I realize it might be sacrilegious in a way, to rank the 4000-footers, but my recent foray into New Hampshire’s 52 With a View mountains has got me thinking about the mountains I’d really like to see again—and the ones I don’t. A recent trip to Mount Paugus wasn’t my favorite, and even though I had some beautiful views at the summit, I just didn’t enjoy the trail as much as many of the other ones on the 52WAV list.
Considering the “52 With a Views” this way got me thinking about the 4000-footer list. Naturally. After I got home from Paugus, I started noodling the list and asked myself, which ones would I like to go back to the most? Which ones were my favorites, and which ones would I not really care to return to? I wanted to know. So…
Presenting the 4000-footers, by Preference
Now don’t flip out on me when you see your favorite listed well below what you think it should be. This list is, of course, completely subjective, and merely indicative of my own experiences. I’ve climbed a good portion of these mountains more than once, but some I’ve only climbed once, so maybe the weather wasn’t quite right that day. Or maybe someone looked at me the wrong way. Who knows. I could have the mountain all wrong. Please feel free to correct me in the comment section below!
To construct this list, I started with the full list of the 48, organized by height. Working from the top down, I then asked myself if I’d rather climb a mountain again over the one listed above it. Right off the bat, I knew I preferred Adams over Washington, so Adams moved up the list. Jefferson, on the other hand, stayed put at #3. Then I proceeded down the list until I got the ranked set below.
NH’s 4000-Footers
*Quick note on difficulty rating. EVERY mountain on this list is fairly difficult. The rating is only meant to indicate how difficult that particular mountain is relative to its peers.
| Rank | Mountain | Description | Difficulty (1-5), 5 Being the Hardest | Are there summit views? | Is it on the Return-to List? | Photo Galleries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pierce | Every time I climb Pierce, it doesn’t miss. I’ve enjoyed beautiful sunsets there and it’s on the prettier side of the Presidential Traverse, no doubt. I do love all things NH, but I promise that’s not the reason that the mountain named for NH’s sole president rests at the top of the list. I just love it. (Height 4310′) | 3 | Yes! | Yes! | 1. The Presidential Traverse 2. Running Up That Hill 3. A Glorious Sunset |
| 2 | Eisenhower | Eisenhower isn’t discussed enough, in my opinion, but the full breadth of the Presidential Traverse opens up here. It gives you a perspective on bigger mountains to come while still surrounding you with a healthy amount of green flora and trees. (Height 4780′) | 3 | Yes | Yes | Presidential Traverse |
| 3 | Liberty | Deviating from the Presidential Traverse, we have Liberty in Franconia Notch. Mount Lafayette gets all the press, but that’s part of why I like Liberty better. Very similar views with less people. (Height 4459′) | 4 | Yes | Yes | An Awesome Loop |
| 4 | Flume | I’ve climbed Flume a number of times and the Flume Slide Trail isn’t the easiest, but I love the views at the top. Completing a loop of Flume with Liberty is one of my favorite hikes in the Whites. (Height 4328′) | 4 | Yes | Yes | An Awesome Loop |
| 5 | Bondcliff | There are few spots as beautiful as the summit lookout from Bondcliff. The only difficulty is the distance it takes to get here and the other bonds. Plan for an overnight if looking to do all three, or prepare for a really long day—over 18 miles. (Height 4265′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | An Epic Hike |
| 6 | West Bond | I liked West Bond slightly more than Bond, only because I thought it was a cool perch to view the entire breadth of “The Bonds.” (Height, 4540′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | An Epic Hike |
| 7 | Bond | Can’t go wrong here, just need enough time to get to it. And good knees. Or Advil. (Height 4698′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | An Epic Hike |
