At 7:00 AM on December 26th, 2003 Sue Johnston (who goes by the screen name of Stinkyfeet on the hiking bulletin boards) and Bob Williams (Frodo on the bulletin boards) set out to attempt a record for doing the New Hampshire 4,000 footers in winter. At 5:37 AM on January the 6th they returned to their car from the final summit, Mount Waumbek, doing the 48 peaks in 10 days, 22 hours and 37 minutes (11 calendar days). As far as I know nobody had yet attempted to do them as a series of consecutive daily trips.
Both were members of Cave Dog's support group in his 2002 record, there are brief biographies of them both on his Dog Team page.
Thom Davis had started out with them, but injured his foot on the first day; nevertheless he was able do 35 peaks with them and to finish the 48 peaks in a little over a month.
After each day's hiking they posted a trip report on the VFTT bulletin board. Here are the links to the individual trip reports:
- Dec. 26th, 2003: Wildcats/Carters/Moriah Traverse
- Dec. 27th: Garfield/Galehead/N. & S. Twin
- Dec. 28th: Madison/Adams/Jefferson/Washington
- Dec. 29th: Jackson/Pierce/Eisenhower/Monroe/Isolation
- Dec. 30th: Tom/Field/Willey/Cabot
- Dec. 31st: Kinsmans/Cannon/Tecumseh
- Jan. 1st 2004: Hale/Zealand/West Bond/Bond/Bondcliff
- Jan. 2nd: Flume/Liberty/Lincoln/Lafayette
- Jan. 3rd: Hancock's/Osceola's/Moosilauke
- Jan. 4th: Tripyramids/Whiteface/Passaconaway
- Jan. 5th/6th: Owlshead, Carrigain and Waumbek
- Summary of trip and general comments
I have calculated the distances and elevation gains on each day, as well as the actual hiking times (excluding time driving between trailheads). My calculations give a grand total of 230 miles and 73,000 feet, while they calculated 220 miles and 71,000 feet; close enough.
| Day | Summits | Miles | Feet | Hiking Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Wildcat and Carter-Moriah Ranges | 18.7 | 7,100 | 11:55 |
| Day 2 | Garfield, Galehead, Twins | 20.3 | 5,950 | 13:18 |
| Day 3 | Madison, Adams, Jefferson & Washington | 15.0 | 7,350 | 11:25 |
| Day 4 | Jackson, Pierce, Eisenhower, Monroe & Isolation | 25.1 | 6,700 | 12:28 |
| Day 5 | Wiley Range | 8.5 | 3,100 | 4:38 |
| Cabot | 7.8 | 2,750 | 2:50 | |
| Total | 16.3 | 5,850 | 7:28 | |
| Day 6 | Kinsmans and Cannon | 13.0 | 4,700 | 6:33 |
| Tecumseh | 5.0 | 2,200 | 2:26 | |
| Total | 18.0 | 6,900 | 8:59 | |
| Day 7 | Hale, Zealand, Bonds | 24.0 | 5,650 | 12:48 |
| Day 8 | Franconia Ridge | 13.7 | 5,050 | 9:15 |
| Day 9 | Hancocks | 9.8 | 2,650 | 4:24 |
| Osceolas | 7.6 | 3,100 | 3:52 | |
| Moosilauke | 7.6 | 3,100 | 4:13 | |
| Total | 25.0 | 8,850 | 12:29 | |
| Day 10 | Tripyramids, Whiteface, Passaconaway | 15.8 | 4,600 | 9:53 |
| Day 11 | Owlshead | 17.0 | 2,850 | 8:15 |
| Carrigain | 14.0 | 3,800 | 7:21 | |
| Waumbek | 7.2 | 2,650 | 3:54 | |
| Total | 38.2 | 9,300 | 19:30 | |
| Grand Total | 230.1 | 73,300 | 129:28 |
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