The Presidential Traverse

On October 8th, 2021, we hiked the Presidential Traverse in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (Wade and Gale). This was a challenge that pushed our capabilities both mentally and physically. This is one of the hardest endeavors we've ever undertaken. An experience like no other…Final tracking numbers: 23.15 Miles, 9590ft Elevation Gain. Time to complete: 14 hours and 55 minutes. The Mountain Peaks we reached along the journey: Madison, Adams, Jefferson, Washington, Monroe, Eisenhower, Pierce, and Jackson.

We prepared and planned for this through-hike accordingly. For through-hikes, they start in one spot and ended in another; a Point A to Point B route. The full traverse is commonly completed in 2 or 3 days when hiked. However, we wanted to challenge ourselves in a way we never have.

The night prior to the hike, we positioned one of our vehicles at the end of the trail. It is essential that a plan similar to this is made. We have heard of some people getting a shuttle organized for pickup at the end. However, we highly recommend having a vehicle staged. You will be so exhausted physically and mentally after this hike. The last thing you want to do is wait around for a shuttle or pickup.

Dress accordingly for the hike based off of weather report. And always have a good idea of what the weather will be throughout the day. The last thing you need is to be caught in a storm at the top of a mountain.

As far as gear for the hike, dress based off the weather report. We wore cold gear base layers (both upper and lower), shorts, t-shirt, wool socks, and hiking boots/shoes. Make sure your footwear is up to the challenge too. You will need something with solid traction; avoid basic running shoes. We also packed a light jacket in our bags in case it got cold up top (we didn't end up needing them, but we had them if we did). We also packed an extra pair of socks, a pair of gloves, and a winter hat.

Use a solid hiking backpack that has hip and chest straps to distribute the weight evenly. A normal backpack will really put a lot of pressure on your shoulders and lower back. We use and recommend Osprey day hike bags. In addition, use a 3 liter water bladder for water supply. We added some electrolyte tablets to our water supply to help combat cramping and fatigue. At the time of year we did it, there was only one spot to refill water. This was at the top of Mt Washington. We drank all of our water by the time we reached Washington, so it was an ideal refill location. During the summer, the Huts along the trail will have refill station so there will be more locations to refill. Bring extra water if you think you will need it in water bottles. Also, bring a life straw or filter of some kind incase you need to drink river water.

Other gear we brought included trekking poles, a life straw, camera equipment, phones, sunglasses, headlamps and portable chargers. Total pack weight was around 20 pounds.

For food we packed three PB&Js and 3 Cliff Bars. This was enough. PB&Js are the ideal hiking snack in our opinion. They are cheap, delicious, and they don't go bad.

We stayed about an hour away from the start of the hike. The day of the hike we woke up at 0400. We took a quick cold shower to shock and wake up the body. And I mean COLD! We then ate a quick egg burrito breakfast that we premade the night before for efficiency purposes. On the ride, we drank some coffee, a full bottle of Gatorade and lots of water. We arrived at the trailhead around 0515.

We began our journey at 0530 with Headlamps on. And we started off with a solid pace. With basically no breaks, we traversed up Mt Madison with force. We made it to the top as the sun came over the horizon. The views were absolutely stunning. Mother nature blessed us on this day as far as weather.

From the point forward we maintained a very steady pace. The only time we took breaks was at each of the Mountain Peaks. And these breaks were brief. No more than 15 minutes. During these breaks, we would take a few pictures, maybe have a snack, and then move along.

The entire hike up until the final two peaks was difficult, but not horrible. But when we got to that point, towards the end of our journey, it set in. The foot pain, the physical energy depletion, and the mental aggravation. But we pushed through it and kept each other as positive as we could all the way up until the end. That is what we had to do. We knew that getting too worked up or down about the situation was not going to help anything.

And when we finished the epic journey, the feeling of achievement was so prominent and so real. Some of the biggest smiles we've ever smiled.

When you do something hard, it unlocks this special feeling. A feeling that can only be produced by putting yourself in difficult, uncomfortable, challenging situations, and overcoming them. And to do this with someone or a group of people only makes it better!

That is what Infinite is all about! Challenging your mind and body. Getting outside your comfort zone. Do something hard. And ultimately, making yourself better. And if you can, do these hard things with other people. It will only amplify the feeling of the achievement. Community is so important to the Infinite state of mind. We are all in this together. And we always have the opportunity to make each other better if we choose to. And choosing to make each other better is the Infinite Way!

Challenge the body. Challenge the mind. And keep Living Infinite!