White Mountains Grid, 4000 Footers


The White Mountains Grid hiking list involves a hiker hiking each of the 48 mountains that are listed on the New Hampshire 4,000 Footers peakbagging list once in each month of the year (48 mountains x 12 months= 576). Based on the honor system, some hikers complete the White Mountains Grid in short time while others take years to complete it. Hikers working on this list are referred to as “Gridiots” or "Spreadsheet Hikers". And once a hiker completes this list her or she can receive a patch and scroll from an unofficial group (hiking website). The below list focuses on random tidbits of history about each mountain on this hiking list.

 

New Hampshire 48 4000 Footers
(White Mountains Grid 48×12=576) 

MountainElevation (feet)StatusHistory Note
Mount Washington6,288On listMount Washington is the Northeast's highest peak, and home to the worst weather in the world.

The summit cone is part of the Mount Washington State Park.

The first known ascent of Mount Washington was in 1642 by Darby Field.

On April 12, 1934 a wind gust of 231 miles per hour was recorded the summit of the mountain by the Mount Washington Observatory staff.
Mount Adams5,774On listNamed for John Adams, 2nd president of the United States.
Mount Jefferson5,712On listNamed for Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of the United States.
Mount Monroe5,384On listNamed for James Monroe, 5th President of the United States
Mount Madison5,367On listNamed for James Madison, 4th President of the United States
Mount Lafayette5,260On listHighest summit on Franconia Range and was referred to as
the Great Haystack by earlier settlers of the area.
Mount Lincoln5,089On listNamed for Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States.
South Twin Mountain4,902On listSome say the Twins are named for the town.
Carter Dome4,832On listFire Tower on summit form 1907-1947.
Mount Moosilauke4,802On listTip Top house on the summit burned in 1942.
Mount Eisenhower4,780On listNamed for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States.

Mount Eisenhower was originally named Mount Pleasant in July 1820 by the Weeks-Brackett party, but after President Dwight D. Eisenhower died in March 1969, the mountain was renamed Mount Eisenhower.
North Twin Mountain4,761On listNamed for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States.
Mount Carrigain4,700On listNamed for Phillip Carrigain, New Hampshire Secretary
of State from 1805–1810.

Dating back to 1910, there was a fire tower on this mountain. Replaced a few times over the years, the viewing platform on the mountain today was part of the last tower on the summit.
Mount Bond4,698On listNamed for Professor George P. Bond.
Middle Carter Mountain4,610On listNamed for Dr. Ezra Carter, a Concord physician OR named for a hunter named “Carter”. We may never find the answer.
West Bond Mountain4,540On listNamed for Professor George P. Bond.
Mount Garfield4,500On listNamed for President James Garfield, 20th President
of the United States.

From 1940-1948, there was a fire tower on this mountain.
Mount Liberty4,459On listFlume, Lafayette, Liberty and Little Haystack Mountain
were referred to as the Haystacks by earlier settlers.
South Carter Mountain4,430On listNamed for Dr. Ezra Carter, a Concord physician or named for a hunter named “Carter”. We may never find the answer.
Wildcat Mountain4,422On listWildcat Mountain consists of five sub-peaks - A, B, C, D, and E.
Only A and D qualify for the 4,000 footer list.
Hancock Mountain4,420On listNamed for John Hancock, one of the Founding Fathers of
the United States.
South Kinsman Mountain4,358On listNamed for Nathan Kinsman, an early resident
of Easton, New Hampshire.
Mount Field4,340On listHighest peak of the Willey Range.
Mount Osceola4,340On listNamed for Chief Osceola, an early-19th century Seminole leader. His real name was Billy Powell (1804 - January 30, 1838).

