NEW HIKER HERE!

Very new to hiking and I am looking for suggestions, thoughts and comments about where do I start?

I am looking to do some day hikes and start off slow and then work my way up. Where do I go, what should I bring???

I live on the Seacost of NH.

Any suggestions, thoughts, and comments are greatly appreciated!
thanks

[riverc0il]

welcome to the forum danh603! what type of hiking are you looking to do, and where? are you looking for big views, big mountains, flat hikes, hikes need water/streams/waterfalls, hikes near your home, etc?

if you're interested in the white mountains, two GREAT starter hikes are the Welch-Dickey Loop in the waterville vally area and Mt. Cardigan which is near bristol, NH i believe. both are excellent short hikes that offer great views from a mountain summit. both can be a tad crowded, so plan on leaving late or early to avoid the crowds.

closer to you would probably be mt. chocora south of conway, which again offers great views for a modest effort, but can also be fairly crowded.

i got hooked on hiking after visiting some waterfalls. there's lots of falls around NH. check out bolnick's "waterfalls of the white mountains" for some hiking suggestions. might even be available at your local library. if not, it's a great investment!

regarding what you should bring, that really depends on the weather and type of trip you're doing. but for a small day hike, i usually bring a light back pack, lots of water, lunch and snacks, topo map of the area, compass, camera, extra layers (long sleeve shirt,wind breaker), extra pair of socks, binoculars, bug spray, sunscreen, and a trail guide. these are standard fare and never leave my pack. some would argue you need more than the above essentials.... others might eve argue you could do with less. after a few hikes, you'll find out for yourself what you're comfortable with and without though.

[Mike P.]

Welcome, besides some gear, information is a great thing too. Maps & guidebooks can help you plan. The Whites offer a lot of varied terrain the the Appalachian Mountain Club's (AMC) Guide to the White Mountains is thought of as a near bible for the area.

Knowing your conditioning level & not over doing it is important also. There are many places near Lake Winni that offer some good hiking (Belknap, Gunstock, Blue Job & others) and the AMC has a guide book for that area too. (If you could find an old AMC guide book on line for sale, the old ones covered the area also but without a map.

While new Hampshire has a ton of trails, ME, VT, MA should not be overlooked either, ME & MA are close by to where you live also.

For gear, a rain coat (I prefer over a pancho if going above treeline as wind may blow your pancho around) a light fleece top (I prefer zipper vs. pull over but I sweat a lot so ventilation is very important to me) spare socks, a light in case your trip goes longer than expected (mini-mags are small while headlamps allow you to walk with your hands free) water & food are needed also. Shoes that provide you with comfort & support are nice, for easier trails, many use trail runners while for harder more ruged trails & other than summer hiking, boots are required.

Many sites list the 10 essentials, some are likely linked here including the AMC's site & Dave Metsy's White Mountain Server. Dave does such a great job covering the area he loves, you may not even have to hike, just check out his trip reports & pictures. All the views without the sweat & drive.

[Greg]

Originally Posted by Mike P.

Many sites list the 10 essentials, some are likely linked here including the AMC's site & Dave Metsy's White Mountain Server.

Here are some links based on Mike's recommendations:

AMC Hiking & Backpacking

White Mountains Info Server

Hope these help!