Join us on Saturday to hike two of the NH 4000ers, North and South Kinsman! We will meet the other MITOC group summitting the Kinsmans from the opposite direction and exchange snacks.

We plan to hike at a moderately fast pace, as this is a difficult and long trip (about 10.5 mi, 4000ft elevation gain round-trip). You should be confident in your fitness and ability to hike somewhat quickly all day. This is a great chance to tackle a longer hiking, bag two peaks, and practice using traction (we will require microspikes and may use snowshoes as well).

Route: We’ll start at the Mt Kinsmans trailhead off of 116 and head up the backside of Kinsman ridge toward North Kinsman. From there we’ll head up to North Kinsman, then continue on to South Kinsman with its open summit and 360-degree views. Route Map is here and here

Prerequisites: We’ll maintain a faster-than-average MITOC pace with minimal breaks, so come prepared! Note that you will be hiking with a bigger/heavier backup than your typical summer hike. Ideally, you’ve done similar mileage of at least 8-10 miles at this pace in the summer and you have a regular exercise routine that keeps you in cardio shape.

Logistics: MANDATORY pre-trip meeting will be at MIT at 6pm on Thursday January 16. You can rent gear at the pre-trip meeting if you are missing any. We’ll depart Cambridge early Saturday morning.

Drivers and Lottery: If you can drive your own car or are willing to drive, please edit the lottery preferences on your profile to show this. Please mark as willing to drive/rent others only if you can offer trips both ways from Boston/Cambridge area.

Costs: Please budget for: $5 trip fee, $30-50 carpooling costs, any personal gear rentals (capped at $15), and any food you buy along the way. We intend to use the MIT car cost calculator and share costs equally among participants.