Q. Where can I get official information about the Four Thousand Footer Club?
A. If you haven't found what you're looking for in the introductory letter that comes with the application or on this website, you can email our Corresponding Secretary.
The Four Thousand Footer Club can also be reached by regular mail at:
Four Thousand Footer Committee
P.O. Box 444
Exeter, NH 03833-0444
If you are expecting a reply (e.g. the list(s)), please enclose a self addressed stamped envelope. Note that if you just request "the list" you will only get the White Mountain 4000-Footer list. If you want the New England 4000-Footer or Hundred Highest lists, you should ask for them explicitly.
The packet sent to those who request the lists contains information about the club including the application procedure, a brief discussion of the rules and an application form, which consists of a list of the peaks with spaces in which you record the date climbed and any comments, such as companions.
If your inquiry concerns the website specifically, please contact the webmaster.
Q. I mailed an application or request for information a long time ago, why haven't I heard back from anybody?
A. After all the effort that goes into the April dinner, the committee needs some time to regroup and get things ready for another year (and would also like to take some time to enjoy the season). For this and other technical reasons, application processing usually does not resume until July. As soon as the new documents are ready, we begin responding to information and application requests (and readying the new files for the website). There are fewer submissions at this time of year and often we will wait until we have more than a couple to process (this is more efficient for us though admittedly it doesn't seem that way if you're the one waiting for a response). Once everything is in place, applications should be processed within a month (often much sooner, especially as next April rolls around), but if it's been longer than that since you sent something in, please let us know.
Also be aware that anything sent to Boston (or Concord) will have to be forwarded and thus may take even longer.
Q. Why doesn't your email address work?
A. Unfortunately, the secretary has been unable to access this email account for quite some time and the mailbox is apparently full. While he continues to work on solving this problem (then emptying out the junk mail that is causing most of the problem), he can be reached at an alternate address.
Q. Where can I find the lists?
A. Right here! or get the official application(s).
Q. Do all the 4,000 Footers have trails to them?
A. All of the 4000-footers are reached by official trails with the exception of Owl's Head, whose herd path is described in the AMC White Mountain Guide, and Redington, whose herd path requires greater skill and/or a good description (it is not described in the AMC Maine Mountain Guide).
See the note on Owl's Head.
Q. Why are some 4000-foot peaks not on the list?
A. To qualify for the list, a peak must rise 200 feet above any ridge connecting it to a higher neighbor. As a result, several notable peaks (including Clay, Guyot and the south peak of Moosilauke) are not included on the lists despite their height. Determinations are made according to the most current USGS topographical maps and peaks have been added to or deleted from the lists as newer maps became available. (By contrast, the Adirondack 46ers, which were developed using different criteria, do not change in response to updated surveys).
Q. What are the recent changes to the lists?
A. As mentioned above, the lists are periodically revised to reflect changes in the survey information. We hope that the new quads are now accurate enough that further changes will be unnecessary. The following is a list of the most recent changes:
Q. Is there a new summit on Owl's Head?
A. In 2005, it came to our attention that a "new" summit had been discovered on Owl's Head about 0.2 miles north of the "traditional" summit. Several people have confirmed with various measuring devices that this new summit is higher than the traditional summit where the herd path ended - and occasionally a sign could be found - and is probably the actual 4025ft. point marked on the topo quad. Upon consideration, it appears that this is actually a rediscovery. The first round of 4000-footer climbers ascended to a false peak of Owl's Head but nobody realized it until Miriam Underhill discovered a higher point on the ridge in the early 1960's. The best guess at this point is that the true summit was lost again sometime in the late 1960's (insert your own joke here) and we have all been ascending to the original (incorrect) summit. Now, Miriam's summit has been rediscovered (or at least more widely publicized).
The next question of course is "do I have to go back?" The answer is no. Just as the early ascenders were grandfathered the last time this happened, previous finishers will again be grandfathered (though no doubt there will be many of us who feel compelled to go back). It is also the feeling of the committee that we do not want to require aspirants to the White Mountain Four Thousand Footer Club to go completely off trail to look for the high point (that's what the New England Hundred Highest is for) especially when the White Mountain Guide still describes the traditional summit. The new edition of the Guide does mention the new summit but unless or until the new summit sees enough traffic to create a reasonable herd path we will likely continue to recognize either summit.
Q. Where do I get a winter application?
A. There is no special form for the winter application. All you need to do is use a regular application and write the word "WINTER" in large, preferrably blue, letters at the top of the page.
Please be aware of the strict criteria for a winter trip and if you hike on one of the marginal days, please note the start or finish time (as needed) of your trip on your application.