| 8 | Osceola | I love Osceola. It’s one of the shortest summits to reach with views almost as good as the Bonds in my opinion. I could easily rank this mountain higher. And even though I’m giving it a difficulty ranking of 1, that doesn’t mean it’s easy! Just easy relative to its peers. (Height 4340′) | 2 | Yes | Yes | The Fastest Climb |
| 9 | Jackson | Jackson is one of the fastest ways to get to see big, beautiful mountains. I used to rank this peak higher, but felt that the views from some of the other ones listed above made them deserving of a higher ranking. That being said, I love Jackson. And it’s neighbor Webster even better. (Height 4052′) | 3 | Yes | Yes | 1. The Presidential Traverse 2. The Webster-Jackson Loop 3. Running Up That Hill |
| 10 | South Twin | One of the best mountain experiences I had was on the Twins, where I watched a glorious sunset. I really want to go back and see them again. To get to South you have to go over North Twin first. Perhaps I’d stay at Galehead Hut to really enjoy them more. (Height 4902′) | 4 | Yes | Yes | Caught at Sunset |
| 11 | North Twin | When I climbed North Twin, I also climbed South Twin and Galehead, making for a very difficult but wonderful day. I think if you just did North Twin alone, it wouldn’t be so bad. (Height 4761′) | 3 | Yes | Yes | Caught at Sunset |
| 12 | Lincoln | I love the views on the Lafayette-Lincoln loop. There’s a reason why it’s one of the most popular 4000-footer hikes. (Height 5089′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | A NH Classic |
| 13 | Lafayette | The only reason Lafayette and Lincoln are not higher on my list, is because at no matter what age I climb it, Lafayette always gives my knees a beating. More than any other mountain. 5260 | 5 | Yes | Yes | A NH Classic |
| 14 | East Osceola | East Osceola isn’t as high as Mount Osceola because the views aren’t quite as good, but they are still great and “The Chimney” connecting the two peaks is a fun way to bridge the peaks. (Height 4156′) | 2 | Yes | Yes | Spikeless |
| 15 | Monroe | I’ve only ever done Monroe as part of the Presidential Traverse, but I’d like to return to it for a solo peak visit and explore the trails leading directly to it. I love the approach from Monroe to Washington. It’s after Washington, heading north, that I find the Traverse less appealing. (Height 5384′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | Presidential Traverse |
| 16 | Carrigain | Beautiful mountain that is only difficult because of the distance to get in. Plan for over 10 miles roundtrip. There is a platform at the top of it, and I’ve always wanted to camp there. Maybe someday. (Height 4700′) | 4 | Yes | Yes | Wingman Needed |
| 17 | Owl’s Head | The actual summit of Owl’s Head is shrouded in trees, but there are some great views near the summit. I went there during the fall and that was definitely the right call. Surrounded by stunning fall foliage makes every place in the White Mountains incredible to see. It’s a very long hike in though. (Height 4025′) | 5 | Yes (well, sorta) | Yes (if done by a backcountry overnight) | Out There |
| 18 | Cannon | I’ve climbed Cannon a bunch in the winter and have always enjoyed it. And the views aren’t ruined by the presence of the ski mountain. Cannon is a steep hike though, so I couldn’t give it a “1” despite its height. (Height 4100′) | 3 | Yes | Yes | First Ascent |
| 19 | Garfield | Garfield is one where I know I’d like it if I get to see it again. The one time I climbed it, fog obscured the entire summit. I also climbed it in the dark. So this one is ranked higher simply because my gut tells me I’d love it on a clear day. (Height 4500′) | 3 | Yes | Yes | Scared in the Dark |
| 20 | Moosilauke | Moosilauke is considered one of the more popular hikes for starting your 4000-footer adventure, and I can see why, but I find it more difficult then other sites would lead you to believe. I also think the views and everything are just okay compared to other 4000-footers. But I’ve had some great experiences hiking with friends on the Moose, so it finds itself at 20. But note, I could easily see it being lower on the list. (Height 4802′) | 4 | Yes | Maybe (Only if a friend really wants to do it, because I’ve done it enough times to feel satisfied. The one other factor would be to backcountry ski it.) | 1. Failing Moosilauke 2. Summit Success |
