High Peaks of the Pemigewasset Hut to Hut Trek
Bretton Woods, NH
Trip Highlights
- Stunning Scenery
- High Peaks & Deep Forests
- Cozy Mountain Huts
- Amazing Natural & Cultural History
- Mountain Creeks & Waterfalls
- Possibility of Wildlife
Description
Join Wildland Trekking for an incredible 4 days in the famous Pemigewasset Wilderness! Standing out as the largest designated wilderness in the White Mountains, the ‘Pemi’ (as locals call it) is home to moose, deer, and black bear who make their homes among the pristine brooks and impressive waterfalls the area is known for. This tour isn’t all in the woods, however! After we ascend above tree line to the historic Appalachian Trail we will summit multiple iconic peaks including South Twin Mountain (4,902 ft) and Mt. Guyot (4,580 ft).
This unique tour offers an opportunity that is rare within the Unites States – the ability to trek deep into stunning backcountry while spending our nights at comfortable huts with like-minded hikers from across the globe. Our route follows the Appalachian Trail across multiple iconic summits and our nightly lodging includes a comfortable bunk, running water, toilets, hearty meals and outstanding company.
Do you want to see the best of what the Northeast backcountry has to offer in the company of professional and knowledgeable guides, all without carrying a full backpack or sleeping on the ground? This unique tour is the adventure for you!
$1195 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 2
Our difficulty ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a rating of 1 being least difficult, tours with a rating of 5 being most difficult
- Backpack Weight:
- 15-25 pounds
- Daily Hiking Distances:
- 3-7 miles
- Most Elevation Loss:
- 2250 feet
- Most Elevation Gain:
- 1100 feet
- Quality of Trails:
- Well Maintained
- Additional:
- With a maximum hiking distance of 7 miles and max elevation gain of 2250 feet, and the fact we’re hiking with relatively light backpacks (compared with backpacking trips), this trip earns a solid Level 2 difficulty rating based on our 1-5 system.
Participants should:
- be active and healthy
- exercise several times per week
- be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles per day in hilly or mountainous terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 2
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this hiking trip a solitude 2. You can expect to have as much as an hour of solitude at a time.
All White Mountains trips begin and end at the AMC Highland Center near Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Most guests fly into a regional New Hampshire airport and drive to Bretton Woods via rental car. The nearest airport to is Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in central New Hampshire, approximately two driving hours away. Manchester-Boston is served by domestic airlines including Delta, United, Southwest, and American. Many international carriers serve Logan International Airport in Boston, an additional 30 minutes away in Massachusetts. Bretton Woods is also accessible via bus, Greyhound and Concord bus lines.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS TO THE HIGHLAND CENTER
From central and south-central New Hampshire (Manchester, Concord, etc.):
- Take Interstate 93 North to Route 3 North (Exit 35).
- Take Route 3 North to Route 302 East (near Twin Mountain).
- Take Route 302 East approximately 10 miles to the Highland Center, located roadside right on Route 302.
From Boston and its suburbs:
- Take Interstate 93 North to central New Hampshire.
- Follow directions above for central New Hampshire. From Portland, Maine:
- Take Route 302 West to the Crawford Notch Depot Visitor Center, located roadside left on Route 302.
Private Trips
Traveling in perfect company is a wonderful thing! With our private trip offerings you can book a trip exclusively for your group. Whether it’s with family, friends or colleagues, private trips are a fun and enriching way to explore the outdoors.
Private trip pricing is based on a sliding scale, depending on the number of people in your party. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax and national park fees (where applicable) or guide gratuity. Give us a call at 800-715-HIKE to get the ball rolling!
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2
- 3 People: Rate x 1.3
- 4 People: Rate x 1.1
- 5+ People: Rate x 1
*all rates are per person
Learn About Our Private Trips
View Private TripsITINERARY
Day 1
Today you will meet up with your guide and group at the AMC Highland Center, located in the impressive Crawford Notch. We will rendezvous at 5 PM, but consider arriving a day or two early to enjoy this stunning area! Family-style dinner is included as we meet our group, chat about our trip logistics and issue some lightweight gear. After dinner we will settle into our private room lodging in order to be well rested and prepared for tomorrow’s adventure.
