For many of us, one of our biggest passions is peak-bagging in the Adirondacks or winter hiking in the Presidential Range, and there are few feelings better than sharing that with a co-worker, family member, or new love interest. But unfortunately, many of these newbies think hiking is like strolling through the neighborhood mall or sticking to the tame trails at the local park, which we all know definitely isn’t much like climbing a 46er Peak. Still, sharing your love of the wilderness with the uninitiated can end in success if you follow these five simple tips.
Tip 1: Curb Your Ambitions
You may love the straight-up verticality of Mount Colden’s Trap Dike, but many newbies will find it daunting, if not demoralizing or downright impossible. So, keep the mileage reasonable, but also realize that distance is not always the most important consideration: I’ve had fellow hikers turn around twice on the relatively short three-mile trip up Giant Mountain due to its immediate verticality and steep slides.
On the other hand, guiding new hikers on much longer treks with more gradual inclines ended in success every time. There’s a reason Mount Marcy is the most-accomplished first peak for 46ers.
Tip 2: Choose a Climb With a View
As an aspiring 46er, I no longer need a spectacular view awaiting me at the end of every trail. Just stepping into a wilderness with the smell of pine or the trills of an early morning thrush are enough to put me in a good place. But those new to hiking usually expect one thing: a monster view. And, it had better deliver. Fortunately, the Adirondack High Peaks are rife with great mountaintop views without having to hike 12 miles and 3,000-plus feet in elevation to find them. And, summit scenery goes a long way toward getting your companions to come back for round two.
Tip 3: Take it Easy
You might be a trail runner or simply used to a pace that allows the bagging of three to five peaks in a day. But, today is not about that: It’s about making sure your newbies feel as comfortable, secure, and just plain happy as possible. Let them set the pace and, if possible, do so with the impression that this is your usual speed. I’ve had friends express the uneasy feeling that they were “slowing the group down” or that “everyone had to wait for me,” and that anxiety really dampened their enjoyment. Make them feel like hiking with them is no different from your usual excursions in the wilderness: easy conversation, frequent breaks, and lots of laughs.
Tip 4: Make Sure They Bring “The Right Stuff”
Or better yet, bring it for them. If you and your new hiking pals are staying together the night before, supervise their packing of food, water, and gear. Don’t be afraid of being a know-it-all: They will thank you later. If you are meeting at the trailhead, advise them beforehand with a specific list of do’s and don’ts (this one might be a good place to start), and then have an extra set or two of everything in your car anyway. They may hear your warnings against denim and cotton T-shirts, but some will still likely show up with just a 12-ounce water bottle, cut-off jean shorts, and no backpack. I always throw extra fleeces, socks, head lamps, and lots of snacks in my car before heading out.
Tip 5: Celebrate
Make an event out of the experience. Take some fun selfies along the way and plenty of dramatic or inventive captures on the peak to share later. Finally, when hiking in the Adirondack High Peaks, I often cap the adventure with a fun dinner in Lake Placid, where we can drink a celebratory beer, replenish carbs, and laugh about the most grueling or surprising moments of the day.
After that, they’re sure to share your love for those mountains.
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Great tips! As 46er #2490 and one who has led numerous groups of teenagers and adults professionally and as a volunteer, I say thumbs up to this useful guidance. TIP 3: Take It Easy is important so newcomers don’t feel defeated early on. I have occasionally witnessed the opposite problem. Once leading a group of teens up Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mount Washington, one of my adult leaders who fancied herself very fit took off up the trail like a rocket. By the time we arrived at the head wall of the ravine, she was sitting complaining about altitude sickness as she sat nauseated, red-faced, sweating and panting. Altitude sickness is highly unlikely at 5000′ but you can make yourself sick even at sea level if you overdo it. Don’t know what I could have said or done to persuade her to moderate her pace. Talk about the importance of pacing at the trail head might have helped.
Thank you, Steven. And congrats on your 46er status. My wife and I are getting there–27 down, 19 to go.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT save Allen for the 46th peak. The day my climbing entourage and I climbed Allen was a foggy, rainy, wind-swept day over muddy trails where rivulets turned into streams. On a sunny day atop Allen there is barely a view. That day we were lucky to find the canister. Big payoff was fresh caught brookies for dinner. Haystack was my 46th on a blue sky, billowy clouds, light breeze, seventies kind of day surrounded by eight climbing partners from the previous 45. Couldn’t have picked a better day! Are you an aspiring winter 46er as well?
Thanks for the tip on Allen. We are actually saving Whiteface for last so some friends can join us for a celebration if possible. I just talked to some guys we met in the Dix Range that they did Allen in winter and found it much easier than in summer (with the overgrowth, bugs, mud, etc). We’ll see. As far as Winter Hiking goes, right now we just love to do it and have a handful of peaks done in winter,…but not sure right now if we’ll go after that challenge as well. When we decided my wife was going to become a 46er too, I’ve had to repeat a number of peaks with her because the first time on some trips, she would just do one peak (Algonquin, Giant, etc) while I had gone on to grab others nearby. That’s slowed the journey down a little but I don’t mind…it’s all in the journey anyway.