On The Trails & Summits

Amy Patenaude is the Weirs Times Outdoor Columnist. She is a life-long resident of New Hampshire, born in Concord and now a Henniker resident.

Amy has been writing her bi-weekly column for the Weirs Times since 2000. Amy travels to the highest peaks as well as to the more obscure places of nature throughout the state of New Hampshire and beyond. Amy’s international treks have also taken her from the Virgin Islands to Ireland and places in between. Each visit brought to life in her own personal style.

When Amy isn’t researching a column for the Weirs Times you might find her competing in a cross-country or alpine race, just to relax.

So, whether it’s a cross-country ski-trip, a hike through the known and unknown trails of New Hampshire or an exotic adventure to places “away”, Amy is sure to surprise even the most seasoned outdoor enthusiast with her adventurous, educational and fun experiences in the great outdoors.

Moose Mountain & More: Appalachian Trail Tramping

This was the second Thursday in a row that I accompanied Bria while she finished up redlining the Moosilauke Region chapter in the AMC White Mountain Guide. This requires hiking the Appalachian Trail from Moosilauke to the crossing of the Connecticut River and all the connecting trails and more. She needed to hike everything in the Hanover-Lyme area so we went hiking.

Profile Falls on the Smith River in Bristol

Visiting waterfalls in the Fall is a fun thing to do, especially after it has rained for a couple days. The brilliant fall color of the leaves that are still left on the trees frame the cascading water so pretty. Profile Falls in Bristol is just a short walk and is well worth a visit.

On The Appalachian Trail In Maine: 100 Mile Wilderness & Katahdin – Part II

Cooper Brook’s cascading water white noise made for a good night’s sleep for our 4th night sleeping in the 100 Mile Wilderness. We were now halfway through our hike if everything continued to go our way. The hardest part of the 100 Mile Wilderness was now behind us. No more fording big streams and no more big mountains until we reached Katahdin. 58.5 miles were behind us and less than 42 more to go to reach Abol Bridge, the end of the 100 Mile Wilderness.

On The Appalachian Trail In Maine: 100 Mile Wilderness & Katahdin – Part I

A year ago, last September Julie and I backpacked from Stratton To Caratunk and then a few weeks later, thanks to unseasonably warm weather, we went back to Maine and completed the section from Caratunk to Monson. Then all that was left for me to complete the Maine Appalachian Trail (AT) was the 100 Mile Wilderness and Mount Katahdin.

Packrafting Simmons Pond

This week’s #outdoor #adventure brings Amy to Warner, NH for a packraft paddle on Simmons Pond. The pond hides near where the townlines of Warner, Sutton and Bradford meet. It isn’t an easy place to find and most people have never given a thought to finding it.

Randolph Mountain Club Trailwork – The Link

Danielle, Bria and Amy volunteer for trail maintenance this week .. finishing what they started last summer: clearing The Link. – a trail that connects Appalachia to all the paths and trails that lead to Mount Adams and Mount Jefferson from the north & west.