We enjoyed blue skies with fluffy clouds for this middle of 3 hikes to complete our Belknap Range Hiker list.
Author: Kevin and Kathy
In 2020, we hiked roughly 500 miles and learned a great deal about our limits, capabilities, and love for being in nature. It was hard to choose, but here are our top 10 hiking experiences this year. Here’s to many more in 2021!
On this southbound (SOBO) hike from Appalachian Gap to Middlebury Gap, we tagged two more of the NE 4,000 footers, Mt. Ellen and Mt. Abraham, and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset at aptly named Sunset Ledge.
This northbound (NOBO) section from Appalachian Gap to Smuggler’s Notch, which included two NE 4,000 footers (Camel’s Hump and Mt. Mansfield), was the most challenging and most rewarding part of the Long Trail so far.
Section-hiked the first 70 miles of the Long Trail in Vermont from the Southern Terminus to Mad Tom Notch and can’t wait to complete the rest. The Long Trail spans the entire state, running 272 miles from Massachusetts to Canada. The Appalachian Trail coincides with the first 105 miles of the Long Trail before splitting off and heading east toward New Hampshire.
Hiking a single day Pemi Loop (31.5 mi, 9,000+ft of elevation gain) is a bucket list item for many hikers and trail runners. Backpacker Magazine labeled it as one of the toughest day hikes in the US and we tackled it in 15.5 hours!
In 14 days, we walked the Camino Primitivo (the original way) from Oviedo to Santiago de Compostella and then all the way to the coast to Finesterre.
On June 27, 2020, we participated in Summits in Solidarity, a peak-bagging initiative with three key calls to action:
1. raise awareness about racial justice issues in the United States
2. take action to end systemic racism
3. raise funds for existing racial justice organizations that are doing critical work to support Black and brown lives