| 21 | Adams | Adams is rugged and exposed. As the second highest on the list, I prefer it to Washington because there are less crowds, and it’s somewhat prettier than Jefferson. I’m curious to explore some of its subpeaks. (Height 5774′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | Presidential Traverse |
| 22 | Madison | When it comes to giving my knees a helluva beating, Madison gets second place. It is STEEP and rocky. If doing the Presidential Traverse, I recommend starting at Madison and finishing on Jackson. It’s a prettier way to go, and you don’t have to suffer a descent on rocky Madison. (Height 5367′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | Presidential Traverse |
| 23 | Moriah | Moriah is the gateway to Moriah-Carter Range, where you summit Mount Surprise along the way. Some of the best views you get are on this early part of the trek. (Height 4049′) | 3 | Yes | Yes | The Hardest Day |
| 24 | Passaconaway | Passaconaway is great, but if you’re open to doing other mountains, I’ve found the ones on the 52WAV list, surrounding Passaconaway, to be even prettier. From their summits, like Hedgehog, you get to look up at Passaconaway and get a more layered view to enjoy. (Height 4043′) | 4 | Yes | Yes | Training Ground |
| 25 | Waumbek | A great one for a winter hike. You climb Starr King first to get to it, which has a cool old chimney at its summit. There are other mountains I could put above this one, but I really just enjoyed my time on Waumbek. A very peaceful day. (Height 4006′) | 2 | Yes | Yes | Waumbek & Starr King in Winter |
| 26 | Galehead | The actual summit of Galehead is buried in tree cover, but before summiting I passed the Galehead Hut, with a sunset looking out over the valley. What a serene place. Difficulty is set high because it takes a while to get to. (Height 4024′) | 5 | No | Yes | Caught at Sunset |
| 27 | South Kinsman | I love the Kinsmans. You get to see Lonesome Lake, Kinsman Pond, and enjoy two great mountains. South Kinsman is harder only because you have to get by North first. (Height 4358′) | 4 | Yes | Yes | The Kinsman Loop |
| 28 | North Kinsman | There is a little more tree cover on North Kinsman, but plenty of lookouts to get great views. (Height 4293′) | 3 | Yes | Yes | The Kinsman Loop |
| 29 | Willey | Willey has, for me, turned out to be the most surefire way to have a gray jay experience. They are everywhere! (Height 4285′) | 2 | Yes | Yes | Hunted |
| 30 | Whiteface | Beautiful views of the Lakes Region. My visit was part of a long loop hike with Passaconaway, and I’d like to go back to see it just on its own. (Height 4020′) | 2 | Yes | Yes | Training Ground |
| 31 | Middle Carter | The most arduous climb I have had in the Whites was on the Carter-Moriah range. But I’d like to see them again and don’t think it would be so bad to visit them individually. Middle Carter had some of the best views during that hike, though the actual summit was in the trees. (Height 4610′) Update: Recent visit in winter conditions proved to be a hard trek, but again, cool views near the summit. | 4 | Yes (well, kinda) | Yes | The Hardest Day Bring Out the Imp |
| 32 | Carter Dome | Mount Hight is really what you want in this range for good views, but Carter Dome is close to it, and you can get some good vantage points. (Height 4832′) | 4 | Not really | Yes | The Hardest Day |
| 33 | South Carter | Similar deal to Middle Carter, I’m just curious to go back. It was beautiful up on that ridge. The actual summit of South Carter didn’t have any views, but along the way there are some beautiful ones. (Height 4430′) | 4 | No | Maybe | The Hardest Day |
| 34 | Tecumseh | I like Tecumseh but because it’s a ski mountain, it loses some of its allure. I did enjoy bringing skis though when I climbed it! (Height 4003′) | 2 | Yes | Yes | Skin Up Ski Down |
| 35 | Tom | Tom is a fairly easy one and you can get a little view from the summit, especially during the winter when the trees bend low from the snow and frost. (Height 4051′) | 1 | Yes | Yes | Winter Success! |
