It's on the list!!

Everywhere you look, there is a list. There's a grocery list, David Letterman's Top 10 list, The A List, Most Wanted List, Billboard's Top 100 and even list of lists. Hiking is no different. If there is a peak, hill, crag, ridge, lodge, a fire tower, someone has placed it on a list.

When it comes to hiking, I love lists. I tend to get easily distracted, so a list definitely helps me stay on track and focused. I'm currently working on the 52 With A View List. This is a list of 52 mountains in New Hampshire, all under 4000 feet, each with a view. (http://www.nhmountainhiking.com/hike/lists/52view.html). These little gems are often overlooked because they are not the big mountains New Hampshire is known for.

On Saturday I decided to hike Mt Hibbard. Why? Because it's on the list of course. This is #27 for me, and I couldn't have picked a better day to hike. It was one of those days where it seems Mother Nature and the Mountain gods conspired together just to give me a great day. The sky was a cloudless, bluebird color, the sun bright and true and the temperature to start was 43 degrees. I could not have asked for better conditions.

One of things that I like most about hiking the 52 With A View list is that they tend be where the tourist hikers are not. For those of you who don't know, a tourist hiker is one that only travels the Interstate and hikes those popular peaks that are easily accessible.

The mountains on this list are generally way off the beaten path, and can be hard to find. One of the benefits of this is that I have been afforded the pleasure of seeing many of New Hampshire's small towns and hamlets, places most residents, never mind tourist, hardly ever see. I have driven my Volvo S60 on roads and cow paths such as the engineers at Volvo never dreamed of!!! Admittedly, I would have bought something different if I had known I would fall in love with hiking.

The remoteness of these peaks ensures that the trails are less crowded, even empty at times. While I enjoy my small circle of hiking friends, I also enjoy solo hiking. For me, going into the wilderness and hiking mountain summits is akin to practicing religion. The mountain peaks, streams, valleys and wild places are my cathedral.

While I hike, I also like to stop and inspect interesting things along the way such as moss covered trees, toads and slugs and photograph everything I see. Getting to the Summit is only part of the allure of hiking for me. Immersing myself in all that I see along the trail is also fun. Sometimes, I have just as much pleasure from watching a cascading mountain stream as I do from a spectacular view on a summit.

 

On this hike, I had the entire mountain to myself and never once saw another soul until I was on the last mile of the hike, heading back to my car. That is how I describe a perfect hike! There is something so relaxing, even Zen like, from sitting quietly in perfect solitude on a mountain summit. The hike was 6.2 miles and include 3 summits: Mt Wonalancet, Hibbard Mt, and Wonalancet-Hedgehog. A great day for sure.

 Here is a video from the hike.

Normally I begin planning my next hike almost as soon as I get home from the previous one. I have no need to do that for next weekend, since I was lucky to be one of the chosen few to attend the first ever Following Atticus Gratitude Hike.

If you don't know who Atticus is, his full name is Atticus M. Finch. He is an amazing little dog, who has achieved a measure of celebrity from appearing in a book written by his human friend, Tom Ryan. The book is called Following Atticus.

I highly recommend you read this wonderful story about friendship on the trail between a man and a dog. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting them both at a book signing in Concord, NH.

As a show of appreciation for all his fans, Tom decided that he and Atticus would lead a hike consisting of some lucky fans. Over 20 of us were picked.

The amazing part is that Tom & Atticus, for the most part are solo hikers, and generally keep to themselves. They are really going out of their comfort zone with this idea. This is something I share with them, since all of my hikes are either solo or with a very select few.

A private Facebook page was created for the group, and we have all been sharing bits and pieces of our lives and getting to know each other a little better. There are people from all over the country coming to this hike, some with hiking experience and others who have never hiked before. There are some who have never even seen New Hampshire before. They are in for a treat, as Mother Nature will have painted the trees in a riot of color just in time for their arrival.

I look forward to finally meeting them all on the hike. I will write about this adventure when it is done. If you would like to follow along, I invite you to "Like" the Following Atticus Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/FollowingAtticusBook

Happy trails, and as Tom Ryan says "Onward, by all means!!"