BACKCOUNTRY KNOW-HOW

There are many backcountry areas to love and explore. Here are a few highlights.

BY MEAG AND BEN POIRIER

There are backcountry camping guidelines in place to protect you and the wilds of New Hampshire. You can’t just go pitch a tent and roast some hotdogs anywhere in the woods. In most cases, you have to be at least 200 feet from a trail, trailhead, road or body of water. In some parts of the Whites, you need to be a minimum of 1/4 mile from a trail or body of water, and many areas prohibit fires. Before you head out, make sure that you are prepared with water, food and knowledge, and a plan for where you are going.

Practice “leave no trace”

This one’s just like it sounds. Don’t disturb the wilderness. That means packing out what you take in and disposing of your waste properly.

Come prepared

Search online for “10 essentials for camping and hiking” and commit the list to memory. Here are a few highlights:Even if you know the area by heart, still bring a real map. Best not to rely solely on technology. Know where you’re going and tell a friend. Bring enough (and a bit extra) high-energy, nonperishable food. Remember that if you’re hiking you’ll be burning extra calories.

Water is the heaviest thing you’ll carry. Drink often to stay hydrated; a good rule of thumb is one liter for every two hours of hiking. Research whether there are safe water sources in the area you plan to hike or visit. New Hampshire is teeming with streams and ponds, which makes it much easier to plan your trip. Boiling and chemical treatment are the safest ways to be sure there are no organisms left in fresh water, but filters have come a long way. Even if you don’t plan to rely on natural water sources, it’s important to bring a means to purify water safely. Don’t forget, many prepared backpacking meals require boiling, so it’s a good idea to make sure there is a water source within walking distance of your site, just as long as you are the proper distance away according to the area you’re in.

Backcountry camping is allowed in all of the White Mountain National Forest as long as you follow a few important guidelines. It’s free to camp, but most parking areas require a parking permit that you can fill out at a kiosk onsite and hang on your car. There are spots within the National Forest that usually have more restrictions on camping, so be sure to check your area and confirm the rules before heading out. For a full guide on backcountry camping rules, including geographical specific information, go to fs.usda.gov. You should also visit fs.usda.gov/whitemountain for specific information related to COVID-19 and the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF). As of early May, the WMNF was beginning a phased approach to reopening trail heads and other sites.

The Appalachian Trail in the southern Presidential Range

The Great Gulf Wilderness

Cradled in the northeastern side of the Presidential Range is the Great Gulf Wilderness. The Gulf and its surrounding forests are home to some of the best remote spots in the Whites. Many of the presidential mountain streams feed into the west branch of the Peabody River, which flows toward the quaint town of Gorham (a great place to snag supplies).

Pemigewassett Wilderness

Home to the infamous Pemigewassett Loop trail, a 29.9-mile ridge traverse that will buckle the knees of even the most experienced hikers, the Pemigewassett Wilderness, aka the Pemi, is a must-see. It’s made up of three different mountain ranges that form a ring around the wilderness. At the epicenter is Owl’s Head Mountain, one of the most remote hikes in the Whites. The Loop can be busy but boasts a perpetual stunning view (weather permitting) almost the entire hike, including the iconic Bond Cliff (no yoga poses, please, Instagrammers). Thru-hikers don’t typically use the heart of the Pemi because of how out of the way it is, and day hikers steer clear because it’s not a “there and back again” type of story.

Sandwich Range Wilderness

There’s something old world, ghostly even, about the Sandwich Range Wilderness. The way the morning mist snakes through the old hardwoods at the base of the peaks feels like something out of Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

Presidential Range — Dry River Wilderness

Home to Crawford Path and established in 1819, it’s the oldest hiking path in the United States, and it shows. Generations of foot traffic have carved deep grooves in the landscape on some parts of the trail that wind through the southern Presidentials. Originally used as a bridal path for horses, this is a moderate hike for all experience levels but the views are spectacular. I highly recommend sunscreen on long ridge hikes like these.

Wild River Wilderness

The forests east of the Carter-Moriah range were a major hub for logging in the late 1800s. In a time when little regard for sustainability was exercised, much of the land was wiped of anything that could be harvested. After a major fire set by careless campers decimated what was left of the landscape in 1903, the Forest Service stepped in and purchased the land from the logging industry. What can be seen today is a wonderful example of a forest in the making.