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Great video! As a NH native it's nice actually knowing the trails you are talking about. I have the upmost respect for the whites.

I'm 2 years 2 late, but do u still recommend this.

Did it last week. No one there. amazing

How does it keep you warm If it lets Air through?

I did it for the first time this year. The mountain itself is amazing it’s just the crowds and the no pets that sucks. I did the white cross to cascade trail down, so glad I did because you get views all the way across. Just catch it on a quiet day if you can.

Now you can get one looks like nobody wants them anymore today it's all about Alpha hoodies

Thinking of patagonia retro pile fleece. How do you yhink compared to skygoat fleece?

Funny how I came on this video today, five months after you posted it! I’m in a depressed state for,the past few days. Lots of bad things going on with my family and around me. I go outside normally, that helps. Today, instead, I opened the windows of my office all the way and just hung out in the room for a couple of hours. I turned on great Christmas music from the 60’s. I changed the bedding in my spare rooms. All this lifted my spirits. Fresh air, it’s always the fresh air!

White dot and white cross are the most crowded and most boring. pumpelly is the most interesting trail

Awesome story. Thanks for sharing. What app were you using to track your route?

Love it! I'm headed up the Moose and a little beyond December 6th through 9th - nice to get a sneak peak of the snowy summit conditions and your thoughts on the trail / gear.

As someone from a non english speaking country i totally agree with you that a southern accent is very pleasant to listen to.

Squak is a another brand doing grid fleece and they are handmade in Utah, ship, and only run $60

My wife wants to do more 4K footers next year for vacation. I’m putting this one on our list! She’s done Washington and Eisenhower with me, but I’d like to knock out some more moderate peaks and looking for the ones with the most payoff, and to help her get the satisfaction of getting more under her belt. She’s done Washington but it was hard for her. Eventually we’ll do all 48 but we live 4 hours away in CT so we can’t exactly go every weekend lol. 😂

Stumbled across these guys by accident when i was in Lincoln. Quality is absolutely impeccable. Feels better than just about any other contemporary brand, and as good as some of patagonia's stuff from the mid 90's or Arc'teryx's stuff from the 2000's (which i still use often, despite the former being older than me). The staff are very friendly too. New favorite gear manufacturer for sure. Doesnt hurt that theyre local

Or you can buy a trekking pole that’s built for this (REA) sells one really great

Great video! I will try this at my next night hike

We are lucky enough to have a great National Trust park with a stream and some "wild" wooded area less than 1km from our house. There are usually cows or sherp grazing. I have been taking my son there since he was a baby and even then he enjoyed it: looking at the livestock, at the dogs, other kids, dipping his feet in the stream... As he grew, we progressed to other things: picnics by the stream with other mums and toddlers, letting them splash around, bike rides on the back of my bike, chestnut picking, admiring badger setts, hollow trees, looking at different farm machinery in adjacent fields... I think all these things helped him find the joy of walking in nature and hiking. I also make a big fuss of everything, I try to make it as fun as possible: we find a hollow tree "wow, I bet a lot of little animals hide here at night! Where would you hide if you were a little mouse?" Or there is a badger sett: I proceed to tell him mama and dada badger are sleeping snugly inside... Or we find a big hole between rocks: "Look at this: I bet there is a little bear and his mum sleeping inside. Come here super quietly and listen" (There aren't any bears in the UK, obvs). Big puddles after several days of rain: "Hey, I think this is the crocodile's puddle! Throw a rock at it to see if he comes out" Now that he turned two three months ago, he is the one playing pretend all the time and making up stories as we walk; he usually looks for a long stick and he says he is carrying it, in case we encounter a wolf... He will smack it over the head!! And howls in pain. Haha I took him on his longest hike last weekend. It was supposed to a 3 mile round walk, but we turned around 800 metres before the end. He was tired and, although he soldiered on like a champ, I did not want him to suffer. Better to end it while he is having fun, so that he finishes it feeling good and wanting to back another day.

Planning to hike Monadnock in two weeks, but I'm not sure how my stamina will be after covid earlier this month. Have you ever hiked up the less steep White Cross? Do you think it would be significantly less challenging to ascend vs. the White Dot? Also thinking about some of the lower trails such as Cliff Walk as alternatives to summiting just in case. Would you recommend any other trails in the park? Thank you for sharing your adventures!

Cool Channels! My Top 3 --> (1) Cody Townsend (2) Mediocre Amateur AND ... A little bit of bias here: (3) 14er Finisher. Check those out! Happy Trails Ya'll 🤠

How durable the fabric is? Looks weak!

Thank you for a wise, wonderful video. I'm so glad I found you!

Coming over here from LinkedIn, great video and really lovely message!