Q. Where can I find information on the trailless peaks on the Hundred Highest list?
A.A pamphlet describing routes to the trailless
peaks on the New England Hundred Highest list is available from the
Four Thousand Footer Committee for $3. A set of black-and-white USGS
maps covering these peaks (printed from Maptech CDs) is an
additional $2. At the moment, we are working on significant revisions to the
pamphlet and will wait to send them until this is complete. You can request them from:
AMC Four Thousand Footer Committee
Attn: NE 100 Information
P.O. Box 444
Exeter, NH 03833-0444
Q. What are the rules for climbing 4000 footers?
A. The basic rule is very simple: You must climb (on foot!) to and from the summit of each peak on the list. In winter skis and snowshoes are both allowed.
For peaks with trails starting at maintained roads the rule is simple: Drive to the trailhead then walk (note that you are not allowed to use the auto roads on Mts Washington, Mansfield and Equinox). For peaks in areas with rough logging roads you may drive as far as you dare with a normal car (that includes four wheel drive), but ATVs are not allowed. See below for the rules on using mountain bicycles.
You are allowed to count any number of peaks on a single trip and do not necessarily have to end up at the trailhead from which you started (many peaks are commonly done as a traverse, e.g. Bonds, Presidentials).
You must do the whole climb in one contiguous trip (though not necessarily in one day).
e.g. You cannot count climbing Monroe from the summit of Washington after a trip up the Cog Railway because you climbed Washington on a past hike,
or hike up Cannon and take the tramway down then come back later, take the tramway up and hike down.
Q. What determines a winter ascent?
A. It is not simply a matter of dates on your household calendar (e.g. Dec 21st to March 20th). The criteria established by Miriam Underhill, the inventor of the Winter Four-Thousand-Footer Game is more exact: trips must begin after the hour and minute of the beginning of winter (winter solstice), and end before the hour and minute of the end of winter (spring equinox). In the US edition of her book, Give me the Hills Miriam Underhill is even more specific, as she writes:
This game was an offshoot, of course, of that very popular game of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Climbing the Four-thousanders, which was set in motion, and such vigorous and enthusiastic motion, in 1958. Our game —"ours" because we were the first to play it— followed right along. As the initiators we set the rules, which concerned the definition of "winter". "Snow on the ground" and other namby-pamby criteria definitely did not count. "Winter" was to be measured exclusively by the calendar. In 1960, for instance, winter began at 3:27 PM on Wednesday, December 21, too late to get up to Crag Camp by daylight.Notice the use of the word "game". Games have rules, which may well be arbitrary, but if you play a game you should follow the rules. If you do not like the rules, you are free to define your own game, but must clearly differentiate it from the "official" game. Also note the last sentence of the quotation above. The entire trip has to start (and end) during winter. She did not allow the trip up to Crag Camp to start one day before winter, with the final ascent taking place on the first day of winter.
The official times of the Equinoxes
and Solstices are available on the US Naval Observatory web site.
Note that the times are given in Universal Time (UT). To convert to
EST subtract five hours. The following table (using EST/EDT) is extracted
from that site:
| Winter of | Start | End |
| 2004-2005 | Dec. 21, 7:42 AM | Mar. 20, 7:33 AM |
| 2005-2006 | Dec. 21, 1:35 PM | Mar. 20, 1:26 PM |
| 2006-2007 | Dec. 21, 7:22 PM | Mar. 20, 8:07 PM |
| 2007-2008 | Dec. 22, 1:08 AM | Mar. 20, 1:48 AM |
| 2008-2009 | Dec. 21, 7:04 AM | Mar. 20, 7:44 AM |
| 2009-2010 | Dec. 21, 12:47 PM | Mar. 20, 1:32 PM |
| 2010-2011 | Dec. 21, 6:38 PM | Mar. 20, 7:21 PM |
Note that while in 2005, the first day of winter was December 21st the time of the solstice leaves only about 3 hours of daylight in which to complete a trip, so the first full hikable winter day in 2005-2006 will be Dec 22nd. As opposed to 2004, in which December 21st was almost a full hiking day.
Similarly, in most years, March 19th is the last full hikable day of winter, as winter ends too early on the 20th to allow a full day of hiking (2007 being an exception, especially due to the change in Daylight Savings Time).
If you hike on one of the marginal days, it is helpful if you note the start or finish time (as needed) of your trip on your application.
Q. Can I use a mountain bike while bagging a peak?
A. The increased popularity of mountain bikes
makes it necessary to come up with some sort of policy. Please
remember that this is a club for hikers; not that we object to trail
bikes per se, but we want to preserve the tradition of climbing
on foot, not on bikes. In winter we have absolutely forbidden the use
of snowmobiles, even when a road is passable to ordinary cars in
summer. However, a similar policy on trail bikes seems a bit
excessive. Therefore we suggest that we all attempt to live by the
following standard:
It is acceptable to use bikes on logging roads that are:
In particular, note that using a bike on the Lincoln Woods/Wilderness Trail on the way to Owl's Head or the Bonds is not acceptable - and violates Wilderness regulations if you ride past the crossing of Franconia brook.
