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Alex, this has been an amazing journey. Thanks for getting me out there. Thanks for asking me to write it all down. Thanks for being a kind and loving sister to Sage. Thanks for being all that you are. I love you.
Hugh, you stood back and allowed me to take our very young daughters up the rugged New Hampshire mountains in all four seasons; you gave your blessing when I took the girls across remote regions of the United States for months during our 2010 highpointing spree; and now, as I write this in August 2011, you’re in Massachusetts while the girls and I are en route to Texas so we can hike in an isolated region of the Chihuahuan Desert. Thank you for not blocking our way with unnecessary and overprotective barriers. We could not do what we do without your understanding and support. Thank you.
Rick Kipphut, thanks for your wonderful company and support throughout and beyond Alex’s quest. Our family will always hold you and your lovely wife, Susan, near and dear to our hearts. Looking forward to many more hikes with you.
Dave Bear and LRiz, thanks for your support on Isolation and Owl’s Head. Looking forward to spending more time with you on the trails.
Sandy Dimick, thanks for your hospitality, your friendship, and your ear. You, Troy, Kyle, and Kayla are wonderful people.
MWOBS and VFTT communities, thanks for the beta and conversations.
Thanks to the Appalachian Mountain Club for their creation of the New Hampshire Four Thousand Footer list and for their management of the White Mountain trails and hut system.
Mom and Dad, thanks, as always, for your support. Thanks also, Mom, for being an early reader of what was then known as Alex and the 4000-Foot Classroom.
To Becky, Jim, Peter, Cathy, Steve, Laura, Emily, and David—thanks for being the source of much inspiration and encouragement.
A huge thank-you to Laurie Bernstein, my agent. Laurie, you’ve been a strong advocate of this book from the get-go. Many thanks for your unwavering enthusiasm. Thanks also to Rebecca Kaplan, Laurie’s amazing assistant—I appreciate all your help!
To Sydny Miner at Crown—working with you is an absolute pleasure. Thanks for your editorial eye and enjoyable conversations.
To the rest of the team at Crown and Broadway Books, including Anna Thompson, Caroline Sill, Jonathan Lazzara, Catherine Pollock, Campbell Wharton, and Julie Cepler—many, many thanks for your guidance and support.
RESOURCES
The New Hampshire/White Mountains
Four Thousand Footers
WEBSITES
Ellozy, Mohamed. Peakbagging the 4000 Footer Mountains of New England. home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/index.html. Route descriptions, mileage, and elevation gain for each of the forty-eight Four Thousand Footers, plus additional information on various Vermont and Maine peaks.
The Four Thousand Footer Club. www.amc4000footer.org. The official website of the Four Thousand Footer Club. The official list of mountains, rules of the game, and annual ceremony information can be found here.
Metsky, David. Hike the Whites! hikethewhites.com. Helpful and interesting information about each of the forty-eight Four Thousand Footers.
BOOKS
Daniell, Gene, and Steven D. Smith. AMC White Mountain Guide: Hiking Trails in the White Mountain National Forest, 28th ed. Boston: Appalachian Mountain Club Books, 2007. Exhaustive list and detailed descriptions of all White Mountain trails.
Eng, Ronald C., ed. Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills: 50th Anniversary. Seattle: Mountaineers Books, 2010. Comprehensive how-to guide for every aspect of climbing. Includes safety tips for situations of extreme weather and describes the “ten essentials.”
Smith, Steven D., and Mike Dickerman. The 4000-Footers of the White Mountains: A Guide and History, 2nd ed. Littleton, NH: Bondcliff Books, 2008. Guide to ascending the Four Thousand Footers. Includes descriptions of the popular trails and helpful advice regarding winter climbs.
New Hampshire Hiking Forums
Hike New Hampshire. forum.hike-nh.com. Popular forum for New Hampshire hikers. Trip reports, general hiking-related topics, and such.
Mount Washington Observatory Forums. www.mountwashington.org/forums. Forums for those who enjoy Mount Washington. Both hiker and nonhiker members.
Rocks on Top. rocksontop.com. Forum for New Hampshire hikers.
Views from the Top. www.viewsfromthetop.com/forums/index.php. Moderated forum catering to New England hikers. Trip reports, trail conditions, and general hiking-related conversation. Must be sponsored to join.
Mountain Weather Forecasts
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Forecasts. www.noaa.gov/wx.html. Comprehensive weather information for all parts of the United States.
White Mountains Observatory Higher Summits Forecast. www.mountwashington.org/weather/summit_forecast.php. Forecast for the White Mountain higher summits.
Kids and Nature Blogs
AMC’s Great Kids, Great Outdoors. greatkids.outdoors.org. Tips on how to get children outside. Appalachian Mountain Club.
Children and Nature Network. www.childrenandnature.org. Network of researchers, parents, educators, and individuals committed to reconnecting children with nature.
Nature Rocks: Let’s Go Explore. www.naturerocks.org. For families seeking nature-based activities.