Introduction - April 2019

13 Before 13

I created a hiking list called 13 Before 13.  This list is composed of 13 hikes in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and only children under 13 qualify to earn anything on completion of the list, hence the title.  The hikes are split into sections of 4 with Easy, Medium, Hard, and 1 last hike of Little Haystack.  Each of the first 3 sections contains a hike with views, a hike with scrambles, and a hike with waterfalls.  The last of the 4 hikes is one that the children choose themselves.  On completing each of the 3 sections before Little Haystack, the kid receives a sticker.  On finishing the whole list, the child earns a patch.

Patch design, still under construction

The goal of 13 Before 13 is to give young people a project that is not too intimidating.  I want them to feel like this list was made for them...because it was!  Ideally, this list would introduce children to hiking and motivate them to move on to more difficult lists after they finish 13 Before 13.  The stickers, besides being motivational, are there for if a child doesn't finish the whole list but he/she completes one or more of the sections.

I am a Girl Scout, and one of the requirements for this project of mine is that I hike and interact with children.  Therefore, if you and your child are interested in pursuing 13 Before 13 and would be open to hiking one of the hikes with me, please send me an email at alexandraherr@outlook.com.  It would be great to hike with a young person and hear how he or she feels about the hike and the list in general.  Thank you!

Note:  All trail descriptions, directions to trails, and information about surrounding areas can be found in Steve Smith's White Mountain Guide.  This guide has full descriptions of not only these trails, but of all the trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  It is very useful for planning a hiking trip; there are many helpful and accurate details.  This book is a necessity if you want to hike in the Whites!  I use it all the time.  If you get a chance, visit Steve's bookstore, The Mountain Wanderer, in Lincoln, NH.  

Easy:
————
Views: Bald Mountain in Franconia Notch
0.8 miles round-trip
252 feet of elevation gain
Artists’ Bluff Loop Trail


Scrambles: Goodrich Rock Trail in Waterville Valley
3.9 miles round-trip
741 feet of elevation gain
Greeley Ponds Trail


Waterfalls: Ripley Falls in Hart’s Location
1.1 miles round-trip
308 feet of elevation gain
Ripley Falls Trail


Choose your own:


Medium:
————
Views: North and/or Middle Sugarloaf near Twin Mountain
Around 2.6 miles round-trip
Around 800 feet of elevation gain
Sugarloaf Trail


Scrambles: Morgan and Percival in Center Sandwich
5.4 miles loop hike
1600 feet of elevation gain
Mt. Morgan, Morse, Mt. Percival, Crawford-Ridgepole Trails


Waterfalls: Arethusa Falls in Crawford Notch
3.0 miles round-trip
900 feet of elevation gain
Arethusa Falls Trail


Choose your own:


Hard:
————
Views: Mt. Chocorua in Albany
The way up is the hikers’ choice


Scrambles: Caps Ridge Trail (to the Upper Cap) near Twin Mountain
3.8 miles round-trip
1800 feet of elevation gain


Waterfalls: Zealand Falls (by Zealand Falls Hut) in Bethlehem
5.4 miles round-trip
575 feet of elevation gain
Zealand Trail and the Twinway


Choose your own:


————
Little Haystack in Grafton County
6.4 miles round-trip
3050 feet of elevation gain
Falling Waters Trail