Sunday, July 13, 2025

First Couple Finishes New Hampshire Triple Crown


Rick (61) and Lisa Fregeolle (62) are the primary couple, and Lisa, the second lady, to complete the New Hampshire Triple Crown of Mountain climbing, ending the White Mountains 4000 Footer Grid, The White Mountains Redlining Path Checklist, and Climbing New Hampshire’s 500 Highest Mountains in October 2024. That is probably the most tough climbing problem in New Hampshire and has solely been accomplished by six folks beforehand, together with John Gutowski in 2019, Invoice Cronin and John McHugh in 2020, Zach Porter and Denise Stassis in 2021, and Liam Cooney in 2022.

Ending the New Hampshire Triple Crown requires climbing:

  • The White Mountains 4000 Footer Grid entails climbing all 48 of the White Mountain 4000 footers in each month of the yr, for a complete of 576 peaks. It takes about 3300 miles of climbing with 1,000,000 toes of elevation achieve to finish. 187 folks have completed the grid thus far, some a number of occasions.
  • The White Mountains Redlining Path Checklist requires climbing all the trails listed within the Appalachian Mountain Membership’s White Mountain Information which lists 664 trails for a mixed size of 1478 miles. On common, it takes most individuals near 2500 miles to complete it as a result of the paths usually are not contiguous and repeats are sometimes vital. 110 folks have completed thus far, some a number of occasions.
  • The New Hampshire 500 Highest requires climbing the five hundred tallest mountains in New Hampshire that are unfold out everywhere in the state, many in the course of nowhere. A number of hundred of those mountains don’t have trails, which makes this a really difficult record, as a result of you must navigate off-trail to climb them. Nobody’s counted up the miles or elevation achieve required to finish this record but, however it’s rather a lot. To date, simply 24 folks have accomplished this record.
Rick and Lisa's Grid Finish
Rick and Lisa’s Grid End

Finishing all three of those climbing lists is a severe problem requiring years and infrequently a long time of climbing. For instance, it took Rick and Lisa 20 years to finish the White Mountains 4000 Footer Grid, 10 years to climb the New Hampshire 500 Highest mountains, and 20 years to complete Redlining the White Mountain Trails, though they accomplished most of that ultimate record over the previous 3 years.

When requested which was their favourite of the three lists to finish, Rick and Lisa stated the White Mountains 4000 Footer Grid was their favourite as a result of they loved seeing the woods change every month of the yr. “However we additionally cherished the remoteness, artifacts, logging roads, and herd paths that you simply discover whereas bush-whacking the New Hampshire 500 Hundred Highest and the numerous fascinating trails we hiked to complete the White Mountains Redlining Path record.”

Rick writes “We wish to thank the many individuals we met alongside the best way with particular due to Nancy and Charlie Foote who impressed us manner again when. They’re wonderful! Additionally, Hiker Ed, an incredible hiker who conjures up so many. We recognize all he does. Additionally, due to Brian Cuddihee for sustaining the NH500 highest record & map and his recommendation. Thanks additionally to Philip Werner for all his analysis, and articles, and for sustaining the Triple Crown finishers record.

Congratulations Rick and Lisa!

Concerning the creator

Philip Werner has hiked and backpacked over 10,000 miles in the USA and the UK and written over 3000 articles because the founding father of SectionHiker.com, famous for its backpacking gear critiques and climbing FAQs. A devotee of New Hampshire and Maine climbing and backpacking, Philip has hiked all 650+ trails within the White Mountains twice and has accomplished 12 rounds of the 48 peaks on the White Mountains 4000 footer record with over 576 summits in all 4 seasons. He’s the creator of Backpacking the White Mountain 4000 Footers, a free on-line guidebook of one of the best backpacking journeys within the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Maine. In addiiton, he is a volunteer climbing chief with the Appalachian Mountain Membership and the Inexperienced Mountain Membership, in addition to a Grasp Educator for Depart No Hint. Click on right here to subscribe to the SectionHiker publication.

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles