EC_Logo_SmallHoriz_CMYK_2023(1)

North America Hike of a Lifetime

White Mountains Trek
June 22-27, 2023

Tour Highlights

Not a bicycling tour – Come experience the awe of God’s creation with us in the high Appalachian Mountains (#WMBT2023)! Enjoy the hospitality of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s remote huts and worship with us each morning on the mountaintops. This is a strenuous 4-day, 20-mile, 8,000-foot-gain, backpacking trek through the entire Presidential Range of the White Mountains including the summit of Mount Washington and two days in the alpine zone.

This adventure will challenge you. While we will be carrying a slightly lighter pack than you may be used to (15 – 20lbs), the terrain and weather of the Presidential Range make this a challenging trek for even the most seasoned backpackers. You may encounter sunny weather around 60-degrees F or rain and sleet as low as 40-degrees F. You will climb thousands of feet each day and hike over some of the tallest peaks of the Eastern USA.

This adventure will change lives. You will raise support for our amazing beneficiary in the months and days leading up to the trip, perhaps even on the trek, and certainly in the weeks following the trek as you tell tales of your adventure. God will use you to resource and advocate for global youth. On the trek, you will PRAY, TREK, REPEAT for four days, lifting our beneficiary in prayer to our loving God. In the huts, you will spend hours with others from around the US, Canada and even the world who will want to hear about you and what brought you to the Appalachian Mountains and the AMC huts.

Got questions?  Email our #WMBT2023 Hike Director, Lexi Geiger at LexiGeigs1@gmail.com

For Youth of
Mexico

We are riding for our partners, Word of Life in Mexico. At their our Bible Institute they prepare, teach and train students for the field, to reach every generation for Christ. The Local Church Ministry (LCM) department focus is to provide local Churches with youth program resources and leadership training. Their summer camps focus on sharing the gospel of Christ with thousands of teenagers. Help us meet the needs of these youth and #PrayPedalRepeat for the youth of Mexico.

Tour Information

AT A GLANCE

Tour Type

Point-to-Point

Difficulty Level

Bonkers

We have 5 tour difficulty levels. Learn more.

Arrival Airport

Suggested Fly In: June 21
Boston Logan Intl. (BOS)

Orientation

June 22 at 1:30p

Tour Dates

June 23-26

Indoor Lodging

Appalachian Mountain Club Huts

Our version of "glamping": we provide indoor lodging for pre-orientation and all nights of the tour within the sanctuary of a church along the tour route. Bring your own sleeping bag!

Begins At

Gordon College
255 Grapevine Road
Wenham, MA 01984

Return to Start

Evening of June 26

Departure Airport

Boston Logan Intl. (BOS)
Suggested Fly Out: June 27

Hike Cost

$825 Hiker

Hiking PACE

Choose from 4 groups

Find your walking pace on the trail.

We provide lots of resources to help you reach your funding pledge. Learn more.

Where the money goes

Not to Ends Cycling

The majority (90%) of all donations goes directly toward impacting youth served by our beneficiary in this county, in Jesus’ name. The remaining funds (10%) support with the administrative costs for our parent organization, New International, a not-for-profit which, in all honesty, helps us do what we do even better. Tax deductible receipts and year end giving statements are provided to all tour participants and donors. Find our more about our financial transparency and accountability standards on our About page.

Tour ItineRary

yes we'll stop for Coffee

AM – Arrive in Boston (BOS – Boston Logan International Airport) for pickup. We will transport you and your things to our host church. Lunch is your responsibility.

PM – Take part in our afternoon Pre-field Orientation (PFO). You will receive the official 2023 Ends of the Earth Hiking performance t-shirt. Meet the tour director and your companions for the hike. Get the safety brief and other vital information from our crew and beneficiaries. There will be transportation to a “big box” store in order to purchase snacks/lunches, etc. for the trail. Dinner is provided, and we will eat together on Thursday night.

AM – Rise early and board the vans for our trip to the Valley Way Trailhead in Randolph, NH. We will stop for breakfast (your responsibility) along the 2 to 3-hour drive North. Lunch will be out of your own pack (your responsibility) at the trailhead.

