Hiking Tips

There are two ways to learn about hiking. You can forge head-first onto the trails, make mistakes, and hopefully learn from them. Or you can take the shortcut trail to the summit of efficient hiking by learning from someone else’s missteps. While there’s nothing wrong with the first approach, it will likely lead you to acquiring some unnecessary gear, not to mention blisters. Trust us, we’ve been there and done that. Hopefully the posts here, a collection formed from lessons learned the hard way, will help set you on the right path.

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NH Appalachian Trail Hike: Smart Mountain to Kinsman Notch

by Daren Worcester 0

Section hiking the New Hampshire Appalachian Trail, take two. After our first misadventure on the trail, where we foolishly tackled more than we should have and succumbed to dehydration, we returned to complete Smart Mountain and continue along to conquer Mt. Moosilauke.

Kids Love the Flume Gorge Nature Walk in Franconia Notch, New Hampshire

by Daren Worcester 1

Let’s first make one thing clear: Flume Gorge is a bonafide nature walk, not a hike. Hiking requires a trail that’s not navigable by a golf cart with at least the threat of breaking a sweat. Not to mention the optional shuttle bus, which shortens the “trek” to .7 of a mile round trip, is an automatic disqualification. As far as nature walks go, Flume Gorge is exceptional.

NH Appalachian Trail Hike: Connecticut River to Smart Mountain

by Daren Worcester 0

A year after hiking the Maine Appalachian Trail, my brother Brad and I set out to tackle the New Hampshire section. This blog post chronicles our adventure from the southern border crossing over the Connecticut River to Smart Mountain. In between we survived a close encounter with the Hanover wildlife.

Frozen Krummholz on Mt. Lafayette Old Bridle Path

Winter Hike Mt. Lafayette and the Franconia Ridge Trail

by Daren Worcester 7

It was nine degrees in the Lafayette Place parking lot and the car was getting blasted by wind. At a little past seven on a February morning, I had a good mind to retreat home to the warmth of my down comforter. Fortunately, common sense was in short supply.

So, you’re going to winter hike Mt. Washington?

by Daren Worcester 1

You can’t sleep. You toss. You turn. Visions of the “world’s worst weather” pummel the sugar plum fairies trying to dance through your head. Bitter cold. Biting winds. Fickly visibility. Winter hiking Mt. Washington—New England’s highest peak at 6,288 feet—is all fun and games with the added disclaimer of avalanche danger.

A Walk on Maine’s Wild Side: 22 Days Section Hiking the Appalachian Trail

by Daren Worcester 5

At 281.4 miles, Maine accounts for only 13 percent of the 2,178.3-mile Appalachian Trail. Statistics, however, are for maps. Ask anyone who has completed the entire trail and they’ll likely tell you Maine is the toughest state of the 14 trail states.