In the early spring of 2014, a friend recommended I read Following Atticus, a book written by Tom Ryan about his adoption of Atticus and their adventures climbing New Hampshire’s 48 4,000-foot peaks. Over the years I’d climbed a number of peaks, climbing my first 4,000 footer, actually a 6,000 footer – Mt. Washington – in September 1986. Some peaks I climbed multiple times, such as Mt. Lafayette, and others I had climbed because I found those mountains beautiful – Mt. Adams, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Madison, Monroe, South Twin, the Bonds, but never did I climb them as part of a list. In fact, from 1986 to Memorial Day weekend of 2014, I had climbed only 11 of the 4,000 footers and was only moderately aware of the list.

Reading Following Atticus changed all of that.

I felt the spark of a challenge and the rooting of a goal. Little did I know at that moment how committed I’d become to that new goal.

My “official” quest began on May 26, 2014 with a climb of both Osceolas. The next day, my aunt, Lisa Perkins, joined me to climb Garfield. Two weeks later, I was back in the Whites – The Kinsmans and Cannon on Saturday and Field and Tom on Sunday. Two weeks after that, my friend, Kelly Meyer, hiked her first two 4,000 footers with our ascents of Flume and Liberty. Next up for me were Eisenhower, Pierce and Jackson, then the Wildcats and Carter Dome. When the calendar turned to September, I focused on the Trypyramids, hiked again with my friend Kelly for Carrigain and joined a Meetup group for Isolation. Come October, I was on to Whiteface and Passaconaway, and then another hike with my Aunt Lisa for Moriah. I started slowing down in November with Hale being the only 4,000 footer I climbed. In December, I climbed Pierce again and in January I met new hiking friends, Katie Langridge, Joe Ricci and Steve George for a fun-filled and laughter-filled day on the Hancocks. Joe accompanied me on Tecumseh in February and Katie and I hiked with a Meetup group for Waumbek (-18 at the start!). She and I also hiked Field and I don’t know that I’ve ever been as cold as I was that day.

In addition to the frigid, snowy weather, February also brought the realization that I would complete the 48 that summer. Something I never imagined when I started out in 2014. My progress energized me. And with that progress came the obvious question – what peak would I finish on? Up until that point, I hadn’t given it much thought.  I kind of assumed it would be Owl’s Head, the summit that epitomizes procrastination. Eighteen miles of nearly flat hiking, except for a mile up a rock slide that brings you to Owl’s Head’s wooded summit. I did not want to finish my 48 there. Instead, I longed for an above-treeline summit, one with open views and a wide expanse of sky. I looked at what I had left on my list and one peak stood out, figuratively and literally … Moosilaukee.

That I’d never hiked Moosilaukee surprised me. It’s an impressive peak, rising 4,802 feet in the west, but never seemingly easy to view from major highways, at least not that I noticed. So many mountains in the Whites make their presence known so obviously. To me, Moosilaukee had always been somewhat illusive.

But during the winter months, Moosilaukee came up in so many conversations. I had friends who were climbing it and invited me along. As much as I wanted to go, I declined. I kept the goal in mind – Moosilaukee as my 48^th.

Instead, in April, I checked Middle and South Carter off the list. The day was cold and blustery with snow reaching to just below the blaze on many trees. Finally, in early May, the snow had melted considerably and I joined a Meetup group to hike Cabot. Later in May, I left the snowshoes behind and climbed Willey. It felt good to hike sans all the winter gear and remember the feeling of bare boots on rocks and dirt. In June, Joe joined me on the trek to Owl’s Head. Multiple water crossings, nearly all requiring we change into water shoes, certainly made that particular hike more interesting. As did the family we saw hiking barefoot up the Owl’s Head slide.

Now, the end was truly in sight. On the Saturday before Father’s Day, I did a solo traverse of North Twin, South Twin and Galehead, spending time in the Galehead Hut to read previous journal entries of mine from 1988 and 2007. Back then, hiking the 48 was not even a brief thought. I didn’t even know about the list.

The list is something that everyone talks about or is willing to talk about on the trail. Anytime you talk to someone on the trail, the conversation inevitably veers toward the 48. Are you working on your 48? What number are you on? What do you have left? All common questions, ones that gave you an immediate connection and a conversation topic. For so long, it seemed like my answers showed I had a way to go 14, 20, 25, 32… everyone I talked to seemed to be so much closer to finishing than me. But not on that day on the Twins. When asked how many I had left, my own answer surprised me…one.

Less than a month later, on July 4, I began that final ascent. While so many of my hikes had been done solo this one would not be. I was joined by friends, old and new. Kelly, my closest friend from Rhode Island, who’d only started hiking the previous summer. Steve, Katie and Joe, who I’d only begun climbing with in January. Kacie, Casey and their two sons, none of whom I’d ever even met.  That was the amazing thing to me. People I didn’t even know or had only known for just seven months were eager and excited to join me on my 48^th. Joe brought the adults mini bottles of Prosecco to all crack open at the summit and Katie brought each of us an American flag for our backpacks. People who love to hike will find any excuse to get out there and support their fellow hikers.

On our way!

Our group assembled early on that July 4^th morning, meeting at the Ravine Lodge. The hike was a blur, going by so quickly. That happens when you hike with others. There’s chatting, joking around, laughing, lots and lots of laughing. This particular hike was no exception.

Making progress on the trail.

The going gets tough.

Near the top.

As we neared the summit, everyone held back, letting me lead the way. Reaching the summit was an incredible experience. Aesthetically, Moosilaukee’s summit is perfect. A rugged, alpine environment, cairns dotted the above-tree-line trails. Views in every direction…more summits than I can quickly list here. Emotionally, it was hard to believe I had done it, I had reached my goal. Well, almost. It doesn’t officially count until you get back down, something a hiker on the summit reminded me of.

We made it!

Celebrating!

With our group at the top, we popped the corks on our prosecco (being careful to pick up all garbage!), posed for photos and rested. Some of us took quick naps (Joe!), others roamed the summit. A man hiking with his mother carried a large American flag, which he let us use for some of our pictures.

About an hour after we summited, we started the hike down. Much like the hike up, the hike down was also filled with chatting, laughing (Steve – tick check!) and lots of singing, particularly hits from the 1990s (I’m talking about you Katie Langridge and Kacie Breeds!)

Love being above treeline!

And, like many of my hikes, the day ended with a trip to the Woodstock Inn & Brewery for post hike nourishment.

I’ve heard some people stop hiking when they finish the 48. Not me. More than anything, reaching my goal has only energized me to keep hiking. For so long, I was so focused on the 48 that when I thought about getting out for a hike, there was never a question of where I would go – it would be a 4,000 footer. The weather wasn’t all that important, nor was a summit view. If it was on the list, I was going to hike it.

My approach is a little different now. I have no doubt I’ll work on my Winter 48, or the New England 67 or the New England Highest Hundred. But for now, I’m content to join friends as they work on their 48 or go back and hike the trails and the mountains I loved or explore new trails on new peaks, even those below 4,000 feet.