The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) New Hampshire 4,000 Footers list (NH48) consists of the 48 peaks in the White Mountains of New Hampshire that stand at 4,000 feet of elevation or higher. Hiking them is certainly challenging and extremely rewarding. The mountains are truly world class, with rugged trails leading to stunning vistas over wide swaths of wilderness.
Years ago, when Kevin started working on hiking the Catskill 3500 list in New York, he also came across the NH48 list and filed it away in the back of his mind. However, when we moved from New York to Boston, the possibility of hiking these peaks in the White Mountains reemerged.
In October 2017, in search of elusive peak fall foliage, we hiked our first 4,000 footer, Cannon Mountain, and we were hooked. We loved the incredible views, the quiet of the woods, and the challenge of the rugged terrain. Kevin bought the AMC’s White Mountain Guide (known as the hiker’s bible) and we slowly started hiking the “easiest” (honestly, there is nothing easy about hiking in the Whites) peaks within the closest driving distance to Boston. After a year of leisurely progress, we tackled the Pemigewasset Loop, which included 10 peaks, and realized that hiking the 48 was actually within reach. We started to love hiking in winter conditions and ventured to the mountains as often as we could, in snow and sun, to complete tough routes like Mount Isolation, the Presidential Traverse, and a single day Pemi Loop.
In September 2019, we finished our NH48 journey on Owl’s Head with beer and the camaraderie of fellow hikers. In March 2022, we finished hiking all the NH48 in winter. Since then, the White Mountains have felt more and more like home. We return almost every weekend to re-hike the 48, to hike other lists like 52 with a view (52WAV) and the New England Hundred Highest (NEHH).