five in Vermont and fourteen in Maine.

This whole idea can become addictive. There are separate lists of the 100 highest mountains in New England, the Northeast, and the USA. There are backpackers who try to “bag” all those peaks. I stopped after the 4000 footers in New England, but will begin a quest of the 4000 footers in the Adirondacks of New York state this autumn. There are 46, so it will take me a while.

The landscape photo with the towers is New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the highest mountain in the northeast, at 6288 feet. The other landscape photo is from Washington’s peak, looking down on Lakes of the Clouds Hut on the shoulder of Mt. Washington. The profile photo shows the Franconia Ridge Trail up to the peak of another 4000 footer, New Hampshire’s Mt. Lafayette (5260 ft).

Most peaks are scenic and peaceful, the perfect place to dream, plan, hope—all that good stuff.

Related articles

Tips For Hiking With Kids

Posted on by under All Hikers, Family hiking, Hikers, Backpackers, and Campers, Hiking Tip, The Outdoors

Hiking with kids

Backpacking with children
Anthony (right) and CJ–White Mountains

Young kids need to stay active. They also thrive in new and challenging situations. Why not take them on an overnight camping trip in the mountains?

A few years ago, I took my step-grandson, Anthony, and his friend on a hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I pulled out two old backpacks and drove us up to the Mount Liberty trailhead. They asked me on the ride up if we would see snakes and bears; I told them to stay alert and be watchful.

Late morning, we started the climb up to the Mount Liberty tent site, which is about three-quarters of the way to the summit. At the site, I showed them how to get water and treat it. I handed them their private tent set-up instructions and told them to figure it out. It was a nice afternoon with plenty of time before sunset; they put their heads together and did fine.

I wanted to teach them about the wilds and quickly realized they would put up with some instruction, but not lots. So I took it easy on them. The next morning on the summit, they were wide-eyed as they huddled looking at views. The boys felt like they had accomplished something.

On the way back down, I let each of them navigate and quizzed them about what they would do if they got lost. At trail junctions, I asked them to pull out their maps and show me where they were. I had my watch and showed them how long it took to hike a certain segment–another way to confirm what you are doing, I’d said.

These pictures tell the story. We didn’t see any snakes or bears, but I taught them what camping basics I could in the time we had. They’ve turned into fine young men.

Related articles

Peak-Bagging

Posted on by under All Hikers, Family hiking, Hikers, Backpackers, and Campers, TakeaLongHike, The Outdoors, Trail Related

Sign at the summit of Mount Washngton, New Ham...

Sign at the summit of Mount Washngton, New Hampshire, United States. (1,917m/6,288ft) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Peak-bagging is hiker jargon for those who get satisfaction in summiting mountains. Peak-baggers will climb (bag) peaks usually in some type of organized quest. It’s how I developed a passion for hiking.

Some years ago, I met a hiker in the White Mountains who said he was going to summit all the 4000 footers in New Hampshire. There are 48, and he was up to 23. I checked my journals and realized I’d done seven. Over the next years, I finished the ones in New Hampshire and went on to complete all the 4000 footers in New England. There are five in Vermont and fourteen in Maine.

This whole idea can become addictive. There are lists of the 100 highest mountains in New England, the Northeast, and the USA. There are backpackers who try to “bag” all those peaks. I stopped after the 4000 footers in New England, but will begin a quest of the 4000 footers in the Adirondacks of New York state this autumn. There are 46, so it will take me a while.

The landscape photo with the towers is New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the highest mountain in the northeast, at 6288 feet. The other landscape photo is from Washington’s peak, looking down on Lakes of the Clouds Hut on the shoulder of Mt. Washington. The profile photo shows the Franconia Ridge Trail up to the peak of another 4000 footer, New Hampshire’s Mt. Lafayette (5260 ft).

Most peaks are scenic and peaceful, the perfect place to dream, plan, hope—all that good stuff.

Related articles

Tips For Hiking With Kids

Posted on by under All Hikers, Family hiking, Hikers, Backpackers, and Campers, Hiking Tip, The Outdoors

Hiking with kids

Backpacking with children
Anthony (right) and CJ–White Mountains

Young kids need to stay active. They also thrive in new and challenging situations. Why not take them on an overnight camping trip in the mountains?