PM – Ascend the beautiful Valley Way Trail through the woods to Madison Spring Hut. “AMC’s first high mountain hut, built in 1888,

Madison Spring Hut has been newly rebuilt and sits above treeline at the northern end of the Presidential Range and overlooks the sheer walls of the Madison Gulf for spectacular views of its closest peaks.” Be sure to arrive by 6:00 pm sharp for a warm dinner provided by the Cru at the hut. If you arrive early, you may choose to drop your pack and ascend 566 feet over 0.5 mile to the summit of Mt. Madison. Join us for worship after dinner.

AM – Warm breakfast is served by the hut Cru at 7:00 am sharp. After that, pack up, fill your water bottles, and head out on the beautiful Gulfside Trail. This portion of the Appalachian Trail (AT) is entirely above the tree line in the alpine zone. Summit Mt. Adams, Mt. Jefferson, and Mt. Clay on your way to the summit of Mt. Washington, the highest peak on the East Coast. (You can also choose to trim some miles and feet by circumventing one or all peaks.) Lunch is from your pack on the trail. (There are food and facilities at the summit of Mt. Washington.) Descend on the Crawford Path to the picturesque Lakes of the Clouds Hut 1,276 feet below the summit.

“AMC’s most famous Hut, Lakes of the Clouds, is our highest and most visited destination at 5,012 feet. Above tree line, the historic hut’s namesake lakes are nearby, where it often appears that the clouds are sitting atop the water. The hut is located in the Southwestern saddle of Mount Washington.”

PM – Be sure to arrive by 6:00 pm sharp for a warm dinner provided by the Cru at the hut. Join us for worship after dinner.

AM – Warm breakfast is served by the hut Cru at 7:00 am sharp. After that, pack up, fill your water bottles, and head out on the historic Crawford Path, the oldest continuously maintained footpath in the United States. This portion of the AT is almost entirely above tree line. Lunch is from your pack along the trail. Summit Mt. Monroe, Mt. Franklin, Mt. Eisenhower, and Mt. Pierce on your way to Mizpah Spring Hut. (The summits, except Mt. Pierce, can be bypassed.)

​“Nestled in between two 4,000-foot peaks, Mizpah Spring Hut, known by generations as ‘Pa,’ is just a short distance from the legendary Crawford Path. This unique hut sits at 3,800 feet and its name means ‘pillar in the wilderness.’”

PM – Be sure to arrive by 6:00 pm sharp for a warm dinner provided by the Cru at the hut. Join us for worship after dinner.

AM – Warm breakfast is served by the hut Cru at 7:00 am sharp. After that, pack up, fill your water bottles, and head out on the Crawford Path. You have left the AT and headed West for the AMC Highland Center. This hike is a gentle, short descent; the easiest day of the trip.

“Built on the site of the historic Crawford House hotel and nestled in New Hampshire’s Crawford Notch, the Highland Center is our premier White Mountain lodge, an ideal basecamp for your mountain escape.”

The Highlands Center has a deli serving lunch from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. The Highlands Center has a retail shop and gift store. Showers are also available for a fee at the Highlands Center if you are really desperate.

PM – Return to Gordon College in the mid-afternoon for debrief over pizza. There will be an evening shuttle to the airport.

AM – A morning shuttle to the airport will be available.

