Papa Bear's Peakbagging Lists

The New England Fifty Finest Peaks

P

eakbaggers like to climb peaks. In fact some would say they are obsessed with climbing peaks! And most hikers and climbers who call themselves "peakbaggers" endevour to climb certain lists of peaks, such as all those above a certain elevation in some region. If you follow some of the accounts below you'll get the idea.

This page is one of those lists into which I have linked reports of my own climbs and hikes and I have included links to location information for others who may be interested.

So what, you might ask, is meant by the "Fifty Finest Peaks"? "Fifty Finest" is an informal term used to list the fifty most "prominent" peaks in an area, in this case New England. And prominence, or specifically "topographic prominence" is a measure of how much a peak rises (topographically) from its neighbors, how much it "sticks out", so to speak.

For some background, here's an outline of what prominence is all about on Aaron Maizlish's excellent site: Topographic Prominence. And here's a prominence map by Aaron of the Northeast (New England and New York) showing (most of) these "Fifty Finest" peaks: Northeastern U.S. Prominence Map. Remember this page inculdes just peaks in New England, not New York. If you want a similar list for New York, go to the New York's 2000' Prominence List.

And why Fifty? Well, it's a nice number and besides, it goes well with "Finest". "Fifty Finest" sounds better than "Forty-two Finest" or "Sixty-three Finest", don't you think?

Peaks on the list are listed in order of prominence, irrespective of their elevation or when I climbed them (or even if I haven't yet climbed them). For example I climbed the first peak on the list (Washington) in 2002 but I had already climbed the next on the list (Katahdin) way back in 1963! I hope you like this layout and maybe it will inspire a few others to get out there and climb a mountain! Climb two! Climb fifty!

As of October 9th, 2005, I have climbed all the peaks on this list.

As always comments and suggestions are welcome. Just click here to send me a note.

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Notes on the list:

