- Whoa, Nelly, what a month! I am exhausted but it's the best kind of exhaustion, full of smiles, as I managed to achieve 162K of elevation gained over 344 miles. My goal for June was 125K, I am pumped to have had such a great month and come out relatively unscathed and healthy for all the miles on the knee hammering rocks of the Presi's I put under me.
- For the Do It for the Vert 2026 challenge, I am at 740K, and well ahead of the pace I had set to reach 1 million feet of elevation gained by the last day of summer. It's been a great ride so far and I'm looking forward to ramping down a little in July to stay healthy while enjoying every day on trail.
- June was full of many highlights, the biggest of which was the 14th annual Mount Adams Vertical Day, year three for me as the organizer. This year there were over 50 enthusiastic runners/hikers who did at least one lap over the twelve-hour event. Lukas Janulaitis set a new record with 21,280'. Cara Baskin broke the women's record, which she also broke last year, with 17,179'. Joe Miller had a second straight 20K plus AVD with 20,781', and Kris Pieper created the most vert efficient AVD route with 14 repeats of Chemin Des Dames, clocking in 15K in 15 miles. View results here.
- June was also a great month for Dawn Pawtrol hikes up Mount Washington for Sarge. We started off the month hitting up the Rockpile from the westside via Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, Crawford Path, and down the Cog Path. Sarge and I enjoyed the newly rerouted lower section of the Ammo with switchbacks and soft dirt to the Gem Pool before the steep burst to Lakes of the Clouds. While we enjoy the approach from west, we were biding our time before Tuckerman Ravine Trail became passable as it's a ten minute drive to Pinkham from home, where the Ammo trailhead is about a forty-five minute drive. About halfway through June, Tucks was safe to hike and now our 4:30am Dawn Pawtrol starts were a breeze to get to with the short commute.
- Reaching 162K on the month was made easier with seven 10K + days; Double Washington + Friday Night Vert, Morning Madison with Sarge + afternoon Washington & Monroe solo, two days of Wildcat + Double Washington with Monroe, Morning double Washington + afternoon Wildcat, and Adams Vertical Day.
- Looking Forward to July, my goal is between 100-110K of vert, spend a more time in other parts of the Whites on the weekends, while doing the usual dawn hikes up Washington during the week, and eating my weight in pizza and baked goods every Friday night at Friday Night Vert!
One last Bowl Pawtrol before the snow quickly melted away
Tuckerman Ravine headwall as seen from Lion Head
Sarge makes his way to Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Sarge at Lakes of the Clouds Hut
Along Crawford Path with Mount Monroe to the south
After a freak June snowstorm dropped a foot of snow up high, Sarge was happy to find snow along the trail
Osgood Trail above Madison Spring Hut
Summit of Mount Madison with Mount Washington in the background
Dawn on Wildcat followed by a double Washington with Monroe
Cooling off in Lakes of the Clouds
Sarge enjoying the breeze as Mount Monroe basks in the early morning sun
Mount Adams Vertical Day 6AM starters!
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Tuckerman Ravine
The snow arch taking form
Beautiful morning in the alpine zone
Sarge finds the last of the snow patches along Tuckerman Ravine Trail
Another morning, another Washington!
Beating the heat with an early morning romp up Mount Madison
One happy Dood!
Looking west from Wildcat Mountain as ominous clouds float in
From muppet to marvelous!
Clouds from the valley rushing up and over Tuckerman Ravine, while clouds from the west start to float in from Monroe
Beautiful morning in the Bowl and up top!
Tuckerman Ravine sign is up for the summer at the Auto-Road
Madison Spring Hut and the summit cone of Mount Madison
Summer in the alpine zone and the collapse of the snow arch
Tuckerman Ravine snow arch collapsed on June 29th
Lakes of the Clouds and Mount Washington on the last day of June
Six months down and rolling along!
Jan: 100K / Feb 125K / March 120K / April 114K / May 117K / June 162K. Amber grinded through the month during her world record attempt for most vert in a year. She started out the month on Cannon Mountain before heading over to Vermont to do repeats on Mount Mansfield's ski trails. She battled swarms of black flies, getting bit so badly it sent her to the ER, and currently is battling an allergic reaction from hiking through waist high grass of the ski trails, but she keeps on going, pretty incredible!
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