Presidential Traverse

Only the most adventurous backpackers attempt the Presidential Traverse, an extremely difficult and sometimes dangerous climb through New Hampshire s White Mountains. It s so named for the summits of peaks named after U.S. presidents that must be crossed to complete the journey: Mount Madison, Mount Adams, Mount Jefferson, Mount Washington, Mount Monroe, Mount Eisenhower and Mount Pierce. About 23 miles long, most people need two to three days to climb the whole thing and only the luckiest travelers get decent weather. The area is known for unpredictable rain, snow and whiteouts, and the winds exceed 100 miles per hour every four days in the winter.