Beginning in 1910, a fire tower was on this mountain. It was replaced a few times, and eventually removed in 1985.
Mount Flume4,328On listFlume, Lafayette, Liberty and Little Haystack Mountain
were referred to as the Haystacks by earlier settlers.
South Hancock Mountain4,319On listNamed for John Hancock, one of the Founding Fathers of
the United States.
Mount Pierce4,310On listNamed for President Franklin Pierce, 14th President of the United States. This mountain was originally named Mount Clinton for DeWitt Clinton (New York Governor from 1825-1828), but it was renamed Mount Pierce in 1913.
North Kinsman Mountain4,293On listNamed for Nathan Kinsman, an early resident
of Easton, New Hampshire.
Mount Willey4,285On listNamed for the Willey family, who were all killed in a
landslide in 1826 in Crawford Notch.
Bondcliff Mountain4,265On listNamed for Professor George P. Bond.
Zealand Mountain4,260On listWooded summit.
North Tripyramid Mountain4,180On listNamed by the cartographer Arnold Guyot. The Tripyramids consist of three peaks; north, middle, and south.
Mount Cabot4,170On listNamed for Sebastian Cabot, the famous pilot.
East Osceola Mountain4,156On listNamed for Chief Osceola, an early-19th century Seminole leader. His real name was Billy Powell (1804 - January 30, 1838).
Middle Tripyramid Mountain4,140On listNamed by the cartographer Arnold Guyot. The Tripyramids consist of three peaks; north, middle, and south.
Cannon Mountain4,100On listAlso known as Profile Mountain. Location of the Old Man of
the Mountain profile (Collapsed May 3, 2003).
Wildcat, D Peak Mountain4,070On listWildcat Mountain consists of five sub-peaks - A, B, C, D, and E.
Only A and D qualify for the 4,000 footer list.
Mount Hale4,054On listNamed for Rev. Edward Everett Hale (1802-1909).

Built in 1928 / 1929, a fire tower was on this summit; it was removed in 1972.
Mount Jackson4,052On listNamed for Charles Thomas Jackson,
a 19th century New Hampshire state geologist.
Mount Tom4,051On listNamed for Thomas Crawford, son of Abel Crawford.

The Crawford Family is famous for the building of Crawford Path in 1819.

In 1828 Ethan Allen Crawford and his father Abel Crawford built the Notch House, Ethan’s brother Thomas J. Crawford was the proprietor. The Notch House was located near the Elephant Head profile at the Gate of the Notch.
Mount Moriah4,049On listIn the Bible, Moriah is where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac.

The origin of “Moriah” is not straight forward, but the legend has become the accepted belief. Legend has it that an early setter in the area familiar with the bible gave this name to Mount Moriah. Mount Moriah is a mountain in Jerusalem where Solomon built the temple.
Mount Passaconaway4,043On listNamed for Passaconaway, a 1600s sachem of the Pennacook tribe.
Owl's Head Mountain4,025On listNamed for a rock formation on the southern end of Owl’s Head.

The infamous August 1907 Owl’s Head Mountain fire in the Pemigewasset Wilderness was started by a lightning strike on the eastern side of Owl’s Head Mountain in an area that had been previously logged by J.E. Henry and Sons.
Mount Galehead4,024On listWooded summit.
Mount Whiteface4,020On listWooded Summit.
Mount Waumbek4,006On listHighest peak in the Pliny Range.
Mount Isolation4,004On listHighest peak in the Montalban Ridge.
Mount Tecumseh3,997On listNamed for the Shawnee leader Tecumseh (1768–1813). Interestingly, Chief Tecumseh spent most his life around the Ohio Territory, and likely never visited New Hampshire.

August 2019, actual new height of Mount Tecumseh is 3,997 feet.

Back to Mountain and Trail History

 

 

 

Notes:

• ScenicNH Photography is in the business of photography. We create awareness for historic preservation and environmental conservation.

• As you explore the White Mountains, keep in mind the removal of historic artifacts from federal lands without a permit is a violation of federal law.

• ScenicNH Photography has no affiliation with any of the hiking lists or their creators, nor do we endorse them.

• We are human and this information is subject to errors and omissions, and this hiking list may not be up to date.

• See more of our ongoing history work at the projects page.