On The Path

By Randy Pierce

In 2010, we founded 2020 Vision Quest with a charitable mission and a goal to summit all 48 of the peaks rising above 4,000 feet in New Hampshire. While our historic single winter season accomplishment achieved a portion of that goal, we are proud to have worked through a very significant and differently challenging quest to reach them without the benefit winter snows bring to my blind footsteps. Twelve peaks remain between us and successfully achieving our original goal.

Our first hike will begin on Cannon mountain, once home to the symbol of NH. While the cliffs forming the visage of the Old Man collapsed a decade ago, the mountain remains dear to NH. It is the location where my winter quest culminated and is appropriate for launching this final season in style. We hope many hikers and non-hikers may be around to celebrate with us either on the trails or at the summit via the hike or the tram! We of course will be taking the trails both ways.

Our hiking day will not end at the end of trailhead for Cannon, however. We’ll quickly resupply and perhaps adjust some of the members in our group before crossing to the other side of the Franconia Notch and setting upon the Old Bridle path. Saturday’s travels are intended to end at the AMC Greenleaf hut.

This will set the stage for an early morning summit of Mt. Lafayette, which allows for an incredibly stunning ridge walk over to our actual goal, Mt. Lincoln! We’ll hopefully enjoy lunch atop this famous president’s peak and reflect upon the 150th anniversary of Gettysburg before descending via the Falling Waters trail which I have jokingly referred to as “Falling Blind Guy” due to the challenges of this trail in our winter journey.

Thus will our season begin with a pair of peaks necessary to complete our quest in our fourth year of what was originally intended as a more leisurely ten-year goal. Ten peaks will still remain to finish our non-winter 48 and the season of celebration will be underway. I expect to hike many more mountains in NH and perhaps beyond once the 2020 Vision Quest accomplishment is complete. I will relish the freedom to repeat any hike any time inspiration and inclination converge to give me this opportunity.

Still, this season will be a little special because I will have allowed a vision to guide me to heights I once did not imagine possible! If all goes well, the Lincoln Woods Parking area will host many friends on August 24 as we visit Mt. Flume for the completion of the season and the Quest.

Let the hikes begin!

By Randy Pierce

A treacherous bridge provides a good opportunity for risk assessment.

I am often asked about my relationship with fear in dealing with blindness as well as my many adventures. I prefer to think about it in terms of a healthy respect for dangers, both real and perceived.

As a planner and problem solver, I like to understand the potential risks as best as possible and then evaluate a range of possible solutions for these in advance. A strong part of my approach is knowing that a problem solver should be able to undertake every experience of a risk taker with more success and fewer bruises!

My experience is that attempting to practice solutions to challenges can lead them to become routine. The risk management can be reduced to acceptable levels before things are attempted. Part of this is to ensure that when reaching a moment of particular danger potential, I will be as prepared as much as possible to avoid the “paralysis by analysis” situation of over-thinking in an instant when an immediate reaction is necessary.

The first decision in situations of danger is whether or not an immediate reaction is needed at all. If, for example, I begin to lose my balance on a stretch of trail for which I don’t know the full dangers present, I probably need to make a quick decision about the level of balance loss.

If the chances of falling are high enough, it is likely best to immediately allow a fall in a more controlled fashion. That is, if the spot my feet are on is sufficiently known to me, then landing there is probably the lowest risk of the other unknown options. I similarly know that my pack is a cushion that landing upon will typically be preferred. So I tuck my head and drop back if at all possible.

I’m not eager for that fall, but often it’s the best reaction for an unanticipated dangerous situation. If my balance is such that I have time, then I might call out to someone around me to get a quick terrain understanding or I might explore myself with the hiking/support stick. In that moment of uncertainty, I feel concern that can border on a fearful moment. The more I know the situation, however, the more I know a range of possible reactions and likely consequences to reduce or remove the fear.

Sometimes, it's safer just to fall backwards and sit down.

There’s an old expression, “don’t borrow trouble.” I find a similar approach to allaying fears. By trying to fully understand the real cause of fear, I find that I get to truly know the fear and this is a major step in achieving a goal of having no fear.

In the above example of balance loss, I’m likely facing varying levels of concern for possible injury. In the moment of uncertainty for how big my risk is at that point, I can envision more significant injuries. Ultimately though, planning has reduced the likelihood of injury. By thinking through this in advance, we accustom our minds and some of the emotional surge in the moment to the realities of those risks. Considering the worst case scenarios and our reactions has diminished the “fear” to “concerns” and the advanced paralysis of anticipatory fear can be eradicated.

So in planning any adventure or experience that could make you anxious, I suggest taking the time to think about what are the real and reasonable risks. Get comfortable with the approaches you might take if problems occur. This is where the preparation not only aids in your likely success, but also may enhance your comfort or courage to undertake a task. Practice often makes perfect, as the expression says, and practice with mentally breaking down our fears or concerns is a means to build confidence to manage them.

This is not to say you don’t want real solutions or are trying to avoid things for which reasonable risks have not been addressed. It is to say that in truly and thoroughly knowing fear, we may eventually get to a point of low or even no fear! I know that at this point in my life I have little time or attention that is spent unnecessarily on fear. This additional time and energy is placed instead on more rewarding things in my life!

