AMC rock climbing excurion, 1950s. Courtesy of AMC Archives. The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) celebrates the 150th anniversary of its founding in 2026. Leading up to this auspicious milestone, we’ll be sharing historical highlights about the founding...
Mountain Passages: The Journal of the New Hampshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club
Updated:July 25, 2026
Your source for outdoor adventures and “how to” articles about hiking, skiing, paddling, mountaineering and other outdoor activities, as well as articles about the history and natural environment of the New Hampshire forests and mountains
ARTICLES WANTED. Mountain Passages welcomes and needs contributions from AMCNH members. If you wish to contribute an article and/or photo essay on a topic you think relevant to the AMCNH community please email to newsletternh@amcnh.org. BE A PUBLISHED AUTHOR.
Mountain Passages Featured Blog Articles
Tie This Rope Around Your Waist and Follow Me: The First Generations of AMC Rock Climbers – by Becky Fullerton, AMC Archivist
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The AMC’s Century of Breaking Trail for Backcountry Skiers in New Hampshire and Beyond – by Ham Mehlman
In the BC years (Before Chairlifts), the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) led the way in establishing New Hampshire as the initial epicenter of recreational alpine skiing in the US, at least until Averill Harriman erected his chairlift on Dollar Mountain in Ketchum, Idaho in 1936 (now known as Sun Valley). In the process, the AMC catalyzed the differentiation of alpine trails, ski technique and equipment from its Nordic (cross country) progenitor in the US.
Carrying the AMC 150 pennant on the Appalachian Trail: Moose Mountain, NH, Backpack, July 13-14, 2026 – by John Williams
Hauling the AMC 150 pennant! This summer the Appalachian Mountain Club, founded in 1876, is relaying a pennant by hand from Virginia to ME to celebrate the Club’s 150th year organizing adventures, building trails, and conserving land to experience the outdoors. As...
PEOPLE OF THE WHITES: Robert Scott Monahan (1907 -1994), Winston Henry Pote (1899-1989), and Samuel A. Bemis (1793-1881) – by Francis Woodard Richardson
Over the past several years Frances Woodard Richardson has profiled many New Hampshirites who have contributed to the development of outdoor life in New Hampshire. Mountain Passages has published these profiles in a Series called ‘PEOPLE OF THE WHITES.’ ...
FROM THE AMC ARCHIVES: View film footage from 1951-1953 “AMC AUGUST CAMPS”
In 2011, the National Film Preservation Foundation, an affiliate of the Library of Congress, funded an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) grant to digitize film from the 1951-1953 AMC organized “August Camps”. The film is a 25 minute visual documentary of AMC’s promotion of outdoor life in New England the early 1950’s.
A Continuous Journey: From Charles E. Fay’s Vision to the AMC 150 Relay – by Becky Fullerton, AMC Archivist
Early accounts reveal that AMC’s greatest achievement was not simply in charting peaks or cataloging natural history, but in discovering how to bring people together in the landscape itself. What began as loosely arranged outings; part scientific inquiry, part social experiment, quickly evolved into something far more enduring: a community bound by shared effort, curiosity, and joy.
From Paper Maps to AI: How Hiking Data Changed in 26 Years on the NH 48 – By Nick Dube
The mountains and trails may be the same, but the information we have to plan our trips has changed completely.
Wait, what is the name of that? – by Lynn Fisher
A ski buddy from Franconia once called me out for referring to Cannon’s “Front Five” ski trails. He said the use of that name is a sure way to tell if someone isn’t local…
Haute Route: Its All About the Journey – by Chris Peter
The Haute route is one of the most popular multi-day backcountry ski tours, which connects the birthplace of alpinism and the home of Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France to the distinct and daunting figure of the Matterhorn in Zermatt, Switzerland. The route is about 75 miles and 20,000 feet typically done over 7-8 days, covering stunning landscapes through the high Alps and sleeping at beautifully perched backcountry huts.
Her Quest to Climb 3.65 Million Vertical Feet in 2026, Really – by Ham Mehlman
“Wait, what?” Did you say your goal is to climb 3.65 million vertical feet in a calendar year?
AMCNH Conservation Corner: The Story of the American Chestnut – by Laurie Schive
The American Chestnut once comprised 25% of Southern and Central New Hampshire forests. Sadly, an invasive blight introduced from imported Japanese chestnut trees in 1904, has mostly wiped out the American Chestnut tree.
Do What You Can: Sexual Assault Awareness 2026 – by MJo McCarthy
What are SAAM hikes? SAAM hikes are regular AMC hikes plus conversation. Sprinkled throughout each hike, typically at natural stopping points, we take the opportunity to discuss topics of personal safety, behavior, and trail etiquette. This April we will offer three independent Saturday hikes and a short presentation for those at AMC NH Chapter Spring School.
How-to Advice, Suggestions and Information
WHERE IN THE WHITES?
SUMMER 2026 CHALLENGE
On what summit am I standing?
What is the name of the pond in the foreground?
Identify the ski area in the distance?
Name as many peaks as you want? (I know, there are a lot of them)
Please send answers (and any suggestions for future challenges) to
Early Winners:
- Loretta Boyne
SPRING 2026 CHALLENGE RESULTS
John Williams, AMCNH Excursions Chair Emeritus, shot this photograph on January 1, 2012.
John is standing on summit of Mt Adams looking across the Great Gulf glacial cirque at Washington, Clay and Jefferson
Spring Challenge Winners:
- Loretta Boyne
- Mike Sullivan
“PEAKS” INTO THE ARCHIVES:
Includes an excerpt from Keith Gentili’s book White Mountains State about his journey to scale all 48 NH 4,000 footers
NOTES:
- Mountain Passages is available as a blog on this page of the AMCNH.ORG website. We update the page with new material regularly as we receive and edit new posts. We include links to new articles in our chapter newsletter emailed to members each quarter. Members should check with AMC Member Services (603) 466-2727) to see if they are signed up for email distribution and/or to update their email address.
- Articles and “Letters to the Editor” welcome! Mountain Passages is an AMC-NH member-volunteer managed and produced publication. We welcome (and need!) articles and “Letters to the Editor” from members interested in writing on topics they think relevant to the missions, activities and interests of AMC-NH members. (All submissions subject to editorial review.) Please send Word or Google Doc file to . Be a published author!