Celebrating 200 Years of the Crawford Path

February 7, 2020 Ryan Smith

A hiker nears the junction of the Westside Trail and the Crawford Path high atop Mount Washington in the White Mountain National Forest.

In 2019, the Appalachian Mountain Club, U.S. Forest Service, White Mountain Trail Collective, and others celebrated the 200th anniversary of the Crawford Path, the oldest, continuously maintained hiking trail in the country. The maintenance of the trail is an ongoing battle against erosion and increased hiker activity in New Hampshire. For the trail clubs that work so passionately in the White Mountains, the Crawford Path is just the beginning of a long list of trails that are serviced every summer. This is their story.

Setting and Sticking to Our Goals

March 19, 2019 Ryan Smith

Jen ascends the open slabs on Mount Crawford in New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest.

March in New England is a month of change that’s hard to miss: the snow begins to melt, migrating birds return to the region to nest and breed, and daylight hours continue to grow longer than the dark nights. Our beloved sports teams change too. The Bruins and Celtics are pushing to get into the playoffs in the final weeks of their seasons while the Red Sox prepare for opening day in warmer climates.

In our outdoor adventure world, Jen and I are forced to look higher up in the mountains for spring skiing opportunities as the valleys green and the snow-covered hiking trails emerge from their frozen slumber. Soon, we’ll trade skis for hiking boots.