I’ve had this day planned for a long time. My friend Ralph Adam and I were going to finish our 48 NH 4,000 footers on the Kinsman’s, Saturday October 15, 2011.
A Beautiful day on Moriah
The road to the Kinsman’s was long in miles, elevation and memories. I went through 2 pair of hiking boots and a replacement of the second pair @ EMS. I broke a pair of hiking sticks and lost many a clothing article along the way. I watched my friends Dan and Meena get married on the summit of Lafayette and temporarily lost my dog/hiking buddy Phil on Cannon. I experienced the most schizophrenic of New England weather on Jefferson, ascending in snow and cold and descending bathed in beautiful sunshine. My path, that eventually ended on the Kinsman’s taught me how to look into myself for strength as we donned snow-shoes and trekked up Passaconaway in 3 feet of fresh unbroken powder, braving 20 below zero temperatures along the frigid cold way. Ralph and I experienced one of the greatest and most challenging days of my life hiking to the Bonds via Zealand, walking the whole Bond ridge, including West Bond and then in a state of delirium, descending back again the same way we came, and all in the same day!
I hiked Osceola and Carter Dome with my daughter Melissa. My wife Karen joined us on the Osceola hike and Karen and I jointly summated Jackson, Pierce, Moriah, Hale, both Hancock’s & Willey . My dogs Phil and Maggie have also stood with me on top of 18 of NH’s highest 48 peaks. I can’t tell you how much my road to The Kinsman’s has strengthened our family.
Then there is the jewel of the White Mountains, Mount Washington. During the summer of 2011, as a participant in The Mt. Washington Road Race I ran up to the 7.6 mile summit via the constant incline that is known as the Mt. Washington Auto Road. I came down as a passenger in a car so the summit assent didn’t count toward my 48. In July of 2011 Dan, Meena, Ralph Gillis (aka: Bizarro Ralph), Wendy Hicks and I attempted the Presidential Traverse. Beginning at 3am that morning we set out to do the whole Presidential Range. Unfortunately the Mountain gods were not on the same page as us that day! Our assent began in torrential rain and continued up Madison and Adams in 40 degree temps with hurricane gust winds. We summated Adams and Madison and as I pleaded to continue on to Washington, more rational heads prevailed and we aborted our quest at Hurricane Junction. But the third time was a charm and later that summer, Dan and I set out on a pristine day in August for one of the great hikes of my life as we headed up the magnificent Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, up to the rocky peak of Monroe and on to the iconic Mt Washington. Success at 6148 feet!! This time I walked down under my own power and put a check mark next to the words; Mount Washington.
After that I did my first major solo hike, across the Wildcat ridge, hitting Wildcat D and Wildcat Mountain. I had done Wildcat D in the past, but as I hit the peak on Wildcat Mountain and saw the amazing view down to the Carter Hut, I knew I had been there before. Oh well it was a great day to be solo! Ditto the Carter ridge. I wasn’t sure if I had done them prior but upon tagging them again as numbers 45 & 46, I realized I had stood up top of them in the past.
Delirious on West Bond
That brings us to the Kinsman’s. The crazy-hard rain the day and night prior scared off a few of the folks who were going to hike with Ralph and I, including my wife! Our goal was to go up the steep and challenging Fishin’ Jimmy Trail, a goal we ultimately decided to stay with. A large group of folks and dogs joined us. We crossed a very cool water fall, stopped to allow the dogs to swim in Lonesome Lake. Refreshed ourselves at the Lonesome Lake hut and sloshed and trudged up steep and muddy rocks to North Kinsman, where Ralph and I tapped the summit rock, #47. From there we continued onwards toward Kinsman Mountain, South Peak and our 48th 4000 foot summit. About a half mile from the peak the others left Ralph and I (Phil and Maggie, my dogs stayed with us) to set up our welcome/celebration to the summit and the end of our quest. Ralph and I joked about pulling a Barry Sanders and retiring just before our goal was met, but we pushed on. Arriving at the summit we were greeted by a canopy of raised hiking sticks and back-slaps. With cameras flashing and dogs tails wagging Ralph and I touched the summit as one.. Mission Accomplished!
The Kinsman summit party
Climbing the 48 4,000 footers was a life changing experience for me and I want to thank everyone who helped me along the way… I hope you all join me on the next journey.
