Category Archives: mtnINSPIRATION

The Best Reason to Climb Mount Jefferson this winter!

Posted On 1 Nov 2016
By NEM Guides
In Around The Bunkhouse, Experience

Image: Snowmobile.com

SNOWMOBILE ACCESS MOUNTAINEERING

Access the inaccessible. We are thrilled to bring Snowmobile access mountaineering to New Hampshire! In the northeast we rely on snow machines to get around when the snow flies abundantly. This adventure taps into our tradition and makes the inaccessible climbs accessible. We combine the high-speed fun of snowmobiling with the exhilaration of climbing above tree line in the White Mountains in winter. After a 7 mile Snowmobile ride we access Caps Ridge Trail to the summit of Mount Jefferson. Enjoy isolation and the trail to yourself on this adventure.

After the climb, return to the snowmobiles for a return ride back to the parking lot.

This adventure is uniquely provided by Northeast Mountaineering! Don’t delay and register today!

5 Must See Trails in the WMNF

Posted On 26 Sep 2016
By NEM Guides
In A Guides View, Beyond The Bunkhouse, mtnINSPIRATION, Trip Reports

CONTRIBUTION BY ELIZABETH KANE

1. Great Gulf Trail

The view as you approach Spaulding Lake

History: The Wilderness Act of 1964 officially protected the Great Gulf as the first designated Wilderness area in the White Mountains. It now encompasses 5,658 acres of definitively perceptible wild land, home to tumbling waterfalls, rugged trails, and rapture-inducing forest spans.

One of the grandest characters in the Great Gulf’s history was intrepid trailblazer Warren W. Hart. Hart first entered the still relatively untrammeled Great Gulf in 1908 and envisioned a trail network there of a difficulty caliber still uncontested in the remainder of the White Mountains. Over the next three years as AMC’s councilor of improvements, he cut not only the Great Gulf Trail, but nine others including the infamous Six Husbands Trail and the now abandoned Adams Slide Trail.

Morning sun lights up the singletrack

Beta: Approximately 7.4 miles long, 4,650 feet of elevation gain from the parking lot just off of NH 16 to the Gulfside Trail Junction. Climb and additional half mile or so to summit Washington.

There is notably varied footing among this trail, including narrow, mossy singletrack, slick slab scrambles, a pleasant section of old logging road, and talus hopping. The prevalence of water along this trail can mean mud, so be prepared with proper footwear.

The Northern Presidentials with tiny Spaulding Lake from above

Climbing the headwall out of the Great Gulf is a truly visceral experience. As you pass Spaulding Lake, the views open and the Northern Presidentials rise high and rim the breathtaking landscape.
Navigating the talus can be challenging; look for blazes and cairns and be aware. This trail is generally recommended for ascent rather than descent.

Cascades abound right along the path

Why:The Great Gulf is the most expansive glacial cirque in the White Mountains. It sits on the eastern side of the Northern Presidential Range, which boasts the highest peaks in New England. The great crescent arm of these summits extends northeastward and envelops the massive bowl, which is drained by the West Branch of the Peabody River. The trail follows this drainage to the headwall, passing several pleasant waterfalls and the diminutive but stunning Spaulding Lake.

There are several designated campsites along the trail. Other options nearby include Osgood Tentsite and AMC’s Madison Spring Hut (not open year round, reservations required.) Please know Wilderness backcountry camping regulations prior to hitting the trail.

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Climbing Ecuador’s Volcanoes

Posted On 11 Sep 2016
By NEM Guides
In Beyond The Bunkhouse, Experience, Stories, Trip Reports

Mountaineering attracts an eclectic mix of people from weekend thrill-seekers to hardcore life-long adventurers. They travel to — even enjoy — some of the coldest and highest places on the planet. Why do they do it?

— An Excerpt —

CONTRIBUTION FROM STEELE BURROW

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The Highlands of Ecuador would be hard to describe without a mention of volcanoes. They occupy the skyline, the local history, even the original recipe for traditional ice cream.

unspecified-2 Volcanoes’ prominence in Ecuador’s landscape is exceeded only by their place in local folklore. Stories scatter the landscape. Spanish conquistadors established their first fort on the slopes of a crater near Volcan Cayambe and the earliest forms of local ice cream — so the legend goes at least — were made from ice harvested from the upper slopes of Cotopaxi. At over 19,000 feet, that’s not exactly a short walk to Baskin & Robbins.

We were in Ecuador to attempt climbs on two of the country’s highest volcanoes—Cayambe, 18,996 feet high, and Antisana, a more technically difficult climb at 18,714 feet. Our group included two New Yorkers, three Washingtonians, and a lone Texan. Between the six of us, we each had our own reasons to be there, but we all wanted an adventure.