By Randy Pierce

Photo courtesy of Justin Fuller.

As the one-year anniversary of our historic winter hiking arrived, I tried to re-live the many experiences in my mind. A few words written from a recent winter hike hung pleasantly over much of that reflection:

Snow is crunching under my feet in sharp contrast to the blanket hush of deep snow upon the entirety of the forest around me. Distantly, I can hear the winds assault upon the higher peaks of the ridge line above us. We are traversing beneath the Cannon Balls towards the Kinsman ridge and the only words I’d heard recently were expressions of awe for the beauty of our surroundings. “You simply cannot describe this or see it within a picture with the depth of its reality!” Smiling to myself, I know that despite not seeing it I can feel it within me and in the responses of those with me. I think there are things within these experiences which draw us into contemplation that feeds the mind and spirit even as the body is challenged to grow with the efforts of coming to such a place. It’s simply marvelous and it’s one of many reasons why I hike here in these glorious White Mountains.

"Whistle while you work... doo dee doot doot doo doo doo..." Photo courtesy of Justin Fuller.

Our film of the quest, “Four More Feet,” has been shown in most of the New England states and have been appreciated by many attending the events, with hundreds of copies of the DVD being brought away to share with friends and family. The requests for more viewings of the film have been steady and one year later we have a few more opportunities that we are excited to share.

Our final public showing of the film, unless a surprising opportunity arrives, will be sponsored by the University of New Hampshire’s outdoor education program. We’ll be in the Memorial Union Building Theater, a place where I spent many working hours as an undergraduate. The OE program also was instrumental in helping Quinn and me enhance our hiking knowledge and experience and ultimately helped facilitate our success in the single winter season in the White Mountains!

Final showing date:

Date: 3/25/2013
Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Location:
MUB Theater II
83 Main Street
Durham, NH 03824

I hope to once again share the film with a packed theater as we’ve been so fortunate to do with most of our showings. We will entertain a Q&A session as well as having Quinn’s Pawtograph available to anyone obtaining a copy of the DVD from what very well may be our last public showing. We hope to make a grand event – finishing where a lot of things started for us!

We are also very pleased to announce that for a very limited time, for any donation of $25 or more, we will ship you a copy of the DVD shipped anywhere in the continental United States if you so choose. This offer goes live on starting on the anniversary of our success, March 10, and lasts until we launch what we expect is our final official hiking schedule for the non-winter 48 on May 18. If you would like to receive a copy, just let us know and send us a name and address to which the DVD should be sent at randy@2020VisionQuest.org.

As an all-volunteer staff incredibly busy with the core mission of our charity, this DVD is normally not available for mail-order, but we absolutely want to share the opportunity for everyone to experience this remarkable journey captured so well by filmmaker Dina Sutin. As such we provide this limited opportunity and hope it will ensure the film is shared with everyone who can benefit from the inspirational message it provides!

The full details are on the front page of our website for 2020 Vision Quest.

Let’s put a few miles into the efforts of “Four More Feet!”

"Just four more feet!" Photo courtesy of Justin Fuller.

By Randy Pierce

Snowy evergreens stand as sentinels on the slopes. Photo courtesy of Justin Fuller.

The “Winter 48” awaits those who become entranced by the majestic beauty of the magnificent peaks shrouded in crispy white snowfall. The sounds are more subdued, though don’t tell that to the chill creaking of the trees or the howl of the winds. The hardwood trees are bare, opening up views of the landscape so vastly different from the summer, isolated yet welcoming. The evergreens are draped so heavily in snow that the silent snow sentinels seem to guard the expansive higher summits even as they shelter any passers through their demesne.

Each hiker pursues these travels for their own highly personal reasons. It is thus an incredible wonder to be invited to share a part of that momentous goal with someone. Dina Sutin, filmmaker for “Four More Feet” finished her first Winter 48 on Saturday, January 5, on a trio of peaks: Tom, Field, and Willey. One of the greatest honors in my life is to have the friendship of people like Dina and Justin who went out of their way to make it possible for me to join them for the final trio.

It’s ironic—I wanted to lend them my support and celebration of how much I appreciate them, of their support last season in ensuring our own successes, and of their gift of sharing a love and appreciation for these mountains. What I actually received was yet another touching demonstration of their friendship and support, making it likely a better present to me than from me.

They showed up at 5:45 a.m. to pick me up and were greeted by a rare but enthusiastic face-washing fest from Quinn! We drove up to the AMC Highland Center on a lightly snowing morning reminiscent of so many moments we had shared the previous winter together. The trails had more hikers than usual, but as is standard of the winter season, our group’s solitude quickly enveloped us as we travelled.

Randy took this picture of Dina, Justin, and Quinn at the summit of Mt. Willey.

Both Dina and Justin have been piling up the peaks over the past few months and will likely touch the top of all 48 again in this single winter! Though sadly, I know there are likely precious few chances for me to be with them.

