This week, I patched in to become a part of the group of hikers who have completed the Belknap 12 summits. The Belknap Range is a set of peaks located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, and they offer you a great opportunity to take in the beauty of the surrounding area—especially Lake Winnipesaukee.
But this wasn’t a conquest list for me, which should be evident by the fact that it took me over eleven years to complete them. Eleven! If I was hell-bent on climbing them, I suppose I could have knocked them off in a weekend, considering they’re not the biggest suckers. But I wasn’t after the list—I just wanted to explore the region and the list gave me a nice cheat sheet for how I could better discover the area.
View of Lake Winnipesaukee from Klem Mountain
A Chance to Connect
The first ones were so long ago that I don’t have the best memory of them now. And I didn’t think to bring a camera or even my phone with me on those trips, so I have no photos to show for the effort. I like being fully present on a hike, or a mountain run, and leaving the camera behind is cathartic sometimes. But dammit, I wish I could remember all of the special places I’ve seen without it! Another one of life’s catch-22s.
This year, when I discovered that life’s turns had brought me up to eleven of the twelve Belknap summits, I decided it was time to complete the list. You’ve come this far, why not? The last one remaining for me was Whiteface, and in September I sealed the deal. After completing it, I thought patching in as a Belknap Hiker would be a beautiful thing—something to tie a nice little bow on the journey. Another chance to be a part of a growing community of hikers. I submitted my fee and my summit notes to the powers that be, and a few days later received my Belknap Range Hiker Patch.
Isn’t it lovely?
What’s in a Patch?
It’s kind of like patching into the Sons of Anarchy without having to do any shady shit. Patching into a hiking club feels a bit more like getting a good person patch, one that verifies you’re willing to walk the extra mile for anyone and anything, should you get the call.
When I received my patch this week, I was informed that I was #2882 to complete it. In my youth, I may have begrudged the fact that 2,881 people beat me to it, but not now. When I got the news, my only thoughts were about how great it is that so many have gotten out there. How awesome is it that there are other people sharing in these experiences and appreciating what Mother Nature has delivered so majestically on our collective doorstep? Over time, patching in isn’t about saying, “Yes, I did it!” but about being a part of something that cares about a way of communing with the earth. A way of being.
Training Ground for Something Bigger
To tell you the truth, I’m actually a little surprised more people haven’t patched into the Belknaps. They’re good training ground for those wanting to do the 4000-footers or a bigger peak list. Gunstock and Rowe—two of the Belknaps—helped get me back in shape in between some climbs of The Presidential Range and Mount Isolation, and are relatively easy daytrips.
If I’m not feeling up for something bigger, but know my body needs to get out there, the Belknap Range is a great set of mountains to have in my back pocket. And because it took me eleven years to idle my way through them, I can think of at least four of them I can’t fully remember and would like to see again. When I need something smaller than a 4000-footer or one of the 52 With a View peaks, there’s a good chance I’ll be there. If you’re looking to explore them, you can check out the full list here.
On the way to Gunstock from Rowe—two of the Belknap Range Summits