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Looking to venture into the Hale / Zealand / Guyot / Twins / Galehead area. I wasn't sure what the latest accessibility issues were with the various trailheads -- Garfield Trail, Gale River Trail, and North Twin Trail. Ideally, I'd like to go up the N Twin Trail to Hale, but I know the Little...

Sounds like there is no water at the shelter. Where would the closest water source be, coming down from Wittenberg? I've been past there, but was headed to Woodland Valley, so not thinking about scouting out water sources. Also, are there several tent sites along the spur trail to the shelter?

Calling on the veterans of VFTT for some Catskill advice. I'm new to the Catskills (as compared to the VT/NH peaks) since I moved to PA, so need some help. Here's the situation: I'm taking 5-6 teenagers into the mountains (with 1-2 other adults). Arriving in the Catskills around noon on...

After a recent move away from the Upper Valley (VT/NH) and settling in Lancaster County, PA, I needed a new mountain range to explore. I had never been to the Catskills, so I did some VFTT-inspired research and was on my way. Day 1: I drove up I-87 on Friday under beautiful skies, past Haines...

Having lived most of my 37 years around the VT/NH border, I've hiked extensively in the Whites and Greens, with a fair amount in the ADKs and Maine (as well as a four-year stint in Colorado). Now I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and need some decent mountains closer to home. The Catskills...

My wife and I are moving to Lancaster County, PA, in less than a month. After living most of my life in Vermont and Colorado, I've already submitted to a life of 'lesser' mountains for hiking and skiing, but with our first child (a boy!) on the way, lesser mountains might be a good thing for a...

My wife is spending some time at a retreat center near Asheville, NC, just after Memorial Day, and I'm planning to hit the trails for about three days. I was thinking of a section hike along the AT, either in the Roan High Knob or Bald Mountain stretches. I'd like to avoid GSMNP. I'm not...

A friend directed me to this article about a group of Boston University students backpacking on Mount Adams. They didn't do it exactly the way that I would, but I thought it was a really well-done video and article. Hopefully this link works.

The single-day Pemi Loop has become almost commonplace it seems. With all the trip reports and ridiculously fast times being reported, one might be tempted to approach the Pemi Loop casually. Well, I don’t care if I sound like a sissy: the Pemi Loop is HARD. Last winter I decided to set a...

What do you think the percentage is of all those who have done a given list (NH 4Ks, ADK46, NEHH), who have done them solo? Not that every hike was solo, but that they attained the summit of each peak on the list at least once while hiking by oneself. What about the Winter version of those...

Date of Hike: 1-May-2010 Did a loop by going up the new AT/LT, then south on the Sherburne Pass Trail (old AT/LT) and Pico Link. Trail Conditions: Snowline was about 3000', steadier and with some monorail above 3200'. Sherburne Pass Trail was quite muddy in places, almost down to the road...

Thinking through some upcoming plans, I discovered a dearth of adequate hiking terminology to describe to a friend what I was planning. Deeply saddened, I turn now to VFTT. After all, what better place for some creative terminology creation than VFTT? Or perhaps these terms already exist...

Pretty nicely packed out from trailhead to Cooper Lodge. Especially with the new snowfall coming, snowshoes will be needed. Above the lodge, the steep trail was a bit icy to the summit. We managed on snowshoes points, but microspikes would be handy.

Lincoln Gap Road closed, of course. About 1 1/4 mile road walk from the east (Warren/Roxbury/Rt 100) side -- packed by snowmobiles, skiers, hikers. I pulled my backpack up in a sled, which I used for a quick descent from the summertime parking lot. 1.8 miles on LT to Battell Shelter -- I...

Sporadic snow at base of the cog to the Gem Pool. Above the Gem, everything snow-covered with icy sections, but nothing too daunting. Around the stream crossings, the trail became significantly icy nearly all the way to Lakes Hut. Above the hut, toward Monroe or Washington, the snow was...

There is a simple memorial to a Joseph Emerson about twenty feet off the Ammo Trail near the Gem Pool. It's just a photo with the typical platitudes. According to the sign, Mr. Emerson died on April 14, 2007. Anybody know who he is or why his loved ones posted a memorial near the Gem Pool?

Ammo from Cog to Lakes Hut -- some patches of snow even below the Gem Pool, though nothing worrisome. Significant patches of snow from stream crosses to Alpine Zone sign. From the Alpine Zone sign onward, it is mostly snow, easy enough to walk on, but gaiters and/or long pants are recommended...

Saturday, May 24 Trail Conditions: Maple Ridge is mainly clear. There is one significant blowdown halfway up. Snow begins at Wampahoofus Trail junction and is spotty up to the Forehead. LT from Forehead to Nose has lots of rotten snow, but I never bothered to take out my gaiters; I just...

Kearsarge Slide, 2-Apr-2008 Ever since we hiked Mount Flume a week or so ago, avk4316 has been on me to climb the Kearsarge Slide with him. I’d never heard of it, but he showed me a picture and it looked wicked awesome. If you know me at all, you know how I love slides! Since I hadn’t been...

I hadn’t been above 4000 feet – or even about 3200 feet – since a Thanksgiving expedition to Mount Adams, so the 4K bug was getting restless. With Friday forecasted to be clear, I set my sights on an early-morning trip to Mt. Carrigain. The closer I got to Friday, though, the “leave the house...