I was well buoyed by Quinn’s incredibly eager return to winter hiking and my chance to be part of this success. But I have a few additional challenges at present which were definitely impacting me and there was some doubt about whether I would be able to be part of the full three peaks needed for completion. In fact, without the incredibly supportive, encouraging, and moving friendships, I likely would not have made it. We pushed through well that day and my proudest moment was to take a picture of Dina, Justin and Quinn at Willey’s wooded summit!

So while I’ll never know for certain if my hindrance was higher than my attempts at encouragement and appreciation, this tale on our path is entirely dedicated to friendship and the celebration of your first completion of the Winter 48, Dina. Thank you for allowing me to share the experience with you! I know you’ll downplay the accomplishments all too often but I won’t fail to appreciate their worthiness. I will concede that the better part of the reward isn’t the scorecard of peaks, but the heart full of experiences.

By Randy Pierce

Randy, Quinn, and friends hike along the path on Mt. Jackson on May 19, 2012.

Reflecting upon the incredible highlights of our 2012 hiking season for 2020 Vision Quest, I am overwhelmed with the diversity and intensity of the experiences! This was our third season. It followed a winter of touching the top of all 48 peaks and deepened my understanding of the peaks and the process. So I think a quick tour of the peaks and summation of the entirety of this incredible season is worth a few moments of consideration.

It started on Mt. Jackson. The gnarly footing I experienced without the padding of snow winter added considerable challenge the trails. Basking for an hour on a sunny summit with friendship and laughter helped ease the frustration in the difficulty. With the challenge came other rewards as well, such as a few new hiking partners the winter had drawn into our company.

A view of craggy peaks on Mt. Monroe, over the presidential range hike of July 7-8, 2012.

We then took a month away from the mountains while the deerflies ruled and my legs fully healed from the 100-mile walk we did in early June. Our annual July 4 foray was pushed back just a bit and we gave the summer rematch to Mt. Washington. We could not recreate our original crew for this challenge, but we had a more than worthy collection of friends. That trip was an epic success, yielding Washington, Monroe and Eisenhower. It established a level of camaraderie which would set the stage for many of the hikes in the season and all with a different collection of friends.

Buoyed by that success, we took on our most challenging water crossings (excluding Owl’s Head) and delivered Twins on our longest day hike of the season. North and South were the objectives, but we added in Galehead for Tracy to ensure that the goal of next season would stage closer. I intend to finish the 48 non-winter in 2013 and it will be done with Tracy beside me, finishing hers at exactly the same moment.

Drew leads Randy through one of the teams toughest water crossings on the Twins hike, July 21, 2012.

Just as our group of hikers always come together and enrich the experience by the interactions on a trail, so too will the larger goal be magnified by my sharing so much of it with Tracy including the start and finish of the peak-bagging aspect.

Perhaps the most magical of the trips was our Bonds Traverse. We spent a two-night camping expedition with great friendships and the peaks of Zealand, West Bond, Bond, and Bondcliff all on a 20-plus mile journey through the deepest of the NH wilderness regions. The back-to-back sunset and sunrise atop different 4,000-foot peaks will remain a treasured part of the experience and favorite tale in the retellings ahead. The addition of Thoreau Falls and the foggy cliffs of Bondcliff interspersed the adventure with a little magic and mystery as well.

Swimming at the Thoreau Falls on the Bonds Traverse, over Aug. 4-5, 2012.

Next we hiked the Osceolas, thereby erasing the last of the peaks which had been climbed by me personally but not within the scope of our 2020 Vision Quest. It was our first ever and the experience had been grueling. This time it was exhilarating. We also included the vaunted Chimney in the conquest. We convened and participated in “trailhead tailgating” which promises to be a long-standing tradition.

Finally Willey gave us a Boston globe article and highlighted the premier of our winter documentary at the Highland Center. It also reunited us with our winter team and the slightly overrated challenge of the Willey Ladders.

Our 36th peak of the quest was Cabot for the Flags in the 48 program. It was our 14th non-winter summit in a season during which we had sought to match the previous year’s 17 accomplishments.

Success at the end of the Osceola hike on Aug. 25, 2012.

On our final hike of the season, the Tripyramids, we chose to turn back as a sunny forecast turned into a rainy morning and ensured the North slide would be more treacherous than we needed to undertake.

We’d adjusted a few hikes along the way, moved a few, cancelled a few and added yet others. The flexibility and choices to be healthy and happy along the journey are an essential part of the lessons learned throughout the quest. The peaks will remain for another day if the reasons for not hiking are sufficient to lure us away. I am more proud of the decisions not to summit, particularly the final hike of the season, because it makes clear that the quest isn’t driving us but rather we drive the quest.

12 peaks remain for next season to bring us our official 48 for the Quest. This will likely involve 8 separate hikes we’ll announce at our Peak Potential Charity Dinner and Auction on November 17. While the summit is in sight, I think it’s worthy to reflect on what was accomplished this season and what it means to me personally.

We completed a single season winter summit of all 48 and produced an incredible documentary on the experience. We added another fourteen summits towards our goal on the 48.

Randy presenting a check for $10,000!

