A guest post by Marina C.

During my kids’ spring vacation I knew I wanted to take them hiking somewhere nice. For the past year they’ve missed me on numerous weekends because I was gone hiking. I wanted to show them what a mountain hike is and why it’s easily become my new favorite hobby.

But I had one small problem: I’m not a planner. All the trips I’ve been on have been planned and organized by someone else; I just show up. So here I am, the only adult, needing to come up with not only the location but also plan and take care of all the other very important little things, that are crucial for a mountain hike, especially during a New England spring.

Thankfully, I know Kathy, an avid hiker, with extensive experience and knowledge of hiking in the White Mountains, so much so that she made it her career. One day before the supposed hike, I sent her a message (again, I’m not a great planner) and asked her to suggest a trail that would be easy yet challenging, with breathtaking views, to impress my kids and keep them motivated for future trips.

Less than 30 minutes later I got a message back with three trail options. Each option included the time would take me to drive there, the average time to hike that specific trail, and the weather report for the day. After I picked the trail I liked the most, and highly recommended by Kathy, she told me she’d send me a full guide.

An hour later, I received the trail information directly on my phone. It was conveniently organized in a flashcard-like format, making it easy to save as pictures on my phone. This was a crucial detail that I would have overlooked, considering the unreliable phone service on the mountain. You never know when you might need the trail information. The trail was three miles long, and she included every junction and split on her cards, ensuring that we couldn’t possibly get lost.

I also received a detailed weather report mentioning that the top would be windy. She was absolutely right, and we were well-prepared when we summited. Consequently, we were able to stay longer on top and enjoy the breathtaking view despite the extremely strong winds.

We had a fantastic trip thanks to Kathy. My girls thoroughly enjoyed the hike, especially the breathtaking views of the valley that were abundant. The flashcards with trail information were a huge hit too. My 8-year-old daughter loved them immensely and diligently followed the instructions, she can’t wait to go on another hike. My teenage daughter needs more convincing but I’m prepared for that, thanks to Hiker Concierge.

Marina and her daughters ended up hiking Mt. Monadnock, a 52 WAV and great “beginner” mountain. I wanted them to have a great view and a not-too-difficult hike, not too far from home. Mt. Monadnock fit the bill perfectly.