| 36 | Zealand | Zealand gets credit for what came after. Namely, Mount Guyot. The actual summit of Zealand though is a disappointment. It’s a beautiful hike along the way, with Zeacliff, Zealand falls, etc. All gorgeous. Zealand is also in the heart of a great area; it’s just too bad Zealand’s summit is completely viewless. 4260 | 4 | No | If I have to. | An Epic Hike |
| 37 | Wildcat | Wildcat just goes straight up. And it’s a ski mountain, which ruins it a little for me. I ascended Wildcat in the dark, at the end of a very hard day over the Moriah-Carter range. Maybe a return trip will improve Wildcat’s ranking. (Height 4422′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | The Hardest Day |
| 38 | Wildcat D | This peak is right at the ski lift, which was actually kind of cool in the middle of the night, but otherwise, I’d prefer something more in the “wild.” (Height 4050′) | 4 | Yes | Yes | The Hardest Day |
| 39 | Washington | It’s probably not fair for me to have Washington at 39, because it is an epic mountain. And I’ve never climbed it without doing a traverse—only a bit on Hillman’s Highway this past winter. Like Wildcat, I think I need to go back to experience it by itself. The Disneyland vibe at the summit though, kind of wrecks the experience. (Height 6288′) | 5 | Yes | Yes | Presidential Traverse |
| 40 | South Hancock | I really enjoyed my time in the Hancock range, even though there aren’t a ton of views. You’re mostly in the trees for the duration, although in the wintertime you can see more. (Height 4319′) | 4 | Yes (well, kinda) | Yes | A Gritty Loop |
| 41 | Hancock | Height 4420′ | 4 | Yes (well, kinda) | Yes | A Gritty Loop |
| 42 | Cabot | One of the craziest days I’ve ever had was climbing Mount Cabot. It’s a long way to go what I find to be minimally rewarding views. The actual summit is shrouded, but near it are some good lookouts. (Height 4170′) | 4 | Yes (well, kinda) | Yes | One Crazy Day |
| 43 | Jefferson | I’m not a fan of Jefferson. After a long hike up, you get a hard pile of rocks to sit on. Not very pretty, and for some reason fog sets in most of the times I’m there. (Height 5712′) | 5 | Yes | Maybe | Presidential Traverse |
| 44 | Middle Tripyramid | Some mountains I just don’t really remember too well. The Carters are in that camp as well. I had a weird hike my day on the Tripyramids because of a fellow hiker, so I’d really like to go back to get to know the Tripyramids better. No real views at the actual summit, but some nearby of Waterville Valley. (Height 4140′) | 4 | Yes (well, kinda) | Yes | Strange Encounters |
| 45 | North Tripyramid | There were less views from North than Middle. (Height 4180′) | 4 | No | Maybe | Strange Encounters |
| 46 | Field | Field is in the tress. Basically, the best mountain over that way isn’t a 4000-footer in my opinion, but Mount Avalon. I’d group in Avalon with Willey, Tom & Field, and rank them in that order. (Height 4340′) | 2 | No | Maybe | Hunted |
| 47 | Isolation | The part that runs up to Glen Boulder is great, but the rest of it I could do without. If you’re doing a loop, the Rocky Branch Trail is one of my least favorite in all of New Hampshire. I have no burning desire to ever go back. (Height 4004′) | 5 | Yes | Not if I can help it. | First Attempt Finishing What You Started |
| 48 | Hale | The worst. It’s an easy hike up, but the day I went was rainy and foggy. It’s a fine hike, I guess, just nothing about it I found inspiring. I’d rather do a small mountain with good views. (Height 4054′) | 2 | No | No! | The Worst |
For Those Looking for a Few Great Spots
If you’re planning on climbing all of the 4000-footers, maybe this list is helpful, but maybe it’s an annoyance because now you now that Mount Hale kinda sucks. But for those of you just looking to climb the best of the 4000-footers, my hope is that this list gives you a quick guide to some wonderful rewards in the White Mountains.
And to be totally honest, it’s also for my own wherewithal so that if I have an impromptu trip to the White Mountains, I have a cheat sheet to remind me which ones I liked better than others. Because with 48 mountains, there are some details you start to forget! If you’ve climbed any of them, feel free to jog my memory.
Every time I climb Mount Pierce, it doesn’t miss.
In the Mountains
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