We accomplished an incredible 100-mile walk in tribute to the 100-year anniversary of the New Hampshire Association for the Blind. We brought our total of students reached by our presentations to more than 16,000! We provided a pair of checks for $10,000 each to the two organizations we are pledged to support!

Our staff welcomed some tremendously beneficial new volunteers even as we sadly bid farewell to a few who needed to tend other parts of their lives.

We did all of these incredible things and yet the greatest accomplishment of all is that we grew our community of friends and support in many ways. I’m admittedly a little tired from the many accomplishments described and more we have accomplished but not mentioned. But I am buoyed up by when I look back on this season of success and count the meaningful friendships that highlight the lives of Quinn, Tracy and me. We have lives outside of the charity work–though that may not always be as clear as I hope–and our lives are touched and enhanced by the impact of the work we undertake. I love this season but I again think back to the words of a man famous in these White Mountains: Reverand Edward Hale. He once said:

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.”

Thanks to all who have played a part in this Season of Success!

Randy & the Mighty Quinn

By Randy Pierce
In September of 2009, I had climbed precisely 0 of the NH 4,000+ foot mountains. I had only left the wheelchair in 2005 and stopped needing an assistive support cane in 2007, which of course made such a mountain hike a rather lofty goal. Despite this, our goal was to explore the potential of such a climb based on some considerably shorter work with Quinn on far less intensive trails in southern NH.

We spoke to a diverse group of hikers looking for suggestions on which of the big peaks might make a proper starting point and the majority suggested Osceola from Tripoli Road as an easier climb. While they are likely correct that a typical hiker would find the more gradual grades a reasonable initial hike, the first 1.25 miles of this trail are exceptionally strewn with small boulders, making the placement of a foot tricky and particularly so for a blind person!

On that first trip back in ‘09, I had so much still to learn and yet I had a very excited approach to the day’s potential. My speed was generally slow, and unfortunately we left too late in the day for best success. I also underestimated the ideal amounts of food and water that would have been appropriate for the amount of energy that we would expend.

Our group did successfully reach the summit and, more importantly, returned to the trailhead parking lot afterwards, but we were incredibly fatigued and had pushed ourselves a bit more than was reasonable. Hiking back from the summit after dark without headlamps for the sighted and without any food or water remaining was another indicator of our poor job of risk management. We learned our lessons and ultimately we knew we’d repeat this peak once we had officially turned the dream of 2020 Vision Quest into the reality of our charity undertaking.

On August 25, 2012, Quinn and I were fresh off a five-day backpacking trip along the Appalachian Trail with the University of New Hampshire’s Outdoor Education program. The 2020 Vision Quest team led by Jennifer and Robert Liang gathered at the Osceola trailhead for 8:00 a.m., intent on not just capturing Osceola but traversing out and back to East Osceola as well. We had a full crew of eager friends and we were ready.

I couldn’t help but reflect upon how much I had learned since that very first hike three years prior. Where once these mountains and their trails seemed mysterious and wild to me, they now seemed like familiar places that I understood in many comforting ways. Certainly that first long stretch of challenging boulders required my attention, yet Quinn and my feet glided along steadily.

Well after the most challenging sections, I switched to using my wife Tracy’s pack for guidance because it allowed me to talk more freely with her and catch up on our seven days away from each other. The comfort of using a human guide is another skill that has been developed and the mental freedom to interact more fully while hiking is a gift that enriches the entire experience. As such, it was no surprise when a jovial crew arrived to have lunch on the summit considerably ahead of time and enthusiastic for the additional trek to the sister peak.

The saddle between East Osceola and Osceola involves a considerably more
challenging trail than the entirety of our prior hike. Despite this, it was a routine traverse including the bypass of the infamous “Chimney” on our way out to our second summit of the day. On the return trip, our entire group, less Quinn who repeated the bypass, undertook the hand scramble up through the chimney. This unique rock feature is a more technical climb that resembles a nearly vertical rock tunnel, much like its name!
In our prior trip, I could not have imagined an out-and-back on this day hike. I’m not sure I could have thought the Chimney would ever be within my grasp. The reality is we did all of this and more as a fine group of friends laughed and shared tales throughout the entirety of the trip. As I remember that first trip, I am most impressed that our learning and experience transformed the mountains from the daunting challenge to a familiar second home in which I invited friends to come and visit with me. This time around it was a most excellent visit too!

By Randy Pierce

Join us on Wednesday, October 24th at Chunky’s for the Nashua, NH hometown screening of “Four More Feet”, Dina Sutin’s brilliant film that captured our incredible winter quest to climb all 48 4,000-footers in the New Hampshire White Mountains in one winter. Meet the team and filmmakers – Randy, Quinn, Dina, Justin, and many others!

WHEN:
Wednesday, October 24th
Doors Open: 6:00pm
Film: 7:00pm with Q&A to follow (the film runs about 50 mins)

WHERE:
Chunky’s Cinema Pub
151 Coliseum Avenue
Nashua, NH 03063

TICKETS:
Adults – $8 advance – $10 at the door
Children (12 years and under) – $5
Senior Citizens (65 years over) – $5
*100% of ticket proceeds go to support the 2020 Vision Quest Charity.

