Start/End: Grafton Notch, Rt. 26

Peaks: Old Speck (4,170')

Elevation Gain: 3,060 ft

RT Mileage: 7.67 mi

Duration: 6 hours, 3 minutes

Rock Difficulty: Class 1+

Snow/Ice Difficulty: Grade I

A weather window finally presented itself on the second and final Saturday of my spring break after a series of rainstorms. I decided to take the opportunity to bag a Maine 4,000-footer in Old Speck, hoping that trail conditions would be more manageable in the northeastern Whites where temperatures had been colder and less rain had fallen over the week compared to the New Hampshire side. I was right. Read more...

Start/End: Marshfield Station

Peaks: Jefferson (5,712')

Elevation Gain: 4,080 ft

RT Mileage: 9.98 mi

Duration: 7 hours, 45 minutes

Snow/Ice Difficulty: Grade I

It was my good fortune that a rare perfect weather day presented itself in the Whites on one of the three days I was home for February break, and I pounced on the opportunity to log a winter ascent of Jefferson, usually considered one of the hardest winter 4,000ers. It would be my first bluebird day hike since Monroe and Washington last March. Read more...

Start/End: Lafayette Place Campground

Peaks: "Little Haystack" (4,749'), Lincoln (5,089'), "Truman" (4,994'), Lafayette (5,260')

Elevation Gain: 4,010 ft

RT Mileage: 8.75 mi

Duration: 5 hours, 51 minutes

Snow/Ice Difficulty: Grade I

Almost four years ago, I hiked Lafayette for my first winter 4,000er. My original plan at that time though had been to hike the entire Franconia Ridge, and it was only because of inexperience that I was not able to, so when my friend suggested we hike the ridge for sunrise I was on board immediately. Read more...

Start/End: Rt. 3

Peaks: Garfield (4,500')

Elevation Gain: 3,270 ft

RT Mileage: 12.73 mi

Duration: 6 hours, 2 minutes

Snow/Ice Difficulty: Grade I

For my last weekend before heading back to school, I decided to bag Garfield and check off one more winter 4,000er. Garfield was also at this point probably the only above-treeline 4,000er I had not yet seen the views from (it was socked in the last time I hiked it), and I wanted to remove that final blemish too. Read more...

Start/End: Waumbek Golf Course, Rt. 2

Peaks: "Starr King" (3,907'), Waumbek (4,006')

Elevation Gain: 2,970 ft

RT Mileage: 8.07 mi

Duration: 4 hours, 32 minutes

Snow/Ice Difficulty: Grade I

After a brutal day on Pierce and Eisenhower two weeks ago, I spent a well earned week and a half in warm, beautiful South Carolina and Florida. Upon returning, I was immediately back in the Whites, attempting Waumbek to check off another winter 4,000er. I had already hiked Waumbek in winter conditions in April 2024, but April does not count as winter in the world of peakbagging. January 4 does, of course. Read more...