8.eight.8[short&sweet]

Twenty8 years of age — 20eightteen — Forty8 Summits

The following forty-eight points are connected to my experiences with the 4,000 footers of New Hampshire

• My first 4,000 foot hike ended with two feet COVERED in blisters

• Hiking with no summit view is still a beautiful experience

• My love for hiking grew from sharing moments with family

• I began hiking solo half way through the list; the “list” consists of 48 mountains

• Once you complete all 48 you are in the 4,000 footers club

• The silence accompanied by winter hiking is eerie, beautiful and beautifully calm

• Night noises sound so much larger than they actually are — mouse sounds like bear

• 888 (In 2018, at the age of 28, I completed the 48 peaks of NH)

• ALWAYS be prepared for all elements when in the Whites — even in August

• My dad taught me early on to document every hike; there are journals filled with experiences, conditions and emotions from each hike

• 6 P’s; proper preparation prevents piss poor performance (thank you Uncle Jack)

• While hiking, I have stopped mid-way and turned around; if you’re not psyched what’s the point

• Respect the mountains and they will respect you

• I once got lost on trail — this could have been bad, gratefully I’m here to talk about it

• You learn and adapt, because you have to

• I prefer sleeping in a hammock, but a tent is okay too

• I still go by Chia Pet ~ because that’s my name

• Finding the perfect hiking shoe is harder than it sounds

• Hiking poles are a life saver; my fingers go numb when poles aren’t used

• I have been working towards experiencing these peaks for 9 years of my life

• The hiking community is one of the most beautiful group of humans

• There are still actions I see that go against all I live for; Leave No Trace is important

• There is no “type” of person who gets out to hike; explore and feel with no judgment

• Putting one foot in front of the other can be extremely challenging

• I prefer to carry the extra weight to eat delicious food

• I enjoy the dangerous and life threatening moments that breeds vulnerability

• The Mountains of the Whites formed the very core of who I am

• Hiking in New Hampshire provides the most breathtaking views; views are vistas

• Major boulders are tucked away thousands of feet above sea level

• The descent (hiking down) can be real harsh on the knees

• Many times left me feeling nervous and vulnerable, hiking alone in the mountains

• On one of my first solo hikes I ended up off trail & needed to climb up a rock ledge

• The first 4,000 footer was with my cousins Leah, Stu, Dayna and baby pup Frankie; that was the experience that forever hooked me into the world of hiking

• This hike provided extreme challenges, followed by the support to make it through

• Leah experienced most summits with me, without her who knows where I’d be

• Hiking is a healing and meditative activity, that one can do at any age

• Hike your own hike, regardless if you are hiking with others or not

• The pace of that which you hike sets the tone for how you feel about the hike

• Not every hike brought me pure happiness

• Every hike strengthened the person I am today

• Immersing the self in nature will always support what needs to be supported

• No headphones — the beauty around serves as music

• Tears fell down my face as I ascended Wild Cat Mountain — my last hike

• My last hike of NH consisted of spending 3 hours on the summit — soak it all in baby

• My brother was my early hiking partner, along with my buddy Nick

• Shout out to all volunteers who maintain the trails — never underappreciated; thank you trail maintenance

• Walking in mud puddles continues to be my favorite opportunity to smile on trail

• Day hike, peak bag, section hike, thru hike; hiking is hiking

I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to expand my horizons and explore each hike mentioned within the 4,000 footers. This is just the beginning of my journey; hundreds of  mountains to summit, sunsets to witness, sunrises to feel.

Thank you White Mountains for being my first love