The spirit of the policy is that you can ride a bike instead of traveling by car, but not instead of hiking. We hope that everyone can be reasonable about self-enforcing this standard so we don't have to come up with more excruciating technicalities.
Q. How do I apply for membership?
A. When you have finished a list (or as you finish) fill out the application form. Precise dates of climbs are nice but not required, as many people decide to start recording their climbs long after they have started climbing. A precise date for the last climb is very desirable, please mark your last climb on the list. Also, the Committee requires an account of that last climb, or of any other peak, or even an essay on any topic related to your 4,000 footer experience. We have never refused membership for lack of an essay, but it is an important source of feedback for us.
We are volunteers, active in many other areas of the Club. Processing of your application may take as much as a month. Since the awards ceremony is usually held in April it is a good idea for those who have finished the list over the summer or fall to send their application in before the end of the year. Those doing the winter peaks will obviously send their applications in later, but try to send it as soon as you have finished.
Application Fee: An application fee covers the cost of the scroll, one patch and postage. We ask that applicants voluntarily set this fee at $8, but do not want to deter anyone from membership because of cost. Therefore the minimum fee required, which covers the basic expenses is $5. Additional patches may be purchased for $3 each. If you pay more than the required dues the balance goes into a fund that contributes to trail maintenance or related projects, so we strongly encourage you to do so.
Application Address: Send completed applications to the Exeter address. The AMC's Boston address was listed on some applications during the recent secretary transition; the Concord address is now obsolete. Applications sent to Boston or Concord will be forwarded to Exeter but this will delay the processing.
Q. How do I get an application?
A. The applications are available online. You can also request applications by sending a SASE to the Exeter address:
Four Thousand Footer Committee
P.O. Box 444
Exeter, NH 03833-0444
Note that if you just request "the list" or "an application" you will only get the White Mountain 4000-Footer list. If you want the New England 4000-Footer or Hundred Highest lists, you should ask for them explicitly.
The packet that is sent contains information about the club including the application procedure, a brief discussion of the rules and an application form, which consists of a list of the peaks with spaces in which you record the date climbed and any comments, such as companions.
Q. How can I check the status of my application?
A. From September to April, processing usually takes a week or two. Processing does not usually begin again until July and may happen less frequently until September. If it has been much longer than a month, you can email the secretary. You can request confirmation that we have received the application by including a stamped postcard or SASE - but be sure to write "Acknowledgement Requested" on the outer envelope. (If things are going quickly enough, you might even receive your acceptance letter as your acknowledgement!)
Q. Can my dog be admitted to the club?
A. Dogs may be recognized for completing the White Mountain 4000-footers (non-winter) as a companion, assuming of course that they (or their human representative) pay the application fee. Because Baxter State Park does not allow dogs, they cannot be eligible for either of the New England lists. Dogs are not eligible for winter list recognition (there is one dog that predated this policy decision).
If you do hike with your dog, please be courteous in your interactions with other hikers (who may not appreciate dogs as much as you do), be aware that a dog's needs and abilities may be very different than yours and always consider the dog's safety and comfort as well as your own.
Although they are not allowed in the auditorium where we present the awards (school policy), we usually arrange a special presentation for canine finishers just outside the main entrance.
A. Traditionally in April. Those applying for awards are notified by mail and it is listed in the AMC Outdoors magazine. It may also be announced on various hiking bulletin boards, but check here for the official information.
Q. How do I sign up for the Awards Dinner?
A. Send the reservation form to the address indicated on the form itself (which may be different than the Exeter address). Once the details are set, we send the form with the acceptance letters. For really early applicants or anyone else they are available online after about January 1
or you can send an request for information with SASE to the Exeter address.
Q. Does the Four Thousand Footer Committee assign numbers to its members (like the ADK46ers or NE111)?
A. We have historically categorized finishers by time of finishing rather than time of application, so it is not possible for us to give exact numbers (and they would change). We have a lot more people to keep track of than the NE111 and no one assigned to correspond with all active seekers like the ADK46ers. For the New England winter lists, it may be possible to come up with a number but we haven't generally assigned them per se (and they would also change but not nearly as often).
Q. How can I get a replacement patch or extra patches?
A. If you are already a member of the club(s) for which you are requesting patches, you can send a request, along with $3 per patch, to the Exeter address. You can order additional patches when you apply for a club (you will receive one as part of the membership package); add $3 to the application fee for each additional patch).
Q. How many people have finished the lists?
A. As of April 2008, 8831 people (and 92 dogs) have reported finishing the White Mountain 4000-footers, but only 409 have done them all in winter. 2284 people have reported completion of the New England 4000-footers (124 in winter) and for the 100-Highest, the numbers are 676 and 81 respectively. A detailed tabulation of finshers by year (through April 2008) is available online.