Just weeks after the arduous climb of Mts. Washington and Monroe in New Hampshire's Presidential Mountain range, blind hiker Randy Pierce and Team 2020 plan to get another of NH's 48 4000+ feet peaks under their belt. The next summit – Mt. Hale, located in Whitefield, NH to the east of Franconia Notch – bears an elevation of 4054 feet, a fact Pierce savors given his devotion to former NE Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who wore number 54 during his stellar career with the Pats.
Mt. Hale also has special significance to Pierce – who has committed to climb all of NH's 48 highest peaks with his guide dog Quinn by the year 2020 – for another reason. "The terrain at the top of Mt. Hale has a high magnetic field, which can render hikers' compasses useless," says Pierce. "So even sighted hikers are left 'climbing blind' in a sense."
The team will climb via the Hale Brook Trail, which traverses 2.2 miles and 2300 feet in elevation to the summit. The trail features a number of stream crossings, with both log bridges and shallow water crossings. Ascent and descent of the mountain is planned as a single-day hike.
The peak of Mt. Hale is a relatively flat, circular clearing which has in the past provided stunning views of Franconia Notch and the distant horizon. It is now surrounded by conifers, which each year grow taller, blocking more and more of the vista. The official peak is marked by a very large 5-foot cairn, which can be climbed to achieve a better view over the surrounding trees.
Pierce notes another analogy to blindness: "Mt. Hale is gradually losing its 'vision' so to speak. For those hiking with me, it will be perhaps their last opportunity to experience its one-of-a-kind view."
The hike is planned for Sunday, July 25, and can be followed while in progress by visiting the 2020VisionQuest.org website.
About 2020 Vision Quest
Randy Pierce founded 2020 Vision Quest to inspire people to reach beyond adversity and achieve their highest goals – personal, professional, and philanthropic. Now a non-profit organization, 2020 Vision Quest believes in leading by example, in climbing the highest peaks, and in sharing our successes and challenges with each other. Funds raised through these endeavors will be given to two remarkable organizations that benefit the visually impaired community: Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and the New Hampshire Association for the Blind.
For additional information on 2020 Vision Quest, contact Randy Pierce at 800.54.2020.1, ext. 54 or visit www.2020visionquest.org
Mt. Hale also has special significance to Pierce – who has committed to climb all of NH's 48 highest peaks with his guide dog Quinn by the year 2020 – for another reason. "The terrain at the top of Mt. Hale has a high magnetic field, which can render hikers' compasses useless," says Pierce. "So even sighted hikers are left 'climbing blind' in a sense."
The team will climb via the Hale Brook Trail, which traverses 2.2 miles and 2300 feet in elevation to the summit. The trail features a number of stream crossings, with both log bridges and shallow water crossings. Ascent and descent of the mountain is planned as a single-day hike.
The peak of Mt. Hale is a relatively flat, circular clearing which has in the past provided stunning views of Franconia Notch and the distant horizon. It is now surrounded by conifers, which each year grow taller, blocking more and more of the vista. The official peak is marked by a very large 5-foot cairn, which can be climbed to achieve a better view over the surrounding trees.
Pierce notes another analogy to blindness: "Mt. Hale is gradually losing its 'vision' so to speak. For those hiking with me, it will be perhaps their last opportunity to experience its one-of-a-kind view."
The hike is planned for Sunday, July 25, and can be followed while in progress by visiting the 2020VisionQuest.org website.
About 2020 Vision Quest
Randy Pierce founded 2020 Vision Quest to inspire people to reach beyond adversity and achieve their highest goals – personal, professional, and philanthropic. Now a non-profit organization, 2020 Vision Quest believes in leading by example, in climbing the highest peaks, and in sharing our successes and challenges with each other. Funds raised through these endeavors will be given to two remarkable organizations that benefit the visually impaired community: Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and the New Hampshire Association for the Blind.
For additional information on 2020 Vision Quest, contact Randy Pierce at 800.54.2020.1, ext. 54 or visit www.2020visionquest.org