To order advance tickets please email us at 4morefeet@2020visionquest.org.

We not only want you to join us for the showing, we want you to spread the word! Please share this with all of your friends, families and co-workers! We can’t take everyone up the mountains with us but want to share this tremendous experience with as many people as we can.

More about “Four More Feet”
Filmmaker Dina Sutin chose to capture this trek on film because she believed there was a compelling story for her to discover and share. The resulting documentary delivers a journey from exhilaration to exhaustion, and ultimately triumph. Against a backdrop of the White Mountains’ most majestic winter moments, it showcases the experience shared by Quinn, Justin Fuller, Randy, and many other hikers along the path. www.fourmorefeet.com

You can also read about it in an earlier blog post here.

This film delivers a timeless message that everyone, no matter what age, can appreciate what it takes to dig a little deeper within ourselves to achieve a goal which may be initially just beyond our reach. Everyone can “Achieve a Vision Beyond Your Sight!”

A special thank you to Chunky’s Cinema Pub who is donating the theater for our event so that all ticket proceeds can go to the 2020 Vision Quest charity. Come early and have dinner or dessert or both! Chunky’s makes it a great night for the whole family – and a tasty one too.

We hope that you can join us for a fun and inspirational evening! If you have any questions, please contact us at 4morefeet@2020visionquest.org.

Join us for “Four More Feet!”

 

 

 

 

 

By Randy Pierce

“Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly flow the days
Seedlings turn overnight to sunflowers
Blossoming even as we gaze

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laden with happiness and tears”

—Lyrics from “Sunrise, Sunset” – Fiddler on the Roof

This three-day deep wilderness hiking excursion on Aug. 4-5 produced four of the most remote peaks in the 48 and brought us 80% of the journey to our ultimate goal! It also provided an unparalleled experience as the result of a simple choice in the midst of this expedition: I had been told the sunset from Mt. West Bond was amongst the most incredible experiences within the White Mountains, so our trip was structured so that we could ensure that seeing it was likely.

There is a quote by Sally Edwards that my wife Tracy shared with me which helped to motivate our choice: “When was the last time you have done something for the first time?” We decided that we would not only marvel in the West Bond sunset, but we would also sleep at Guyot campsite in our tents for a short night, rise early, and be on the summit Mt. Bond to watch the sunrise the very next morning. It is a choice that I will never regret and an experience I will never forget!

From my view, this was an “old school” hike with four University of New Hampshire alumni from the 80s as the centerpiece (John, Matt, Mark and Randy). But 2011 graduate and trip leader Kyle might disagree with the notion. So might non-UNH students Tracy and Erik or even Guiding Eyes graduate the Mighty Quinn! Whether we had never met or not in many years, this group had some high expectations to match the hiking chemistry of the last several trips that have been exceedingly kind to the 2020 team. The group and the trip would surpass all hopes and expectations for more of the trail magic that motivates many to undertake these experiences.

Friday’s car spot was quick and efficient with a bit of significance to noting that our cars were spotted roughly 40 highway miles away from each other. This certainly highlights the distance of our traverse even though the shortcut through the mountains made for part of that difference. Day one had the car spot and a leisurely start on the Zealand trail. Just 2.75 miles of fairly gentle trail had us at the fork for the Ethan Pond trail where we would camp, ¼ mile below Zealand hut. Shortly beyond the junction we found magnificent campsite opportunities and had a private grotto with all three tents set up and lunchtime spent laughing and marveling at the beauty of our campsite for the night.

We were so far ahead of schedule that we geared down for a 2-mile gentle hike to the infamous Thoreau Falls. This subtle railroad grade had been fully returned to a natural trail and had many narrow points along the beautiful White Cliffs but provided no unreasonable challenges. It did share views of the entire Zealand-Guyot-Bond ridge including the mass of the Z-Cliffs where we hoped to be for lunch the next day. As we emerged to the falls and cascades, an incredibly beautiful sunny day heated the rock slabs and created a refreshing and soothing contrast between icy stream and sunny slab! With no pressing time schedule and being entirely surrounded by a wilderness valley, our trip might have been complete just for this much experience. The dynamic of the friendships had already begun to shine. Quinn’s “mighty leap” from atop a boulder and into the pool plunged him under the water and wagging tales soon were snoozing in the sun in complete contentment.

Dinner’s debates over dehydrated meals and the sharing of tastier delicacies allowed for an early bedtime and gentle breezes. Early risers were packed up and reaching the hut before breakfast was served for those guests. We met several friends and connections and had to force ourselves away to reach the trails in a timely schedule but not for lack of opportunities to enjoy reconnecting with people. It is simply marvelous to feel so much a part of a much greater hiking community!

Zealand is steep and the rocky trail slowed progress enough that eventually Kyle took over guiding me while Quinn enjoyed the hike in trust of someone he believes has the experience to guide me without his supervision! We worked hard and reached the overlook of the Z-Cliff with delight. This view adorns the cover of Steve Smith and Mike Dickerman’s book “48” and with good reason. It is a spectacular view which make the mountain climb completely worth the journey, a foreshadowing of the feeling we would have many times and in many places along this trip.

