Sure, there are some hikers like me who venture out solo when it comes time to notch off the 48th and last on "the list." There are others who hike with a small group of close friends and family.
And then, every now and then, there are giant groups _ veritable parties _ that make it out to mark the occasion when a fellow hiker reaches this point in their obsession.
Such a hike arrived just two days after I had wrapped up my list this past September.
MichaelJ started hiking the 4Ks around the same time I did, and is a frequent poster on the Web boards. His posts are highly regarded and he's created quite the following _ offering a glimpse, sometimes humorous, into his excursions to the mountains. His trip reports are enjoyed by both armchair readers and hikers alike, since he puts your right there with him every step of the way along the trails.
So when it was his turn to wrap up "the list," it was party time atop the peak he'd chosen for his last: Mt. Moosilauke, the western most of the New Hampshire 4,000 footers and standing at 4,802 feet.
I'd been curious to see what this peak was like when it wasn't covered with snow. I had ventured there in March 2001, when it was a winter wonderland of deep snow and rime ice.
It didn't disappoint even in a different season.
Since I tend to hike on the slow side, I took off a few minutes before everyone else, figuring they'd all catch up with me.
Instead, I ended up with the trail nearly to myself for most of the trip.
I quickly found that having finished the NH48 relieved me of a certain amount of pressure and stress _ and I was making very good time.
Two hours later, an hour shy of book time, I ended up at a mist-encased summit. A few others who left a lot earlier had already arrived, and we spent about 30 minutes waiting for the rest of the party to arrive.
MichaelJ and a bevy of fellow hikers were coming up from the Dartmouth Outing Club's Ravine Lodge, while a handful of others had decided to venture up the Appalachian Trail side.
It was windy and chilly up top, so we all donned our fleece and windbreakers and hunkered down for the wait. It was well worth it to see MichaelJ approach, beaming as he took the last steps toward the summit marker.
Go To Page: 1 2