The Nitty Gritty

Only The Good Stuff

  • 6-Days of awesomeness!
  • A place to stay the night before and the night after the trek (hotels are an optional cost to you)
  • Ends Hiking performance T (great for the trail)
  • Tour Insurance
  • Transportation from Gordon College to the trailhead in NH and back.
  • Full-time Event Photographer when possible (you get free access to the pics after the event!)
  • Custom Thank You cards to send to all of your supporters. (These will be mailed to you shortly after the ride is completed)
  • Daily devotional
  • Airport transportation (at designated shuttle times).
  • Pre-hike supper
  • Post-hike meal
  • Backpacking training and advice in orientation
  • Experienced Group Leaders
  • Radio communication (when conditions permit) between groups
In addition to PFO and post-tour accommodations at Gordon College on the beautiful North Shore of Boston, we will stay at AMC Huts. Founded in 1876, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC – outdoors.org) promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of America’s Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. We will stay at three huts – remote lodges that were built beginning in 1888. The huts provide a delicious and hearty dinner at 6:00 p.m. and warm breakfast at 7:00 a.m. The huts are staffed by a small team of young people called the “Cru.” They trek in all supplies for the hut several miles on their backs.
  • Clothing for all weather from cold and rainy to hot and sunny
  • Snacks and lunches for the trail
  • Water
  • Toiletries, insect repellent, sunscreen, etc.
  • Bedding
  • All trash you produce (Bring extra ziplocks for this.)
  • Three evening meals and three full breakfasts at the AMC huts
  • Snacks for the trail (energy gels, granola bars, fruit, etc.)
  • You are are responsible for packing and hiking with all of your lunches for each day.

Strongly Suggested

  • Base Layer Tops and Bottoms (Lightweight or Midweight, Synthetic or Wool)
  • Day Pack (36L-50L – It is highly suggested that you limit your pack to 50L maximum volume.)
  • Face Mask
  • Fleece/Wool Gloves
  • Fleece/Wool Hat
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Headlamp with Fresh Batteries
  • Hiking Boots (waterproof or bring bags as inserts/sock covers – It is highly suggest that you wear comfortable stiff soled boots because of all of the rock hopping that you will do. Your feet will thank you.)
  • Hiking Pants (Convertible, Quick-Dry, Lightweight)
  • Hiking Socks (Synthetic or Wool)
  • Insulated Jacket
  • Backpack Rain Cover
  • Personal Bathroom Kit: Toilet Paper, Ziplock Bags, Personal Wipes, Hand Cleaner
  • Personal First Aid Kit/Medications (Lightweight)
  • Rain Jacket (Hooded, Lightweight, Waterproof, Breathable)
  • Rain Pants (Lightweight, Waterproof, Breathable)
  • Water Bottles (Two 1-Liter) or Hydration System (“Camelback” 2-liter or greater)
  • Whistle
  • Cash
  • Identification (easily accessible, for example Road iD)


Recommended

  • Bandana
  • Camping Pillow
  • Camp Towel and Washcloth
  • Casual Shoes for Travel and Free Time
  • Ear Plugs
  • Hiking Shorts (Quick-Dry, Lightweight)
  • Insect Repellent
  • Sleep Sheet/Sleeping Bag Liner
  • Sleeping Bag (40°+)
  • Sun Hat
  • Sunblock and Lip Balm
  • Sunglasses and Accessories
  • Tee Shirts (Synthetic)
  • Toiletries
  • Camera


Rental

  • It is possible to rent backpacks, headlights, sleeping bags, hiking pillows and other equipment. It can be delivered to your home or picked up in NH/MA. A basic selection of backpack, headlight, sleeping bag and pillow can be rented for less than $150 for the four nights of the trek. If you are interested in renting equipment, please contact Dave Wehrle (dwehrle@endscycling.com or 201-972-5279).
  • Indoor sleeping arrangements for pre-orientation and all nights of the tour
  • Pre-orientation, safety briefing and training
  • Airport pick-up and drop off at designated shuttle times
  • Transportation to starting line and from finish line
  • Daily devotional inspired by our beneficiaries
  • Daily praise and worship service
  • Comprehensive Fundraising Kit with downloadable resources and ideas to help you reach your pledge goal
  • Fundraising donation page to collect pledges and track your progress
  • Easily sharable donation links
  • Custom thank you cards for your supporter (available post-tour)
  • There will be no bathing at the huts apart from face washing in the bathroom and the use of wipes.
  • Did we mention that this is strenuous hiking?
  • You will likely have no cell signal during the hike.
  • There is no electricity at the huts.
  • The huts are not heated.
  • There is absolutely nothing but beautiful wilderness between huts.
  • This hike is rain or shine, so pack in zip-locks.
  • We will have a Box-Store run before the event for you to purchase any last minute items.