The New England Fifty Finest Peaks (click for my trip report)		Location (click for Topozone map)
	#1 - Mount Washington, New Hampshire Elevation: 6288', Prominence: 6138' My first climb: July 13, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 44 A6 USGS quad: Mount Washington
	#2 - Katahdin - Baxter Peak, Maine Elevation: 5267', Prominence: 4292' My first climb: September 1963 1963 pictures	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 50 D5 USGS quad: Mount Katahdin
	#3 - Mount Mansfield, Vermont Elevation: 4393', Prominence: 3643' My first climb: August 17, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 46 E2 USGS quad: Mount Mansfield
	#4 - Mount Lafayette, New Hampshire Elevation: 5240', Prominence: 3360' My first climb: September 1964	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 43 E12 USGS quad: Franconia
	#5 - Killington Peak, Vermont Elevation: 4235', Prominence: 3325' My first climb: June 6, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 30 D1 USGS quad: Killington Peak
	#6 - Sugarloaf Mountain, Maine Elevation: 4240', Prominence: 3180' My first climb: September 19, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 29 D4 USGS quad: Sugarloaf Mountain
	#7 - Equinox Mountain, Vermont Elevation: 3840', Prominence: 3060' My first climb: June 25, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 25 H9 USGS quad: Manchester
	#8 - Jay Peak, Vermont Elevation: 3858', Prominence: 2975' My firat climb: August 18, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 53 C8 USGS quad: Jay Peak
	#9 - Mount Moosilauke, New Hampshire Elevation: 4802', Prominence: 2932' My first climb: June 14, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 43 J8 USGS quad: Mount Moosilauke
	#10 - Bigelow Mountain - West Peak, Maine Elevation: 4145', Prominence: 2855' My first climb: July 9, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 29 C4 USGS quad: The Horns
	#11 - Dorset Peak, Vermont Elevation: 3760', Prominence: 2840' My first climb: June 19, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 25 C10 USGS quad: Dorset
	#12 - Carter Dome, New Hampshire Elevation: 4832', Prominence: 2814' My first climb: July 15, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 45 A9 USGS quad: Carter Dome
	#13 - Old Speck Mountain, Maine Elevation: 4160', Prominence: 2720' My first climb: September 10, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 18 E1 USGS quad: Old Speck Mountain
	#14 - Mount Cabot, New Hampshire Elevation: 4160', Prominence: 2664' My first climb: July 6, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 48 D3 USGS quad: Stark
	#15 - White Cap Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3654', Prominence: 2624' My first climb: September 1, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 42 C2 USGS quad: Big Shanty Mountain
	#16 - Coburn Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3720', Prominence: 2520' My first climb: November 14, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 40 D1 USGS quad: Enchanted Pond
	#17 - Mount Greylock, Massachusetts Elevation: 3487', Prominence: 2482' My first climb: 1962	DeLorme Atlas: MA pg. 20 G15 USGS quad: Cheshire
	#18 - Worcester Mountains High Point, Vermont Elevation: 3642', Prominence: 2472' My first climb: June 2, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 46 J5 USGS quad: Stowe
	#19 - Saddleback Mountain, Maine Elevation: 4120', Prominence: 2446' My first climb: September 17, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 29 E1 USGS quad: Saddleback Mountain
	#20 - Kinsman Mountain - South Peak, New Hampshire Elevation: 4358', Prominence: 2418' My first climb: July 8, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 43 F10 USGS quad: Lincoln
	#21 - Stratton Mountain, Vermont Elevation: 3940', Prominence: 2411' My first climb: May 22, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 25 K13 USGS quad: Stratton Mountain
	#22 - The Traveler, Maine Elevation: 3542', Prominence: 2342' My first climb: August 30, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 51 B1 USGS quad: The Traveler
	#23 - Mount Shaw, New Hampshire Elevation: 2990', Prominence: 2340' My first climb: October 13, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 40 H7 USGS quad: Melvin Village
	#24 - Chain of Ponds Snow Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3960', Prominence: 2330' My first climb: July 12, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 28 A4 USGS quad: Chain of Ponds
	#25 - Mount Ascutney, Vermont Elevation: 3130', Prominence: 2290' My first climb: October 11, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 31 J10 USGS quad: Mount Ascutney
	#26* - Kibby Mountain, Maine (* - see note below) Elevation: 3654', Prominence: 2264' My first climb: July 14, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 39 D1 USGS quad: Kibby Mountain
	* - Due to uncertainties on the topographic maps, it is not known whether Kibby (above) or Caribou (below) is higher. The higher peak will have the prominence listed, and will have the rank of #26, the lower will have prominence of about 1240'. In other words, only one of these peaks belongs on this list, but we don't know which. So we'll climb them both!
	#26* - Caribou Mountain, Maine (* - see note above) Elevation: 3650', Prominence: 2260' My first climb: July 13, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME 38 D5 USGS quad: Kibby Mountain
	#27 - Mount Carrigain, New Hampshire Elevation: 4680', Prominence: 2240' My first climb: October 9, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 44 G3 USGS quad: Mount Carrigain
	#28 - Baldpate Mountain - East Peak, Maine Elevation: 3780', Prominence: 2238' My first climb: September 12, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 18 D2 USGS quad: Old Speck Mountain
	#29 - East Mountain, Vermont Elevation: 3438', Prominence: 2227' My first climb: June 4, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 49 A11 USGS quad: Seneca Mountain
	#30 - Grass Mountain, Vermont Elevation: 3109', Prominence: 2199' My first climb: October 11, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 20 A6 USGS quad: Arlington
	#31 - Baker Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3521', Prominence: 2129' My first climb: August 6, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 41 C5 USGS quad: Number Four Mountain
	#32 - Smarts Mountain, New Hampshire Elevation: 3238', Prominence: 2188' My first climb: June 12, 2002	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 38 F3 USGS quad: Smarts Mountain
	#33 - Monadnock, New Hampshire Elevation: 3150', Prominence: 2169' My first climb: October 10, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 20 E2 USGS quad: Monadnock Mountain
	#34 - Cold Hollow Mountains High Point, Vermont Elevation: 3327', Prominence: 2165' My first climb: August 19, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 52 H4 USGS quad: Cold Hollow Mountains
	#35 - Signal Mountain, Vermont Elevation: 3360', Prominence: 2140' My first climb: June 3, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 41 F13 USGS quad: Knox Mountain
	#36 - Mount Ellen, Vermont Elevation: 4083', Prominence: 2132' My first climb:August 16, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 39 G13 USGS quad: Mount Ellen
	#37 - Big Moose Mountain, Maine (formerly Big Squaw Mountain) Elevation: 3194', Prominence: 2124' My first climb: May 10, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 41 D1 USGS quad: Big Squaw Pond
	#38 - Mount Kearsarge, New Hampshire Elevation: 2920', Prominence: 2100' My first climb: October 12, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 34 J7 USGS quad: Andover
	#39 - Doubletop Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3489', Prominence: 2079' My first climb: September 8, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 50 C4 USGS quad: Doubletop Mountain
	#40 - Elephant Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3772', Prominence: 2062' My first climb: July 8, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 18 B3 USGS quad: Metallak Mountain
	#41 - Mount Osceola, New Hampshire Elevation: 4340', Prominence: 2040' My first climb: November 27, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 44 K1 USGS quad: Mount Osceola
	#42 - Boundary Bald Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3620', Prominence: 2002' My first climb: November 14, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 47 E5 USGS quad: Boundary Bald Mountain
	#43 - Gore Mountain, Vermont Elevation: 3332', Prominence: 1994' My first climb: June 1, 2004	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 55 C11 USGS quad: Norton Pond
	#44 - Mount Cardigan, New Hampshire Elevation: 3155', Prominence: 1922' My first climb: October 12, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 34 A6 USGS quad: Mount Cardigan
	#45 - Big Spencer Mountain, Maine Elevation: 3206', Prominence: 1916' My first climb: May 9, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 49 E4 USGS quad: Big Spencer Mountain
	#46 - Camels Hump, Vermont Elevation: 4083', Prominence: 1873' My first climb:August 17, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: VT pg. 39 B14 USGS quad: Huntington
	#47 - Belknap Mountain, New Hampshire Elevation: 2382', Prominence: 1872' My first climb: October 13, 2003	DeLorme Atlas: NH pg. 36 E4 USGS quad: West Alton
	#48 - Saddleback Mountain, Maine Elevation: 2998', Prominence: 1848' My first climb: May 8, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 42 C3 USGS quad: Big Shanty Mountain
	#49 - Mount Blue, Maine Elevation: 3180', Prominence: 1840' My first climb: July 11, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 19 C3 USGS quad: Mount Blue
	#50 - Moxie Mountain, Maine Elevation: 2920', Prominence: 1823' My first climb: May 10, 2005	DeLorme Atlas: ME map 30 B4 USGS quad: Caratunk

New England Fifty Finest Peaks Topo Map (Peakbagger.com)