redlineguiding

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Exceeding Expectations

When the title of this post arrives as feedback on a trip we led or a class we taught, we know we did something right. It doesn’t mean we over-delivered, but clearly we didn’t under-deliver. It usually means that we nailed it, offering our guests exactly what they wanted (or needed) — meaning we met their expectations. So, you may wonder, how does simply meeting expectations also exceed them?…

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Knowing is Half the Battle

A long time guest returned once again, chipping away at her 4000-footers list. In that we develop friendships doing what we do, she was led by her go-to Redline Guide Mike Maciel. The secondary objective was Galehead and the Twins. Other ideas were on the table but this one seemed to be the best thanks to the heat and humidity, the team opted for more shade. As he usually does, Mike penned a…

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2026 Everest Basecamp Trek

We’ve decided provide a second opportunity for trekking to Everest Basecamp (EBC) for the fall of 2026. It is a ways out there, but when we posted the 2025 trip most folks expressed interest for 2026… so, here it is. See complete details here. Please reach out if you have an questions. To sign up, do so on our booking form.

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Perfect Hike

Just one day ago it was very hot, very humid, and the insects were loving being able to hang out with some nice sweaty hikers. Today things were a lot different. The heat: gone. The humidity: also gone. And the bugs: well, they were blown away by the strong breezes. A delightful day to hike, to be sure. And our guest was grateful. She arrived yesterday and thought the heat and humidity were a bit…

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The End of Tecumseh

At 3997-feet Mt Tecumseh — a long-established 4000-footer — isn’t actually 4000-feet. It remains on the list, for now, and seems to be grandfathered, so to speak. That said, we know one guy who claims to be done with Tecumseh. Like, he’s over it. We suppose we know what you may be thinking at this point so well let Redline Guide Chase Hall clear things up… My guest Gridded out Tecumseh today.…

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Full Moon on Franconia Ridge

Join Us for a FULL MOON Traverse Across the Franconia Ridge! Craving adventure? If so, we have something wicked cool for you to try. Join us for a Franconia Ridge Traverse (Northern Half) during the Full Moon in August. The entire lunar cycle is referred to as the Sturgeon Moon and for this bright sky tour we will see it in its final phase (with a full moon allowing for great landscape detail).…

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New Moon Presidentials

Join Us for a NEW MOON Traverse Across the Southern Presidentials! Craving adventure? If so, we have something wicked cool for you to try. Join us for a Southern Presidentials Traverse (Mt Monroe to Mt Pierce) during the New Moon in August. The entire lunar cycle is referred to as the Sturgeon Moon and for this dark sky tour we will see it in its first phase (with a mere sliver of moon allowing…

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Breaking Down the Bonds

Some hikers skip gleefully across the Bonds during their traverses, but not all. Other hikers will take all the help they can get. This is sometimes a choice but in other instances the decision may be driven by the level of conditioning, or a disability, or perhaps just the result of age. We’re not here to judge, only to help. And by help we mean hut-to-hut guidance coupled with portering and…

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Hazy Daze

One of our guests seems to be closing in on his multi-year objective: “The Grid” (to hike all the 4ks, every month of the year). Again he was out there with his safety backup, Redline Guide Chase Hall, checking off another mountain as “complete.” In this case it was Mt Moriah, taken on a very hazy, but nice, smoke-filled (from Canadian fires) day. Now let’s check out the photos. Great job,…

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Looking for Scrambles

The call came in from an assistant for the founder of a security company in New York. Her boss — an experienced White Mountain National Forest hiker — was looking for a good hike with some third class terrain on which to scramble. While actual third class terrain is not very common in the WMNF which offers mostly 2nd class scrambles and 5th class climbs, we did have some thoughts on the matter…

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Finding the Limit

We encourage our guides to briefly summarize the day allowing us to better capture and record the event and create a keepsake for our guests to share and enjoy. While we know the mountains and all that goes with hiking them, not being on trail with the guests makes it hard for us to solidify the image of the moment. Sometimes our guides summarize things so well we just sit back and say, here you…

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On the way to Kilimanjaro

Hiking the Seven Summits — scaling the tallest mountain from each of the seven continents — is a daunting project involving some extraordinary physical, mental, financial, and geographical challenges that need to be overcome. While we don’t have exact numbers, according to AI, approximately 3500 people attempt this challenge annually and we can safely say only a tiny percentage of people succeed.…

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Shining in the Rain

Rain or shine, that’s what we told everyone. And rain it was. Like all our other weekends this spring so far. But all was not lost. While the number of attendees did indeed dwindle (and we can’t blame them) our 8th Annual Trails Day did happen and it was a big success. Some sorely needed work was done on the Kearsarge North Trail and we were there to make it happen. The specifics were to continue…

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Closed Gates be Damned

Jefferson Notch Road is closed, gated, as it usually is at this time of year, so this was going create a problem as they knew. Ideally the team — consisting of Redline Guide Chase Hall and an oft-returning Gridding Guest — wanted to hike up Caps Ridge Trail to the Mt Jefferson summit. They felt going up Jewell or any other route was going to be a challenge. They were trying to avoid challenges on…

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Snow-Covered Shoulder

The “shoulder seasons” — one in the spring and one in the fall — demarcate winter and summer, but do not do so with an exacting edge, to be sure. One day it’s warmish and sunny, on next day it’s socked-in and rainy, and then you have one of those ridiculous May snowstorms. Our guests didn’t ask for this, but they did clear treeline on the Ammo and get to marvel at the snow and rime ice all the…

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She Waited 65 Years for This

A returning guest reached out asking about a backpacking trip with amazing views for her birthday. With all things considered, the lookout tower on the 52WAV-famed Kearsarge North seemed ideal. There it is possible to take in an incredible sunset, have a pleasant night’s sleep out of the elements (with no bugs), and awaken to an incredible sunrise (complete with the mountain’s shadow stretching…

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Same Ole, Same Old

Our regular readers will know this story by heart by now. The story goes like this: 1) One oft-returning guest comes to us. 2) He’s working on his Grid. 3) We explain that the Grid refers to hiking all the 48 4000-footers in every month of the year. 4) We link to our 4000-footer page to inform the uninformed. 5) We add that Redline Guide Chase Hall is leading this guest as he usually does,…