Atop the sparse views of Zealand we rested briefly and sent out our first Spot message to our Facebook community before repacking and heading for the last serious climb up Mt. Guyot. Knowing that the spaces were limited at our remote destination, we wished to ensure our group could claim a tent platform and so a little equipment adjustment send everyone but Kyle, Tracy, Randy and Quinn ahead to set up tents and be certain our night’s rest was secure.

The heat and humidity were considerable, once again reminding me the fantastic invigoration my “Chill Towel” provided throughout the entirety of the hike! The sustained steep of this glorious peak effectively ended the elevation gain for our entire trip even though the col rule prevents Guyot from counting as a peak over 4,000 feet. (Don’t tell that to thirsty bodies and weary legs which earn every step of the climb.) The views from the peak are excellent but an unnamed sub-peak we dubbed “Quinn’s Knoll” was in our opinion the most fantastic viewpoint we’d ever experienced in the entirety of the White Mountains. All around are simply remote and majestic peaks, valleys and deep wilderness views that will likely remain with anyone so fortunate as to have earned their way out here on a day with any visibility!

A very short jaunt brought us to the junction with the trail spur to Guyot shelter. It’s a quarter mile of challenging hike down into the campsite, but the water source is renowned for the cold and freshness that the day’s efforts and heat had made so enticing. We had an excellent spot as we rejoined our companions and we were fantastically ahead of schedule 2 with several hours to relax, unpack, feast and prepare for our sunset hike.

Eager for the highly anticipated trip, Tracy and I set off with Quinn to get a head start on our faster moving companions who were prepping everything for the potential of the early morning departure. Tracy guided me in a somewhat romantic appreciation of how well our work together had allowed for such hiking opportunities. Rested and with most pack weight left at our tents, we made our way out of the spur and the reasonably short distance to the West Bond Spur. Another half mile with some tricky points and we were on the craggy outcropping that thrust West Bond into a Pemi overlook and a pair of horseshoe canyons of breathtaking grandeur! Here all seven of the Bond companions came together for a few hours of the most inspirational relaxation. The sunset developed steadily and gloriously between Mt. Garfield and Mt. Lafayette. We laughed and shared the experience as much as possible along with a little dark chocolate and red wine that had made the long journey with us! Our spirits had climbed incredibly and exponentially higher than the trails and yet another moment of magic was added to an incredible hike.

Bondcliff at sunset.

It was during this time we decided for certain that we would rise early enough to ensure we savored the Mt. Bond sunrise consecutive to this sunset. Though it did mean we begrudgingly wound our way down from West Bond and back to our tents. John guided me and we were the last to return to camp. The moon lit the trail for him with a headlight ready as needed. There was a serenity in the night during which I could not have wanted for better company to share and discuss.

We rose for 3:30 though Matt was sufficiently eager as to have been long awake and vastly packed for the trip. The plan had been for my slower pace to require me to leave sooner but the entire crew was so efficient we all departed effectively together. The site of 30 (maximum) had been filled with more than 80 hikers and people literally had fallen asleep on the trail leading down to the site! We navigated them mostly by moonlight with Kyle guiding me again for the speed and silence. The moon again shone so brightly the morning hike required no other lights for the sighted of the group. We had again that same serenity of wilderness night to envelope me in an atmosphere of awe and appreciation. Our crew all too easily gave the shout of exhilaration that the summit had been obtained and well before the sunrise would unfold for us.

Sunrise at West Bond

The summit of Bond is large enough for all of us to unpack, begin breakfast preparations and appreciate the boulder seats thrust out of the summit. Views were a full 360 degrees of wonder and perhaps highlighted by the coming light over the looming shadows of the massive Presidential range to our east and a bit north. Ever so slowly details flooded into the darkness and the sun rose to welcome in a brilliant and beautiful morning. I wondered how many have been so fortunate as to appreciate the sunrise on one of these amazing mountains and then a consecutive sunrise on another such peak! I had not and may not ever again but if I were to think on how much was given in the experience I would chide myself as a foolish man for not planning another attempt.

The chill temperatures eased considerably and though a wind was still brisk, we turned our steps towards Bondcliff even as low clouds raced over the Lafeyette ridge, across the Pemigewassit Wilderness and completely enveloped Bondcliff in a wall of thick fog. It gave the impression of hiking through the Scottish Highlands and provided an entirely different type of wonder. Companions were lost in the fog only a few short steps ahead or behind. The voices would call to with an eerily hollow distance.

Matt leading Randy to Bondcliff through the fog

Matt led me down a trail that had so extremely challenged me in my traverse two years prior. As is often the case when someone guides me for the first time, we become a team and experience the partnership and friendship in a way I rarely find anywhere else in the world. The foggy isolation only enhanced that feeling as a friendship more than twenty years separated after college was easily appreciated anew for the people we each had become. It was not long before we stood on the summit of Bondcliff with fog occasionally opening enough to show the daunting depths of the cliffs that plunge into the Hellgate gorge below! This was our fourth and final peak of the journey and our group had bonded so naturally and thoroughly in the experience.

