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Seasoned distance hikers and peak baggers Lori and Mike Innes share stories and photos from one of their many hiking accomplishments: Vermont’s beautiful Long Trail.
Highland Happenings Featured Evening Programs are FREE and OPEN to the public. For more information, please call (603) 278-4453.
Join the AMC at one of its Featured Evening Programs: Wednesday Night with a US Forest Service Ranger.
Pinkham Notch evening programs are free and open to the public. Call to find out more or to be added to the monthly email list: (603) 466-2721 or outdoors.org/pinkhamhappenings.
Distance hikers Mike and Lori Innes provide an overview of life at AMC’s Backcountry Huts, with stories and photos of these 8 amazing backcountry places.
Highland Happenings Featured Evening Programs are FREE and OPEN to the public. For more information, please call (603) 278-4453.
For a one-of-a-kind experience drive yourself or take a guided tour up the Mt. Washington Auto Road to the summit of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast. Be sure to pack your camera or iPhone because you’ll want to snap lots of photos along the way of the breathtaking vistas.
First opened in 1861, when horse-drawn wagons ferried visitors to the summit, the Mt. Washington Auto Road is America’s oldest man-made tourist attraction. Today, the mostly paved eight-mile-long Auto Road is traveled by motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and hikers eager to experience the amazing history, unpredictable weather, panoramic views and the opportunity to pass through four distinct climate zones.
Although days of sunny skies and jaw-dropping vistas elicit plenty of oohs and aahs, cloudy days show off the extreme weather that Mount Washington is so well known for. You can drive yourself to the summit, hop aboard an Auto Road van for a guided tour, or hike to the top of the 6,288-foot mountain.
The Auto Road offers two- and three-hour guided tours in comfortable vans with experienced drivers who regale passengers with the history and lore of the mountain.
The two-hour tour includes an hour on the summit, with time to explore the historic summit buildings and complimentary access to the Mount Washington Observatory’s interactive Extreme Mt. Washington Museum.
The three-hour guided tours provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the Auto Road anywhere from the base at Great Glen Trails to the summit of Mount Washington, with extra time for exploring scenic areas along the road and the option to spend more time on the summit.
Guests who choose to drive their own vehicles can spend the entire day exploring the pull-offs, short hikes, alpine flowers and vistas, but on a trip with one of the knowledgeable guides leading the way, will learn so much more and discover some of the hidden gems along the Auto Road.
Once you’ve conquered the summit, consider extending your stay and taking a guided tour of the paddling variety, which is available at Great Glen Trails located at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road. Enjoy a guided kayak trip along the scenic lakes and rivers of northern New Hampshire, away from the crowds and with brilliant mountain views and opportunities for wildlife viewing.
Or rent a bike at Great Glen Trails and peddle along well-marked carriage trails through beautiful meadows and along scenic rivers, with exciting mountain views at every turn. 
The Mt. Washington Auto Road is open daily until late October for drive yourself touring. Two-hour guided tours are available daily through late October, while three-hour tours are available from June 7-September 3. All tours are weather permitting.
For the latest updates on Road conditions and the operating schedule, visit www.MtWashingtonAutoRoad.com or call (603) 446-3988. The Auto Road is located just off Route 16 in Pinkham Notch.
Join AMC for our celebration of Earth Day! On Saturday, April 22, at AMC’s Highland Center, we’ll have an open house all day from 10am-4pm, with an outdoor picnic lunch from 11am-4pm. We’ll have family friendly activities ongoing throughout the day, including Trailhead Trash pickup, Recycled Crafts, Litter Relay, Energy Savings, Citizen Science, and more. We’ll also have representation from local conservation advocates and businesses on hand throughout the day for Q&A. This is a great opportunity for both kids and adults to get involved in conservation. The event will take place rain or shine, with lots of indoor activities in case of rain. All activities are FREE and OPEN to the public!
Activity Stations: Ongoing, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — • Recycled Crafts • Earth’s Geology • Energy Savings • Green Technology • Leave No Trace • Citizen Science
Scheduled Activities:
10:30 a.m. – Trailhead Trash Pickup
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Earth Day Outdoor Picnic
12 p.m. – Kids’ Scavenger Hunt
2 p.m. – Litter Relay
3 p.m. – Dark Skies Talk
5 p.m. – Social Hour & Meet Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust’s Rebecca Brown
For more information, please call (603) 278-4453 or visit the event page on Facebook.
Mud season hiking etiquette calls for staying in the middle of the trail and stepping on rocks, when possible.
Mud season can be a challenge for hikers and trail maintainers alike. So if you want to hike in the spring, knowing how to safely enjoy soggy trails without destroying them is an essential outdoor skill.
Wet Trails are Fragile
“More and more people are hiking year-round, and while it is wonderful to have people enjoying the trails, [hikers] are also having an impact,” says Alex DeLucia, the manager of AMC’s trails volunteers and Leave No Trace programs.
According to DeLucia, the saturated surfaces following spring snowmelt are a trail maintainer’s nightmare. Each hiker’s step churns up mud and sets the stage for serious erosion. “Some maintainers would like to see most trails closed in mud season, but we prefer to ask people to hike responsibly in all seasons,” he says.
Early spring hiking etiquette requires always walking in the center of the treadway. Sticking to rocks wherever possible will preserve both the trail and your footwear, and stepping into water and mud when necessary will minimize trail damage. Although you may be tempted to walk along the sides of the trail to keep your feet dry, doing so loosens soil and makes the trail more susceptible to erosion.
