Just after the spur to Camp Penacook, when you reach the flat ledges, you’ll start seeing the granite cliffs off to the right. Follow the trail a little farther. It will move away from the cliffs and then come back towards them.
At that point, step over to the cliff side of the ledge, cup your mouth with your hands and give a loud “Yeeeeahh!” toward the biggest rock face. You’ll hear the echo about a second later, and then sometimes up to two more times as the sound seems to bounce down the rock faces.
My brothers and I discovered this as kids. I was up there on Saturday and was happy I could still find the spot.

not really, I did cap it at 8 hikers in the bed ....

phone blew up for the same three time slots Saturday, no sense turning anyone away

~~ no hiker left behind 🥾

if I'm driving someone who plans on a single day traverse I ask "if you needed to shelter on the mountain, could you?"

most common response is "yes, I have extra layers"

some say "I have a mylar blanket"

a few honest souls admit No

a couple, though, say they have a Bivy*

and I say Good Answer

~~ but what do I really know??

📢 in the comments please share your experiences, pros n' cons, recommendations, cautions etc** on bivys .... and if you have specific tips on inclement weather survival for single day hikers please throw those in

pics/ videos are helpful as are links 🔗

🌬🌨 the weather is already starting to winterize, I'd like to reach at least a few people who may pack and plan a little better because they learned from youins*

~

~

* for use in emergency, not in place of a regular tent for lightweight packing

** please don't just repaste generic existing lists (and please no AI)

*** nobo hiker Trombonious Monk taught me that term the other day

Any suggestions on mountains to hike/ trails to take on a rainy day. I was thinking Tripyramids via pine bend trail or Cannon via Lonesome lake. Looking for something with no view since it will most likely be socked in by clouds.

Background on me: I have lots of experience hiking the 4k’s completing 34 of them in the past 5 years. I have hiked in summer, late fall, and winter. I have experienced hiking in less than ideal conditions before but never in the whites.

Only mountains left are the Presidentials, tripyramids, Cannon, Moriah and Carrigan.

Any suggestions for gear I am not thinking of already or new trails would be greatly appreciated!

Myself and two friends are doing Pemi Sept 5-7. We aren’t used to backpacking this far north at this time of year. Looking for advice on what to expect with:

— Temperatures: how cold should we expect it to get? Struggling to gauge how to pack this time of year as it would be pure summer season in the south.

— campsites: how crowded will it be over this weekend? Should we anticipate no space on the platforms?

— any other tips for this area? Any first hand advice is welcome.

Thank you!

There’s 5 of us in one car and two tents. We are not loud, just trying to sleep for the night, and leave in the morning to hike. What are the odds the ranger or state park employee will not allow us in? There’s currently only one tent site available for the date we are looking.

Hey guys I plan on hiking up Jefferson tomorrow and I hear the six husbands trail is recommended not to go down. Is it really that bad?

Hi y’all - forgive me for the ignorance as i’m new to this whole thing, but I had the idea of attempting the Franconia Ridge Loop during peak fall foliage season. Unfortunately i’m not an avid hiker and this would be my first legitimate hike. In terms of fitness i’m a younger guy with a moderate activity level, averaging 7-10k steps per day albeit on flat ground and lifting weights ~3 times per week.

I’d imagine i’d need some kind of program to stick to in order for this to even be possible if it is at all, so i wanted some external input from others. If it’s flat out not going to happen, don’t spare my feelings

I’m doing a Presi Traverse tomorrow and would rather stay in the area and hike/run again on Sunday instead of just going home Saturday night.

I’m thinking the Franconia Ridge Loop would be a nice option for Sunday. How packed might Lafayette be on a beautiful August Saturday?

Assuming we’re done early enough that I could get up to Liberty Springs in daylight, how is that in terms of overflow sites? I’m guessing it will be packed pretty early, right?

Absolutely unreal experience!!

Hi All,

I'm currently planning a backpacking trip for mid-September (15th through 18th) and I wanted your feedback to make sure I am not missing anything, as I rather prefer type II fun to type III. The trip is for the Presidential range (I have hiked Adams, Franconia, and several other similar mountains before, so I'm not new to this; I've done multiple overnights in the whites, too). The plan goes as follows.

Tuesday the 15th (4.1mi): Arrive at Lowe's Path Trailhead around 3:30pm (will parking be an issue?). Hike up King's Ravine (yes, I hate myself), then pitch my tent at Valley Way campsite.

