New Hampshires 48 4,000-Footers: One Step at a Time

Are we going to hike all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers? I don’t know. But we’re going to try our best—one step & one snack break at a time. 

This is an ongoing blog I’ll update as we check each NH 4,000-footer off the list. Take our advice or simply learn from our mildly chaotic journey as a couple of enthusiastic, slightly underprepared, outdoors-loving 40-somethings. We’re just trying to trade couch time for trail time—and hey, the views definitely beat doom scrolling the day away!

Mount Osceola peak

Mount Osceola

#1 of 48: You gotta start somewhere!

We only hiked one of the two peaks here—so does it count? Yes. Yes, it absolutely does. Let me explain.

What do I mean by “one of the two”? Well, Osceola has a buddy: East Osceola. They’re often hiked together as a dynamic duo. But since this was our first “big” hike, we decided to ease into it with just one summit. Baby steps, folks. You can read our thought process (and trail logic) in more detail [here]

And yes, we fully realize that if we want to earn that shiny “48” badge, we’ll have to come back and hike it again. But honestly? Worth it. This mountain was a total gem. In my non-expert, mildly sore opinion, it was the perfect introduction to the 4,000-footer club.

We hiked from Tripoli Road on a cool, rainy morning. The trail—though not marked well—was very easy to follow. It’s full of rocks to step over, but there were no scrambles or major climbs. Near the summit, there are some slanted rock slabs to navigate. Trust me when I say it’s best to walk on the awkward spot close to the ground. (You can listen to me explain why on our podcast episode [here].)

The views from the top were absolutely gorgeous. We could see the Waterville Valley ski area among the surrounding mountains.

This was a magical mountain for us to climb, and if you’re looking for a beginner-friendly 4,000-footer, this one should definitely be on your list!

Stats:

• Elevation: 4,340 feet

• Elevation gain: 2,040 feet

• Distance: 6.4 miles round trip

• Views: 10/10

• Difficulty: 7/10

From the summit of Mount Pierce.

Mount Pierce

#2 of 48: One Step Closer!

We tackled this one toward the end of winter—aka that fun time of year in New Hampshire when it’s sunny in the parking lot but feels like Everest at the summit.

Microspikes were a must from start to finish, but snowshoes? Not even close. The snow on the trail was packed into a narrow monorail path, and stepping off it meant immediate regret (and post-holing up to your kneecaps). At one point, I casually sank my hiking pole all the way to the handle just a few inches off the trail. That was enough science for one day.

Mount Pierce was our first adventure into the Presidential Range, which felt pretty epic for our second 4,000-footer. We started at the AMC Highland Center, which has a big, easy-to-find parking lot. Just cross the street and boom—you’re at the trailhead for the Crawford Path.

This trail comes with serious historical street cred. It was first cut in 1819, making it the oldest continuously used mountain trail in the U.S. The Crawford family created it from their homestead (now Crawford Notch) to the summit of Mount Washington. Imagine deciding to cut a trail to the highest point in the Northeast—just because you could.

The hike starts climbing pretty quickly and doesn’t let up much. About 0.6 miles in, you get to see the very lovely Gibbs Falls, and the trail follows a river for a bit before breaking off. Roughly 0.7 miles from the summit, there’s a trail to the AMC Mizpah Spring Hut, which is closed in winter, so we stayed on Crawford Path. That side trail does loop around to the summit if you’re feeling extra ambitious in warmer months.

As you near the top, the trees start to thin, and suddenly—you’re in the Alpine Zone. There’s even a bench (yes, a bench!) where you can take in stunning views of Bretton Woods, the Mount Washington Hotel, and the looming beauty of Mount Eisenhower and Mount Washington right in front of you.

And then... in classic White Mountain fashion, the weather pulled a fast one. We felt a breeze entering the Alpine Zone, but by the time we reached the true summit just a few hundred feet later, the wind had cranked up and the cold rolled in like it had an appointment. So, instead of a scenic summit lunch, we hightailed it back to the tree line and picnicked there. Slightly less epic—but significantly warmer.

This hike was a blast. It was easier than we expected (thanks, packed trail!), and the views were absolutely top-tier. We’re officially hooked on the Presidential Range and can’t wait to check more off the list.

Stats:

• Elevation: 4,310 feet

• Elevation gain: 2,400 feet

• Distance: 5.9 miles round trip

• Views: 10/10

• Difficulty: 6/10

Canadian Jay is eyeing our lunch with Mount Washington in the background.

Mount Jackson

#3 of 48: Jays, Ice, and Jaw-Dropping Views

This one had a little bit of everything: icy trails, sweeping views, and feathered trail companions that got very comfortable with us. 

The hike starts out across from the Crawford Notch train station.  We parked by the lake which is near the trailhead.  We were very grateful to have our spikes as the trail was solid ice in places and packed snow in others. Snowshoes weren’t necessary (thankfully), but any step off the main path was instant regret. Classic monorail conditions.  We were very glad we had our poles as well!

The trail itself wastes no time. It climbs steadily through the woods and throws in a few steeper sections just to keep things interesting. We didn’t hit anything technical, but the consistent ice made things a little more mentally taxing than usual. Near the top, the trail opens up to some rock slabs—this is the one area where we ditched the spikes for better grip. From there, it’s just a short, breezy push to the summit.  And what a summit it is.

We were lucky enough to get a clear day, and the views of the Presidential Range were magical. Similar to Mount Pierce, this vantage point made Mount Washington look massive and snowy in the distance, and the surrounding peaks felt close enough to touch. Definitely one of those “whoa, this is why we hike” moments.  As an added bonus, we even remembered to bring and use our binoculars! 

The Canadian jays were something else!  These bold little guys popped out just before the summit and were more than happy to hang out for a while. They were quite attentive and aggressive when we ate our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!

If you want to hear us talk more about the trail conditions, our bird encounters, and our exciting ending to the hike, you can listen to the upcoming episode soon.

All in all, Mount Jackson was a gem. In our completely non-expert, but slightly more confident opinion, this was one of the more rewarding hikes we’ve done so far. If you’re working on the 48, don’t sleep on this one. We’ll gladly come back for a summer version someday—but even with the ice, we’d do it all over again.

Stats:

• Elevation: 4,052 feet

• Elevation gain: ~2,150 feet

• Distance: 5.2 miles round trip

• Views: 10/10

• Difficulty: 7/10