Profile of an AMC Hike Leader: Tim Kennedy – Six Decades of Tramping Through Snow – by John Williams

Tim Kennedy in 1988 at his finish of the NE4K on top of Mt Hamlin.

Is it for the love of it? To share the experience? To teach others how to venture out during hazardous weather to experience the mountains in winter?  What motivates a winter hike leader?

Meet my mentor, Tim Kennedy.  Tim has been an active AMC New Hampshire Chapter member for over 50 years.

As a young 30 something, I sought advice from Tim about hiking the the White Mountain with my young son. Tim would patiently ask what I had in mind and offer his thoughts on a good plan for my son and me.  After our weekend adventures Tim would ask how it went and then suggest new challenges to reach higher peaks.  At one point, Tim told me he hikes in winter and teaches winter hiking.  I thought he was crazy.  Many years later, after job changes separated us for awhile, I reconnected with Tim at the Mt. Cardigan Lodge during a training weekend.  We both recalled our talks about early hikes so many years ago.  At the time, I was training to be an AMC winter hike leader myself. It was a warm reunion, both of us proud of our early history then, and of our roles for the New Hampshire Chapter.

When did you discover a love of hiking? I got married in 1968 and started to hike at the same time.  I was really walking off the Vietnam War.  It was quiet and away from people. I loved it, but I had to learn by trial and error.

What led you to the AMC? My Dad worked with a fellow (Don Guy) who was a longtime member.  Back then you had to have two members vouch for you and write an approving letter.  I didn’t know anyone. So Don had his friend Fran Belcher, who was head of AMC, write a letter.

Are you one of the longest running AMC NH members?  More than likely.  I took Ed Hawkins on one of his first AMC hikes.  I also took Ann Gwynn on her first AMC hike.  (These are a couple of very accomplished and notable hiker/leaders for the AMC NH Chapter.)

When did you become an AMC Hike Leader? I became a leader around 1974.  Hal Graham was Excursions Chairman at the time.  I went on a few trips with him, and he said “Tim, you have more experience than most of my leaders. Why aren’t you a leader??”.  So, he blessed me as a new leader.  (The process to become a leader is different now.)

Why were you interested in leading hikes? I wanted to pass on all the knowledge that I had learned.

When did hiking progress from the 3 seasons to include Winter?  For you?  For others? I found, in early 70’s, that I enjoyed the winter more.  You would not see any other group when you were out.

1990 -Tim on Big Jay Peak with old style wood framed snowshoes

What was different then from winter hiking now?   (information, guidebooks, maps, internet, cell phones, trail conditions)? First of all, the equipment was much different.  Army surplus wool pants and scratchy wool long johns were it.  The only insulated boots were Sorels.  Crampon bindings were awful to get on.  Snowshoes were 36” wood with leather bindings (without traction).  You broke trail on every trip on an entire winter’s worth of snow.  It also was colder.  It seemed like every trip started around minus 10 and it would warm up to about 10 above.  I’ve hiked in 30 below zero twice. Not fun. The trips took longer due to not broken trail conditions. It was common to start before 8AM and get out around 8PM by headlamp.  Bushwacks were done with USGS  Geodetic survey maps (paper) and a compass. So you learned to read the terrain and keep track of about where you were.  Finding the trail along a ridge became an art form and valuable skill.

How was (winter trail condition) information passed to hikers before the internet? You called people on the phone.  That was the only option.

How were hikes posted before the internet? The AMC outdoors magazine was the only game in town.  In late December the Jan / Feb issue would be published, and the few winter hikers would plan the winter by those listed winter hikes.

In addition to leading hikes in winter, have you helped train hikers new to winter? I taught at the NH Chapter Mt. Cardigan winter schools for many years. I always get a kick out of showing a new winter hiker how to use snowshoes better and how to know where you are without a GPS telling you.

1996 – Baxter State Park, pulling gear for a Maine 4,000-foot winter hike

Were the NH 4,000 footers hiked before the Kanc Highway was built?  (Hancocks) Yes, When Mirriam Underhill came up with the idea of the winter list, they had to sled in and camp overnight to do any of the peaks off the Kanc. Some groups would get to Owl’s Head by going (up to Mt. Lincoln and) down the Lincoln slide and then up Owl’s Head slide in winter.  Think about that.  They started plowing the Kanc around 1969.

Do you have one memory that you would like to share? There is a slide that comes off ridge running up to Mt. Lincoln.  It drops into Walker Ravine and is very steep.  A small group of us hiked Lafayette and Lincoln in early March and headed down that ridge. You hug the left for a few tenths of mile to avoid falling over the headwall.  We then aimed for this slide and went down on our 36” wood snowshoes.  You follow the streambed for a few miles and hang a right to pick up Falling Waters Trail out to parking lot.  I have never heard of anyone repeating it.  We did it twice.

Tim still hikes on a regular basis, in all seasons. This winter, I had the honor of leading a winter hike with my mentor.  We co-led an AMC hike to the summit of Mt. Tecumseh with a lively group of hikers.   Tim has led hikes for the AMC in 6 decades, wow !  Yes, amazing, he started in the mid 1970’s leading winter hikes for the New Hampshire Chapter.  Tim actively led in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s, 2010 and now 2025 for a total of 6 decades.

January, 2025 – Tim leading hike on Mt. Tecumseh