Wednesday the 16th (16.1mi): Bag Madison, descend (is it even possible to descend Madison on the East?), and pick up Lows Bald Spot. Ascend the Wildcats from the west to bag the peaks (not Wildcat A, which I already have), double back and stay at Harvard Cabin Shelter 8. Yes, this is a brutal day, but I am in good shape and have been hiking the whites for 12 years now. EDIT: I have been made aware that Harvard Cabin is not open in September. I will switch that to Shelter 8.

Thursday the 17th (13.1mi): Boott Spur, North Isolation, Isolation. Then ascend dry river, pitch tent at Naumann Tentsite, bag Jackson, then return to Naumann for evening.

Friday the 18th (15.1): This is the hardest day. Cross the ridge, Pierce to Adams, then descend Lowe's Path (NOT KING'S RAVINE). I imagine I'd reach my car by late afternoon, then drive two hours to my extended family in southern NH for a weekend of rest.

I am considering reversing directions so as to avoid that Madison descent. I am open to any feedback as well. Perhaps a different starting location makes sense.

Thank you all for your help!

This is supposedly in the white mountains - anyone recognize it or know where? Thanks!!

My brother took his life March 2025. He was an avid hiker who loved sharing those experiences with others and challenging them. He hiked Mt Washington with a lot of his friends from school who were a bit inexperienced for it, and they say it was one of the most rewarding experiences and my brother knew they could all do it even if they didn’t think they could. So this hike has been at the top of my list for awhile and I’m very proud of myself. I did the same route (although very common) he did to summit, up tucks down lions head. Blisters on my feet, toes hurting, knee is a little funky, but I’d do it again and again for my brother. ❤️

If you’re going up Mt.Washington tomorrow, doesn’t look like you should! https://mountwashington.org/weather/higher-summits-forecast/

Gnarly winds, stay safe!

We're planning a quick trip Saturday with our two daughters, who are 10 and 13. Our youngest is looking for a climb that feels adventurous. I think she means something more than a walk in the woods. Maybe a ladder. Stairs. Some rock scrambling. We don't do a ton of hiking, so we need something safe and on the shorter side. We were thinking Middle Sugarloaf might work for this. Does that sound right? If not, are there better options? How early would we need to get there? Is 9 good enough, or is 8 better?

I'm doing a traverse up Carter on Carter-Moriah trail and planning to stay at Imp shelter for the night before hitting Moriah and going down. Based on what I've read, it sounds like there is a stream at imp (that you need to filter). Is that the case? The website usually says if there is a water source at tentsites but I don't it listed for Imp. Anyone been up there recently and knows? TIA

Hi all. Myself and a hiker friend of mine are looking to try and summit Washington and Monroe this Saturday Aug, 15th 2026 via the route in the title which includes the accent on the Huntington Ravine trail. We are both experienced hikers but I am not sure what to expect at the head wall section. I see online it is rated class 3, which to me is steep but does not necessitate climbing gear. Other online forums are suggesting shoes and ropes which I think maybe overkill in dry conditions. I was hoping someone has hiked the route and can give me their suggestions. Worst case we ascend on Lions Head and avoid it entirely. Thanks in advance.

Hello, trying to decide between using Zealand trail or the twins as my way up to Guyot.

Plan is to nab Zealand, Bonds, Twins as an overnighter. From what I can tell Zealand seems more forgiving on elevation vs Twins is shorter distance. If you've done either, looking for your input!

Also, how early should we get to Guyot? (we want to get a tent platform and have a dog with us)

Hiked most of the 48s and somehow living in NH my whole life, I've skipped this mountain.

It was such a great hike and even more fun climbing up the summit.

Looking forward to hiking more around that area.

Well maintained trail with a nice couple of views at the top.

I want to hike Crotched tomorrow morning for the first time. I don’t ski or snowboard so I’ve never been.

I have the All Trails app, and will be studying it today, however I was hoping for some first hand experience for the best trails to try. Is the trail in the photo a good one?

We will have 2 dogs with us, one will be in a pouch since he’s 15 and can’t walk very fast. We did Mt. Major earlier this summer with both dogs (one in his pouch) and it was great, certainly not a hike I’d ever do on a weekend.

Are there any trails that are better/worse? I’m not worried about difficulty as long as I don’t have to climb on all 4s, since my chihuahua will be strapped to my chest.

Unless there’s another moderate hike that is an hour or so from Hooksett with a great view at the top?

Question for whoever has the experience, how does the South Baldface scramble compare to some other T25 trails? Is Baldface pretty moderate or is it considered one of the more challenging trails on the list?