A few years ago, I took my step-grandson, Anthony, and his friend on a hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I pulled out two old backpacks and drove us up to the Mount Liberty trailhead. They asked me on the ride up if we would see snakes and bears; I told them to stay alert and be watchful.

Late morning, we started the climb up to the Mount Liberty tent site, which is about three-quarters of the way to the summit. At the site, I showed them how to get water and treat it. I handed them their private tent set-up instructions and told them to figure it out. It was a nice afternoon with plenty of time before sunset; they put their heads together and did fine.

I wanted to teach them about the wilds and quickly realized they would put up with some instruction, but not lots. So I took it easy on them. The next morning on the summit, they were wide-eyed as they huddled looking at views. The boys felt like they had accomplished something.

On the way back down, I let each of them navigate and quizzed them about what they would do if they got lost. At trail junctions, I asked them to pull out their maps and show me where they were. I had my watch and showed them how long it took to hike a certain segment–another way to confirm what you are doing, I’d said.

These pictures tell the story. We didn’t see any snakes or bears, but I taught them what camping basics I could in the time we had. They’ve turned into fine young men.

Related articles

Peak-Bagging

Posted on by under All Hikers, Family hiking, Hikers, Backpackers, and Campers

Sign at the summit of Mount Washngton, New Ham...

Sign at the summit of Mount Washngton, New Hampshire, United States. (1,917m/6,288ft) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Peak-bagging is hiker jargon for those who get satisfaction in summiting mountains. Peak-baggers will climb (bag) peaks usually in some type of organized quest. It’s how I developed a passion for hiking.

Some years ago, I met a hiker in the White Mountains who said he was going to summit all the 4000 footers in New Hampshire. There are 48, and he was up to 23. I checked my journals and realized I’d done seven. Over the next years, I finished the ones in New Hampshire and went on to complete all the 4000 footers in New England. There are five in Vermont and fourteen in Maine.

This whole idea can become addictive. There are lists of the 100 highest mountains in New England, the Northeast, and the USA. There are backpackers who try to “bag” all those peaks. I stopped after the 4000 footers in New England, but will begin a quest of the 4000 footers in the Adirondacks of New York state this autumn. There are 46, so it will take me a while.

The landscape photo with the towers is New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the highest mountain in the northeast, at 6288 feet. The other landscape photo is from Washington’s peak, looking down on Lakes of the Clouds Hut on the shoulder of Mt. Washington. The profile photo shows the Franconia Ridge Trail up to the peak of another 4000 footer, New Hampshire’s Mt. Lafayette (5260 ft).

Most peaks are scenic and peaceful, the perfect place to dream, plan, hope—all that good stuff.

Tips For Hiking With Kids

Posted on by under All Hikers, Hikers, Backpackers, and Campers, Hiking Tip
Hiking with kids

Mt. Liberty--NH, Anthony and CJ

Backpacking with children
Anthony (right) and CJ–White Mountains

Young kids need to stay active. They also thrive in new and challenging situations. Why not take them on an overnight camping trip in the mountains?

A few years ago, I took my step-grandson, Anthony, and his friend on a hike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I pulled out two old backpacks and drove us up to the Mount Liberty trailhead. They asked me on the ride up if we would see snakes and bears; I told them to stay alert and be watchful.

Late morning, we started the climb up to the Mount Liberty tent site, which is about three-quarters of the way to the summit. At the site, I showed them how to get water and treat it. I handed them their private tent set-up instructions and told them to figure it out. It was a nice afternoon with plenty of time before sunset; they put their heads together and did fine. 

I wanted to teach them about the wilds and quickly realized they would put up with some instruction, but not lots. So I took it easy on them. The next morning on the summit, they were wide-eyed as they huddled looking at views. The boys felt like they had accomplished something.

On the way back down, I let each of them navigate and quizzed them about what they would do if they got lost. At trail junctions, I asked them to pull out their maps and show me where they were. I had my watch and showed them how long it took to hike a certain segment–another way to confirm what you are doing, I’d said.

These pictures tell the story. We didn’t see any snakes or bears, but I taught them what camping basics I could in the time we had. They’ve turned into fine young men.