What is the 'easiest' 4000 footer in NH?

She's not a hiker, but in shape ... has she *ever* hiked before?
Is she looking for an all day hike or a 1/2 day hike with nice views?

There are some great shorter non 4K hikes out there with great views.
Otherwise, I'd say Pierce....... or Cannon - she could take the tram down from the top if she was really tired and meet you!

Well, I have to agree that Pierce is a great choice with a lot of bang for your buck. My second choice would be Eisenhower and third would be Garfield. Waumbek gets honorable mention.

If you want her to join you for future trips, I would steer clear of Tecumseh with its limited views (Hale even more so).

Osceola with the roughness in some places and multitude of switchbacks may not be a great choice despite the overall ease and if you are going for Moosilaukee, choose your route very carefully. Taking someone up (or down) Beaver Brook for their first is probably not a very good idea.

Not a 4K, but I keep hearing that the Welch-Dickey loop has a lot of bang for the buck. Taking my wife on that one this Saturday ...... I'll let you know!

Bring her up Peirce for excellent views of the Presies...if she thinks crawford path is too hard she should stick to the sidewalk. It's a nice gradual moderate climb and Gibbs falls along the way is nice as well.

And yes, Welch/Dickey Loop is a good one, lacking elevation but not excellent views of the Pemi Valley. Only 5 miles total although fairly steep rock slabs on Welch but not a problem in dry conditions.

Tecumseh is the easiest, but Jackson, Pierce or Osceola would be better choices for a first 4K, actually I brought some people on their first to Osceola a few years back, they loved it and were not too worn out, esp considering they were newbies who smoke.

if you want to go to VT, Abraham is easier than anything in NH, and has what is likely good views(I was reall clouded in, so did not see much, but is definately a bald summit.

If you do not mind straying from peakbagging(though at 17 I had a hard time doing so) Monadnock or Chocurua could be a fun place to take someone.

I think Eisenhower via Edmands Path is really easy. One ofthe best thought out trails in the Whites in terms of ease. IMO nothing gets you above the treeline easier. And that would really be a cool experience for someone's first 4k. And the views from the top are choice ! Right in the heart of the Prezzies....tough to beat.

i12climbup said:

Not a 4K, but I keep hearing that the Welch-Dickey loop has a lot of bang for the buck. Taking my wife on that one this Saturday ...... I'll let you know!

Click to expand...

Last I knew there was buried treasure on that one.

She has hiked Monadnock before, can handle a little bit of a beating, but requested that it be under 10 miles.

I think I'll take her up Pierce.

If my memory serves me correctly, I think the out and back via Crawford path to Pierce AND Eisenhower is just under 10. Double the peaks, double the fun.

Edit: Just happened to have the WMG handy and it is 9.7 in and out, and a bit over 3000 ft. elevation gain. Have fun either way ya do it....

How about Garfield?

How about Garfield, only the last couple hundred feet are hard. Great views!

Another nudge for Eisenhower via Edmands Path. The overall mileage is not bad, and although the grade below tree line is steady it is nowhere very steep or very rough, and when you break out onto the ledges, the views are terrific, and only get better from there up. So, if she's in good shape, it's a very strong contender.

Up to Pierce via the Crawford Path over to Eisenhower and then down Edmands. Ditch a bike at Edmands trail head and then pedal back to the car - only a few miles, go back and pick her up. The ridge walk is spectacular may even get some color thrown in.

...Joe

I'd pass on Garfield for a total beginner. The hard part is quite hard especially after almost five miles.
Having just done Jackson, I would also second the removal of that one from the list. The footing near the summit is much worse than I remembered it (huge jumbled rocks and such).

I would second the opinion about Garfield and Jackson, having recently hiked both. I haven't completed all of them yet, but so far I would agree with what has been said about Osceola being very easy for a non-hiker. It's easy to wonder when the trail is going to start to climb at all --- and then you're just on the summit with incredible views everywhere and room to sit and just enjoy. Edman's Path is amazing too; it's a veritable highway up to Eisenhower .

Osceola

I remember (E) Osceola as stright up, using tree branched as ladder rungs. The walk across the ridge to the fire tower was nice - wind blowing thru the scrub/trees.

So we have it narrowed down to Pierce, Osceola & Jackson.

If you need East Osceola, doing both is harder than the other two. If not While rocky in the beginning, Osceola from Tripoli Road is one of the few hikes that seems to get less rocky as you go up, that's not typical

Jackson, it's a bit tough footing wise at the top & a little rocky below, On a good day, better views than Osceola, see Pierce comments below for a bad day.

Pierce, easier grades & footing than other two none are steep except a small stretch on Jackson but Horses use to go up Pierce years ago, the other two can't say that. On a good day views are great. On a poor day, both Pierce & Jackson have Washington as a view so more likely you would have no view or limited as Presidentials are like that from time to time.

On the other hand, it's got to be pretty miserable to have no view from Osceola, It's not Crawford Notch or Oakes Gulf or the Presidentials but it's quite nice.

Any combination of Field, Tom or Wiley can be pretty easy also.

Jackson has such great views. Would be nice this time of year.

Success!

Well, I took my Mom up Mt. Pierce on Saturday and she loved it! She wasn't nearly as slow or out-of-shape as she thought she was, the views were spectacular, and she wants to make this kind of mother-daughter hike an annual thing. I'm hoping that she gets addicted to hiking (she's well on her way) and joins a nearby outdoor club of some sort. My mom's not as old as she acts (I get on her case about this), and we met up with another group of older women at the top of the mountain. For her to see all of these people out enjoying nature got her thinking, and I hope she follows through.

My only regret that it was such a beautiful weekend that had I not been hiking with my mom, I certainly would have continued to Mt. Washington (it looked TOO tempting!!).

I vote for Mount Tecumseh from the Waterville ski area parking lot, Mount Tom from the Crawfort Depot, or Mount Hale via the Fire Warden's Trail ("unmaintained," but one of the finest trails in the Whites, IMHO) from the Haystack Road parking lot.