Mud and Ice are Slippery
A muddy trail forces you to slow down and pay attention to each step. Lug-soled hiking boots caked with mud don’t provide much traction, and a slip could be embarrassing or, worse, lead to injury. Expect to hike slower than normal and plan a shorter hike than you would when trails are dry. Once you do hit the trail, proceed with caution.
Trekking poles are helpful on wet trails, both to keep you upright and to probe the depths of what you’re stepping into. But, DeLucia cautions, poles loosen soil and accelerate erosion, so minimize your impact by fitting them with rubber tips.
Trails at high altitudes or in shaded areas can pose an additional challenge, with rails of winter ice lingering down the center of the trail. Traction aids, such as MICROspikes, are essential in these conditions.
Choose your Hike Wisely
A trail you can hike in soggy spring conditions without causing irreparable damag is a rare and precious find. This is not the season for exploring lowlands or wetlands, nor is it the time to hike steep basins, such as the Great Gulf or Wild River wilderness areas in the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF), where crossing runoff-swollen streams is dangerous.
In the mountains, the best spring trails are well-constructed, well-traveled routes that have been hardened for heavy use; the lower half of the Tuckerman Ravine Trail in the WMNF is a perfect example. Or follow a south-facing, rocky ridgeline trail; Old Toll Road to White Cross on Mount Monadnock in southern New Hampshire is a personal favorite. You’ll still encounter mud and ice, just not as much.
If you want an absolutely clear conscience, hike a sandy coastal route, such as the Great Island Trail in Wellfleet, Mass., or a road that’s closed in the spring, such as those on Mount Greylock in western Massachusetts, or Pack Monadnock or Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire. Mud season is also an opportune time to explore old railbeds, like the Presidential Rail Trail between Gorham and Whitefield, N.H., which were built with heavier traffic in mind.
Keep Feet Dry and Comfy
Choosing springtime footwear is a conundrum: 6-inch-high water-proof boots don’t suffice when you step in an 8-inch-deep puddle, but knee-high rubber boots don’t offer adequate cushion or support.
Wearing gaiters will help keep your feet dry in the cold spring mud. You also could invest in a pair of knee-high waterproof socks and rubber-soled wading or portage boots—popular with anglers and paddlers. Your feet stay warm, you get the traction you need for safety, and you can comfortably walk in the center of the trail to reduce your impact.
LEARN MORE
Mud season also means high water levels. Learn how to cross moving water safely here.
By Eileen Alexander
A combination of impeccable hospitality, top notch accommodations and amenities, and amazing views of the mountain peaks from which it takes its name, have delighted visitors to the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa for more than 150 years.
Come April, visitors to the Grand Hotel will relish the awakening landscape, misty mornings, sunny afternoons, and the glorious mountain vistas, while indulging in some much-needed R&R.
With a plethora of amenities from which to choose, it’s easy to plan a fun-filled day, or a quieter sojourn at the famous resort. Splash in the indoor pool, indulge yourself in the award-winning Tower Spa, take a hotel history tour, continue your fitness routine in the Health & Wellness Center, visit the farm animals, or relax in the in-house theater. Connect with family and friends over a meal in the casual Harvest Tavern Restaurant or make it a special occasion and dine in the 1865 Wine Cellar and choose a bottle or two from more than 6,000 wines. At day’s end, step onto the veranda and count the multitude of twinkling stars before retiring to your comfortable room.
The Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa offers several inviting packages each season to make your stay more enjoyable. One of these will surely help you make the transition between winter’s snows and chills and spring’s promise of warmer days, leafy green trees and tulips and daffodils popping up all over.
Or plan a visit at Easter and enjoy the bounteous breakfast buffet, Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Bunny Bash, and end the day with s’mores around the campfire.
Contributed by Jess Walter, Freelance Writer
New Hampshire’s Grand North is the perfect place for an adventurer. From fishing to off-roading and hiking, there are so many activities that allow you to become one with nature. However, the snowy mountains and icy patches can be dangerous. It is important to take caution and always bring a handheld GPS on your adventure in case of emergencies. These devices are lifesavers in dangerous situations.
Important Features to Have on Your Handheld GPS
Your GPS should be lightweight and small so that it can easily fit in your pocket. It should also be waterproof especially if you are fishing or traveling by rivers, and have an easy-to-read screen suitable for any weather condition. It is also great to have one with a distress beacon in the event of an emergency.
Top Three Handheld GPS Devices
· eTrex by Garmin: The device has a 65K color display with a 2.2”, 240×320 display screen, making it easily legible in sunlight. There is a microSD slot on the side which provides the ability to download maps. In addition to GPS, it also tracks GLONASS satellites which load 20% quicker than GPS, and has a barometric altimeter which records altitude for additional accuracy. This can come in handy when traversing the mountains of the Grand North. The device is also Bluetooth capable and waterproof for up to 30 minute immersions.
· Montana 680 Touchscreen GPS by Garmin: Another Garmin device, the Montana 680 is GLONASS and WAAS capable and with Hotfix prediction, can maintain your location regardless of the cover and canyons across New Hampshire’s Grand North. It has many additional, nice-to-have features such as a built-in 8-megapixel camera to take great shots of the wildlife and a touchscreen that is glove-friendly for the winter temperatures in New Hampshire.
· Rino 750 by Garmin: This model is a great device to have during an emergency. It has an easy-to-read 3” touchscreen with landscape and portrait views. It is Bluetooth-capable and even has updated current weather forecasts to help you plan your activities. Another special feature is its built-in 5 Watt 2-way radio. It has excellent range and comes in handy if you are ever in a dangerous situation. The Rino 750 also offers Active Weather Support with radar, position report, and emergency alerts, making the device