Day 2
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 50 minutes
- Hiking Mileage: 4.7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2250 feet
After a tasty buffet style breakfast at the Highland Center we begin our White Mountains adventure with a short shuttle to our trailhead. After a brief descent, several miles of our hike follow the picturesque Gale River through its river valley. As the trail steepens and climbs over rocks and near cliffs towards treeline we are rewarded with excellent views of the Twin Mountains and the amazing Garfield Ridge. Our destination is Galehead Hut, the most remote hut in the White Mountains hut system. We will enjoy a hearty, fresh-cooked meal before settling down in our comfortable bunks for the night.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: 7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1100 feet
- Elevation Loss: 1100 feet
After enjoying a mountain breakfast prepared by the friendly hut staff we’ll hit the trail and bag a few peaks along our way! We start out with a demanding climb of 1,100 feet to the summit of South Twin Mountain, the highest point of our trip. From our perch atop South Twin we can see deep into the Pemigewasset Wilderness and the Bond Range. Dreaming of a Bond Traverse anyone? We continue on the Twinway Ridge Trail for a few miles as we climb up and over Mount Guyot (4,580’) along the way. A quick decent takes us past Zeacliff Pond and to our destination at Zealand Falls Hut. The area around the hut is beautiful to explore and features waterfalls and streams. Another freshly prepared dinner and conversation with like-minded hikers tops off our day in the wilderness.
Day 4
- Hiking Mileage: 2.8 miles
- Elevation Loss: 740 feet
- Shuttle: 35 minutes
Today we reluctantly depart our comfortable backcountry hut (after another wonderful breakfast) and head back to civilization. We will descend along the Zealand Trail past multiple small ponds and cascades. There are wonderful views along our route to the trailhead to meet our shuttle driver. After a short drive back to the Highland Center we will have a late lunch as we say our goodbyes and reflect on our exciting time together in the wilderness.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- One night in a private room with private bath at the stunning AMC Highland Center
- Two nights of bunkroom accommodations in backcountry huts in the White Mountains
- A professional, knowledgeable, certified Appalachian trekking guide
- Use of top-of-the-line backpack and trekking poles
- Appropriately rated synthetic-fill sleeping bag professionally laundered after every trip – or bring your own.
- All meals are included from dinner the first day through lunch on the last day
- Roundtrip transportation from the Appalachian Mountain Club Highland Center to the trailhead and back
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and satellite phone
- You will receive a Lifetime Hiking Membership entitling you, your spouse and your kids to a lifetime discount of 10% off any Wildland Trekking hiking trip after your first one!
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear, and footwear (Oboz hiking shoes and boots recommended)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Waterbottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-15% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed information about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
We will enjoy some wonderful hut meals, primarily dinners and breakfasts while staying at the huts. All other meals are prepared and provided by your guide.
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
What Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Leki trekking poles
- Mountain Safety Research cooking stoves
- Mountain Safety Research cookware
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
What Gear to Bring
We ask that you supply a couple of gear items on your hiking tour. These items are two 1-liter waterbottles per person, either a headlamp or flashlight per person, and a lightweight waterproof stuff sac for your clothes and belongings. Basic items like sunscreen, bug repellent (where and when applicable), lip balm, and toiletries are also important. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
What Clothes to Bring
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with detailed information about what clothes to pack (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, and our recommended clothing system. A minimum of three pairs of wool or synthetic hiking socks are also required. All of these items are available online at Wildland Trekking Outfitters.
Trip Logistics
Where Do We Meet?
You will meet your guide and group on Day 1 at 5pm at the AMC Highland Center near Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Your guide will contact you approximately 2 weeks before your trip to coordinate the exact meeting place and pick-up time.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed information about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first hiking day’s departure time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time).
Safety Considerations
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional Appalachian Trail hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. We’ve developed comprehensive risk management protocols that our guides adhere to in case of an emergency, and most tours carry a satellite phone. If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Guides
Your tour will be led by a trained, experienced professional with a solid guiding background, years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. Check out our Meet Our Team page for staff bios.
Group Size
The standard ratio of guests to guides on this trip is 6 guest and 1 guide. If you have more questions about group size, please give us a call at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) and we’ll answer all your questions.
Weather in the White Mountains
The White Mountains are home to the notorious weather station on the top of Mount Washington where in 1934 the fastest wind speed record on land that wasn’t associated with a tornado or hurricane – 231 mph – was recorded. The weather can be wildly erratic, which makes it important to follow the packing list and be prepared for a diversity of conditions including temperate and humid to below freezing to windy and rainy. Thunderstorms in the summer are common, but so are sunny, blue bird skies on long summer days.
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 61° | 49° |
| July | 65° | 54° |
| August | #° | #° |
Accommodations
Highland Center
1 NIGHT
This unique mountain lodge in the stunning location of Crawford Notch, New Hampshire is operated by the same conservation organization that runs the backcountry hut system. The lodge has cozy rooms, general living room and patio with breathtaking views. Wildland guests are in private rooms with shared or private baths.
White Mountain Huts
2 NIGHTS
The White Mountain backcountry huts are remote and in spectacular settings. They offer us the opportunity to sleep above treeline in cozy, indoor “lodging.” The accommodations are in co-ed bunkrooms with separate bathrooms with flush toilets. The bunkhouses are not heated, have no lighting, and electrical outlets are not available.
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