We knew that ahead lay Bondcliff’s version of the “Hillary Step”. We knew there was a steady descent into the Lincoln Woods and we knew a very long, albeit level, trek through to the trailhead remained. Still, for me the group had finished the journey to completing our bonds of friendship and the rest would be vastly in reflection and appreciation for all that had been experienced!

Mark was the person who had connected me with the others back in my freshman year at UNH. We worked together at the MUB cooking breakfast before classes and he introduced me to the others in the fraternity of Phi Kappa Theta. We were not a typical fraternity and these are atypical men still today. I was proud to see the quality of people that were there and the suggestion we probably had a solid foundation back in school as well. So Mark guided me the stretch of narrow trail from Bondcliff to the Wilderness trail. Each guiding is different and each system takes time to develop but always there’s a chance to appreciate a little bit of the view from the other’s perspectives. This is true of trail and life and no less so with my long absent friendship with Mark. The years melted away though not so easily from a body tired by a long weekend of hiking.

At the Wilderness trail Quinn took over for the easiest of the final miles of the journey. While he could have done many other sections he accepts that sharing the experience is part of the enrichment of the entirety of the adventures. He’s a patient pup! Now it was time for Tracy and me to ease behind as others made great time striding towards the suspension bridge and the stream soak that would clean and refresh from the weekend. We were clear by 3:00 easily and the rain did not begin until all were in vehicles retrieving cars.

We came together one final time to feast and toast an incredible experience. Though I say it’s about the people more than the peaks, the marvels of the natural wonders within the White Mountains were definitely a powerful enhancement to our bonds of friendship. I think about my belief in the phrase “Choosing the Right Response” which titles a book I hope to someday publish. Choose your friends and your paths wisely and the rewards will continue for the entirety of your lives. I have look forward to a lot more of life and adventure ahead and to choosing friends such as these and journeys such as this!

By Randy Pierce

“The roar of applause upon raising the American flag gave me goose bumps up my entire back, finishing at the base of my neck. Hiking Mt. Moosilauke to raise the American flag on 9/11 as part of the Flags on the 48 program, I wasn’t sure what emotions I would feel. I anticipated feeling patriotism, some sadness, and being filled with very reflective thoughts. However I did not anticipate the tremendous pride I would feel being part of a team that displayed a tribute to our fallen heroes of September 11.”

–Rob Webber as part of 2020 Vision Quest’s Flags on the 48 tribute 2011

We founded 2020 Vision Quest on Independence day in the year 2010, the same year the “Flags on the 48” graciously allowed us to be part of the team on Mt. Liberty. There was some powerful anticipation in celebrating Liberty, Independence and Community even as we were slowly learning just how poignant the community experience was for this program.

Last year in anticipation of the experience, I wrote a blog expressing my belief in taking Positive Steps. The words I wrote then remain very true as I anticipate our opportunity to again be part of this program:

“There are times in our lives which leave an indelible mark upon our memory. September 11, 2001 is a poignant example of such a time. I can still readily draw forth the stunned shock of the moment the tragedy became real for me. Today, ten years later, I am gathering with many of my community to celebrate our tribute to 9/11 and the positive impact of the choices we have made to take steps forward.”

I remain convinced that in all challenges, the most impactful point for any of us is the moment we choose to begin taking positive steps forward.

This year we have been assigned to join a group tending the flag on the summit of the northernmost of the 48. We’ll be atop Mt. Cabot where last winter we climbed while bald eagles soared on the updrafts of the cliffs of this peak. I think it appropriate that the symbol of our country was so evident on my last trip to this mountain and that spirit will be so strongly in my heart as I reflect upon friendship, sacrifice, choices and the power and emotion available to those who choose to see first with their hearts. As Helen Keller so aptly said, “the most beautiful things are viewed with our hearts and not our eyes.”

I hope that wherever you are as 9/11 arrives this year–or even Saturday, 9/8, when the Flags on the 48 will celebrate the event–you find the time to reflect upon all things dear to you and the many sacrifices involved in preserving them. I hope you will think of all the opportunities you have to take steps forward in a positive response to any circumstance. I’ll cherish the service of many who help support this outlook and I will recommit myself to giving the best service I can in the ways which I am afforded opportunity.

Should you want just a hint of the flavor of how worthy and moving this experience may be, I encourage you to watch the video montage crafted by Tracy last year or read the words of my friends Jenifer and Rob as they wrote about their views on the experience. I took the time for all three of these things and feel better prepared to appreciate the moment and my life as a result. Thank you Tracy, Rob, and Jenifer!

Tracy’s Video Montage from Mt. Moosilauke 2011:

Jenifer Tidwell’s 2011 Flags on the 48 Anticipation and Commemoration

Rob Webber’s Reflections on Mt. Moosilauke 2011

By Randy Pierce

Announcing that Tracy and I were “expecting Twins” created an interesting social media sendoff for our longest single day hike of the 2020 Vision Quest hiking project: North and South Twin, together with Galehead, all on July 21. The jovial approach belied significant respect for a section of trail expected to be our most difficult. My prior experience on that stretch supported this assessment of difficulty; in addition Backpacker Magazine gave special attention to that stretch when rating the region. It deemed that hike the second most challenging day hike in the United States! That section descends from the summit of South Twin to the AMC Galehead hut in the col with Galehead Mountain.

