mwv insider Blog

Hire a Guide - Northeast Mountaineering!

Winter

One reason the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce touts the importance of hiring a guide, is the access to local insight and knowledge that comes with a local.

We’ve all been on vacation before, where we’ve asked a waitress, concierge, or barista the question “Where do the locals like to go for XYZ? If you were on your day off, where would you go for a great meal, a drink, or a hike etc?

We all want that intel as a vacationer so we can have a more authentic vacation experience. The best way to get it? Invest in working with a local guide!

Northeast Mountaineering - a hybrid of a guide outfitter, rental shop, and bunkhouse, located in Glen, New Hampshire - is a great option! It's home to a handful of guides, all who are certified as Wilderness First Responders, certified in Leave No Trace Principles, and hold a Professional Level one Avalanche Training certification. Many have been climbing for ten-plus years, and have a range of certifications that supplement what is required from Northeast Mountaineering.

man standing on top of a mountain winter
Corey Fitzgerald's hunger for mountaineering has taken him all over the world, but the White Mountains is where he decided to place permanent roots.
Photo c/o Cait Bourgault Photography


As Corey Fitzgerald, owner and lead guide at Northeast Mountaineering, puts it, “the local beta a guest receives during their excursion with us is part of the package.” Not only will you enjoy the guided hike, climb, or backcountry adventure you booked, but you’ll get insight on where to go, and what trail to take on next.

Corey makes it a point to hire relatable, humble guides with a good head on their shoulders. It’s his hope that by the end of the course or guided experience with Northeast Mountaineering, you not only learned something, but also found a new friend in your guide. When you’re out on the trail with them, they’ll share technical insight, personal anecdotes from exploring the White Mountain National Forest, and you’ll have direct access to information on the best way to spend your time in Mt. Washington Valley.

“When I travel, I always hire a guide. I see my schedule spent traveling as a defined amount of time, and I want to make the most of it. Working with a local who has expertise in what I’m interested in is the best way to make the most of my trip.”

Currently Corey and his team are gearing up for a busy winter season. Already phones are ringing to book out winter excursions. Northeast Mountaineering offers backcountry skiing in the White Mountains, guided Presidential traverses and winter hiking, ice climbing, international climbing trips, and more. Notably, Northeast Mountaineering also offers avalanche courses.



man uphill skiing winter
Avalanche training is one of the winter excursions offered through Northeast Mountaineering; along with ice climbing, winter hiking, backcountry skiing, and more.
Photo c/o Northeast Mountaineering. Photo c/o Cait Bourgault Photography



Taking an avalanche course in the White Mountains is imperative for anyone going into the backcountry. Even if your adventure seems benign when it comes to elevation and terrain, every outdoor adventurer can benefit from the knowledge gained from an avalanche course. This includes snowshoers, backcountry skiers, or ice climbers - if your trek takes you anywhere remotely in the path of where an avalanche could fall and track, then you should be prepared to mitigate the risk.

Avalanche training at Northeast Mountaineering comes in two options: AIARE Level One, and AIARE Level Two, with the pre-requisite of taking the AIARE Avalanche Rescue Course as well. AIARE stands for American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, and provides guidelines on standard methods for teaching avalanche education.


You can expect your AIARE Avalanche Training at Northeast Mountaineering from a level one perspective to include a mix of classroom and field work. It’s a three-day, all day program. You’ll learn to identify avalanche terrain; learn how to structure your trip to best rule out any human error; access resources that allow you to plan your trip from weather to terrain; and how to use avalanche specific tools such as a probe, shovel, and tranceiver. Northeast Mountaineering also rents ski touring equipment, or you can bring your own set-up, if you have one.


Level two AIARE Avalanche Training at Northeast Mountaineering is an opportunity for those looking to deepen their avalanche training in the White Mountains. It is also a three-day, all day program, but a key difference is that the participants are put into a leadership role, with the guides taking a step back.


Corey notes that there is a difference between instructing and guiding. One is experiential, while the other is educational. Guides at Northeast Mountaineering make a point to structure their courses or experiences based on their guest’s need. They’re always leading with the question, “Do you want to learn something, or stand on top of something?”

Of course there’s interchange between both - you’ll always learn something from working with a guide at Northeast Mountaineering, and you’ll most likely make it to the top of something to stand on, but the point is that each experience is customized to the guest’s answer to the question, “what’s the goal of the day?”

Northeast Mountaineering is an outdoor adventure outfitter that also offers a hostel style bunkhouse. It provides lodging at a nominal fee, with several bunkbeds, two community bathrooms and a washer and dryer. On the main level you will find a very cozy community area in front of a beautiful stove where you can chat with NEM guides and other outdoor enthusiasts.


Rental equipment for a range of trips offered at Northeast Mountaineering is available as well. You can rent through their website, and work with a guide on understanding what equipment is needed for your booked excursion.


While winter adventure is on everyone’s mind at Northeast Mountaineering, it also offers fall, spring, and summer guided trips. Along with hiking, rock climbing, and mountain safety courses, it also offers waterfall rappelling.


Waterfall Rappelling in the White Mountains is a really unique way to experience the natural landscape. A region with multiple waterfalls, Northeast Mountaineering can take you on a half-day excursion to get up close and personal with these gems of the White Mountains. You don’t have to be a rockstar athlete to accomplish waterfall rappelling - although rockstar athletes can also enjoy the activity as well. Waterfall rappelling with Northeast Mountaineering includes a mix of basecamp training, light hiking, and rappelling, and technical skill. It is accessible, and uplifting. It’s a great summer bucket list, and a great option for friends or families to experience the waterfalls of White Mountain National Forest, together.  

“At the end of the day, as guides in Mt. Washington Valley, we’re just people doing what we love. To be supported by our guests is amazing - they allow us to do what we’re most passionate about!

The Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce highly recommends the hiring of a guide for any outdoor adventure that leads you into the woods. Not only will you be supporting the valley's local economy, which is substantially made up of those dedicated to outdoor recreation, but you'll also be ensuring a successful trip through safety, and technical training. Click the link for a list of guiding outfitters.

For complete trip planning resources and information, explore this site, visitmwv.com, or call 800-367-3364 (800-DO-SEE-NH) to talk to a Mt Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce rep.  To learn more about New Hampshire vacations, go to www.VisitNH.gov.

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