From their earliest days as Juniors, Pemi campers take to the trails to experience the majesty, tranquility, and camaraderie of being out in the woods with their friends. For the younger campers, these trips most frequently consist of day hikes up nearby mountains such as Cube, Rattlesnake, or Black; an initial exposure to our overnight camping program via the Pemi Hill shelter; and two- and three-day trips to the Kinsmans, Osceola, and Mt. Moosilauke. As Pemi campers grow, however, so do the peaks they ascend. In the White Mountains, indeed in all of the northeast, it doesn’t get any higher or more challenging than Mount Washington. Pemi’s oldest campers have the opportunity to hike Washington, along with the other peaks in the Presidential and Franconia Ranges, via one of Pemi’s most cherished traditions: hut trips.

The Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) high mountain huts are hotels in the sky. Hikers enjoy warm, fresh-cooked meals; real beds and blankets instead of tents and sleeping bags; and other amenities including outhouses and the chance to buy the famous hut t-shirts or hats. The huts stretch across the White Mountain National Forest, providing access – only by foot – to the most stunning peaks, vistas, and ridges that New England has to offer. For decades Pemi has been sending groups of Uppers and Seniors to a number of the most marquee of these huts, providing our oldest campers the chance to push themselves physically and mentally, but to then reap the rewards in style. Staying at an AMC hut comes with some real perks, on top of those mentioned above, like as much hot cocoa you can consume before your counselor cuts you off and sunsets that, dare we say it, rival the beauty of a sunset down Lower Baker Pond. If you’re up for it, your stay might even include a polar bear dip at 5,000 feet.

Pemi’s hut trips are open only to our oldest campers. Uppers have the chance to hike to and stay at Greenleaf Hut, oftentimes as a whole-cabin activity. The group drives from camp to the Franconia Notch and hikes up the Old Bridle Path to Greenleaf, which sits 4,220 feet above sea level, on the shoulder of Mt. Lafayette. Upon arrival, groups check in and leave their gear in the shared bunkhouse they’ll call home for the night. Typically arriving with plenty of daylight left, they’ll explore the area around the hut before the “Croo” (more on them below) signals for dinner. While the menus vary, the quality remains. I have yet to hear of anyone who had a bad meal at an AMC hut. You can count on something hot and savory – perhaps a hearty stew, fresh baked bread, salad, and dessert – to warm you up for your night at high elevation.

After a Greenleaf dinner, the group heads out for one of the real treats of the experience: a quick hike up Lafayette to see the sunset. Grabbing a fleece and headlamp, boys and counselors bound a mile-ish up above 5,000 feet and gaze west towards Mount Cannon and the Kinsmans, where the sun dips into a ridge between them. It’s a view that’s hard to beat. Back at the hut after the short headlamp-assisted descent, boys settle in with more hot cocoa and look through the logbooks. Going back decades, these books contain entries from guests at the hut, including Pemi groups of yesteryear. Boys can look back and find entries from their counselors, older siblings, fathers and uncles, or even their directors. Next time you’re at Greenleaf, perhaps you can look back twenty years to the 2004 log and find the trip Kenny and I took together – me as a camper, he as the Upper 3 counselor!

The experience at the hut provides only a portion of the incredible nature of these trips; the hiking itself brings awe and beauty in spades. Leaving Greenleaf in the morning, boys again ascend Lafayette, taking in stunning 360º views of the White Mountains, including the aforementioned Kinsmans, the Twin-Guyot-Bond ridge, and the Pemigewasset Wilderness. They’ll continue along the Franconia Ridge, summiting Mts. Lincoln, Little Haystack, Liberty, and Flume before descending. Ridge hiking provides boys with an entirely different experience than anything they’ve done as younger campers. They’re spending extended time above tree line, exposed simultaneously to cinematic vistas and the unpredictable elements. It’s not uncommon to be up on a ridge and actually watch the outer limits of an approaching storm miles off in the distance. It’s a special sight to see!

Check back next week for a second installment on Pemi’s hut trips to learn about the highest peaks and toughest trails we tackle: the Presidential Range via Madison Spring and Lakes of the Clouds Huts!

– Pat Clare