Drew and John were the hike leaders for the expedition with a mixed range of experiences in the diverse group of Randy, Tracy, Erik, Sharon, Tim, Mike, Chris, Aaron, Andy and yet another Chris. The Mighty Quinn shared warm greetings with Mike’s pup, Tahoe, and we were ready for the trip!

The day started cool and we progressed on the trails at high speed for the first few miles until we encountered the first of a trio of respectable stream crossings. These were challenging points; different people in the group evaluated the best means for each of us to cross, though keeping the blind guy dry so early in a long hike was an additional consideration. It’s always wise to bring an extra pair of dry socks to use if necessary after the stream crossings–but unfortunately I had managed to leave my intended pair in the dryer! Several different people had route suggestions and were feeling pretty challenged at finding a particularly clear option. Many of my friends were willing to spend a lot of time helping to ensure my best comfort.

Then there was Drew who took command and plodded through the shallowest section with me to save that most valuable resource of time… or was it my patience! Either way, it worked and there wasn’t much water impact, just jokes and laughter. True to the guidebook warnings, these crossings earned our respect and caution though neither Quinn or Tahoe seemed to have any trouble!

After the final crossing, the fantastically smooth and easy trail vanished and was replaced by a steady uphill march for two miles. While nothing was unreasonably challenging, our pace was slowed and the temperature began to rise steadily.

As we neared the summit of North Twin, an ideal overlook arose on our left with great boulders to provide seating. Soon we were teased by the

mass of the Presidential range and peaks into the northern Pemi Wilderness along the Twinway. You burn a lot of calories climbing steep sections, and a food recharge had been well earned. We were well ahead of schedule and while we were feeling the climb, spirits were nearly as high as the summit was close. Thus shortly after we had begun, four hours of labor had produced the first of the Twins and a happy crew atop the wooded summit.

Starting the descent, we switched from Quinn’s work to Drew’s guidance to keep time steady on the downhill. The group was again making fantastic time and we worked our systems to keep the steady pace which quickly brought us the 1-mile jaunt to South Twin’s above-tree-line views in every direction. This time, the short break wasn’t so much for rest as it was to appreciate the splendor. Doctor Drew had delivered the second Twin and had a few words to share about the experience of being in such a remote setting!

It was almost all downhill from there as the next 0.8 mile would drop 1,200 feet of elevation on the trail that had taken me three hours in my first journey there mere weeks before the founding of 2020 Vision Quest. It was perhaps aptly described as being less like a trail and more like one of the twins had spit up boulders the entire distance to the col!

The plan was that all of the group who wanted to add Galehead to their list of summits would go ahead at their comfortable pace to the hut and take the Frost trail out and back. On that trail, they would experience the overlook into the backside of Lafayette and Owl’s Head on the way. All would wait at the Galehead hut to rest, refill water, and bring the full group together. I had already achieved Galehead with UNH in 2011 and this would allow for my slower pace on the tricky journey.

Sharon and Tim remained with me with Sharon’s first time guiding me on a hike taking place on that most challenging stretch. We were slow and steady with Tim helping select routes and Sharon talking me through the challenges while Quinn watched intently. It was slow going, but my pride and appreciation at the success and the improvement from the first summer trip there was immense. Timing was ideal as the last of the group arrived from Galehead in time to finish the rest stop, share a foot stretch and begin the final stage.

The footing near the hut is particularly perilous to ankles and I had guide help from John to get me through the worst of it and to the top of the Gale River Trail. There CJ took over and we quickly developed a quality communication through steadily easing trail. By the time we had passed the new bypass trail we were cruising seamlessly and listening to the many conversations and bouts of laughter from our group which had come together so well.

By the time the final mile of the long day had arrived, the traverse brought everyone to weariness–well, everyone not named Erik or Quinn! Quinn was in fact demanding his job back and ready to show that he could put some speed into the teamwork. We left the sweeper (that final person ensuring the rest of the team is ahead) behind and reunited with Andy and Aaron. The car spot team stole the drivers to retrieve vehicles while the overflow people relaxed and reflected upon the accomplishment.

It was a long hard hike and as always the latter part always seemed like the limit of what we could do, but the smiles and memories were etched firmly upon each of us. It’s unlikely this exact group will ever share a hike again but not for want or appreciation of the company. We always will have those moments and for some of us we’ll likely have them very intensely for a long time. It’s one of the many aspects of sharing an experience that cannot really be relayed properly in the retelling. Just as the images are never as vibrant and wondrous as the eyes report or the viewer shares while in the moment.

Speaking of sharing, Andy had a few fantastic IPAs (Dogfish) to offer and teased us all by showing a cooler and grill ready to tailgate in the hiking style. Those of us without such foresight in the planning settled for holding on to the experience a little longer at the Common Man in Lincoln. Our numbers had dwindled but we kept the rest of our crew with us in spirit. For me those spirits are with me even now as I reflect on peaks 27 and 28 for our 2020 Vision Quest!