Even easier, on your trekology pole with the rubber top, use a T-nut. Use the ones with the little spikes. use a drill bit the same size as the outside diameter of the bottom of the T-nut and hammer the spikes down until the spikes do into the rubber.

My last solo trip started with me angry and irritable and it followed me all the way north on my drive and even into the start of my hike. The outdoors can be healing but we also can carry our mental burdens with us into the hills.

And what was that red electronic device strapped to your shoulder?

Great video how far was the bike ride from Appalachia trailhead to castle trail head and how did you get back to the bikes with the car? I assume you can’t drive your car on that fire road. How far did you have to hike to fetch the bikes?

From a therapist’s point of view, this is excellent…and very share-able.

I particularly love the “get outside” advice…even to just sit on your balcony…❤

I"m no stranger to anxiety and depression. I also have anger issues that I've dealt with through counseling. Prayer for the anxiety and uplifting songs for the depression (and the anxiety) really helps me. My goto music when depressed is classic hymns done in the style of jazz or Appalachian. Thanks for the video.

I've seen a few people stash their bikes and then go up to Franconia Falls.

Thank you for sharing this. It's not easy for people to talk about this. Especially men AND when we feel like we have no right to feel this way because we actually have don't difficult lives. I think the more we see other men talking about this is allowing us to have the availability to open up about it. And personally I feel hiking is one of the best physical activities that helps you cope with all of this stuff. At least for me. Good stuff man. Thanks!

This was so great, Ken 😊 Not only is this hike amazing (well done) but the message even better ! Thank you for sharing your experience and taking us along on your hike! PS: hiking saved me in many ways and I would love to tell you about it ❤❤

For me, having something planned in the future helps a lot. Something to look forward to. Of course I can’t go to Hawaii every weekend but hiking and backpacking fill in the gaps. Of course having things planned ups my anxiety so it’s a give and take for me. Board and depressed or sleeping in a tent with the bears 🐻 😂.

Ken, so, when you hang out your shingle, please call me first! Seriously, an incredible video for all, not just hikers. I wish you great happiness in your own journey and sense that more videos like this will aid and comfort many others. Cheers my friend, onward and upward, if that's your goal!!

Nothing helps me process my thoughts and emotions better than being on the trails.

So many good points here. I’ve suffered depression in the past and it can be hard. Therapy and meds got me through it. Your point about feeling your feelings is an important piece of advice. How you feel about your feelings is even more important. If you beat yourself up for feeling any sort of emotion (sadness, depression, even happiness) you’re just adding to your suffering. Better to acknowledge your feelings, not suppress them, and trust that it will pass can help you to heal.

I do think it is helpful to develop coping strategies and ways of changing your perspective through more productive self-talk. It would be good to have someone who is an expert in that area develop something that we could all use. The things we say to ourselves become the stories that create the emotions we experience. Change the story and change the emotion! Thanks for making this video!

Kudos on the vulnerability. These are conversations we need to be able to have openly, especially as men.

Glad you tossed the OV 😅

Recently went on an Alaskan cruise and wore my Highlander hoodie most days. Definitely versatile and warm but breathes nicely. Got the recommendation from your other video and couldn't be happier.

Go in January, crowd issue will be much less.

Great video. I’ve only done Boott Spur once down like 20 years ago - looks better going up instead. Your last 2 videos have such clear blue skies with incredible views. So awesome!

Absolutely gorgeous trip footage! My thoughts on the crowds at the top - and top of Whiteface in NY is the same - is that I celebrate the accessibility that these few peaks offer via roads. It was FDR who had the road and elevator built to the top of Whiteface to open up the magnificent vistas to people of all abilities (including himself). Yes these peaks get crazy crowded. But think how many people get the opportunity to experience the top of a mountain who aren’t able to hike one otherwise.

Well Ken, I wasn’t planning on a hike up Washington this morning, but there you were so off we went!! What a day to hike, but the summit was too crowded for me as well. Great trip, very fine photography as always, your trips are enjoyable, thanks you.

Once did the Mt Liberty/Flume loop, counterclockwise, down flume slide trail in a full on thunderstorm. Foolishly did not do my research on the flume slide trail pre-hike… Love the Whites! Thanks for the video!!

Guyot has the best sunrise. I always recommend it. And that hike down is no joke. The shelter is awesome too.

Did the Semi-Pemi with a group of Boy Scouts a few years ago. It was a terrific trip of 3 days, though with a late start we arrived at Mt Bond just after sunset. We did the trek along Twin Brook Trail to the 13 Falls campsite. The terrain of Franconia Brook Trail made it feel like a highway for the hike out.

Glad you hit West Bond. Some of the best views on the whole loop.

Those hut workers have such a cool job! Do they get flown in every few weeks on a 2:1 schedule like oil rig workers or are they making this hike regularly, spending the weekends at home?