Running on four hours of sleep, I woke up at an AT hiker filled Notch Hostel at 3 am to start the Pemigewasset Loop at Lincoln Woods Trailhead. Storms had sucked the moisture out of the air over the past two weeks, and the stars and sun would finally be out. The "Pemi Loop" is 31 miles, 10,000 ft in elevation gain, and eight 4,000 ft. mountains that surrounds much of the pristine Pemigewasset Wilderness in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It’s rated as the most difficult day hike in eastern North America, typically broken into a two or three day backpacking trip. I pushed it all day to finish in 10 hours (moving time). After climbing all of the northeast 115 4,000 footers, including doing the Presidential Traverse, Bond-Zealand Traverse, and Great Range Traverse, this hike caps off an incredible past few years in the northeast highlands. There's something special about looking out at all the tallest peaks in a region knowing you've been on top of them all, each with their own set of hardships and memories. Feeling recharged and fulfilled, it's time to head south again. #Cheers
