Summer Adventure Weekend
August 22-24, 2025
AMC Highland Center, Bretton Woods, NH
Report by Jessie Mabry, Co-Organizer
This trip was a highlight of the summer for us and a chance to try some new things. It marked our first summer weekend at the AMC Highland Center, where we’ve spent a few winter hiking weekends. The summer trip was equally successful, with wonderfully hospitable staff, great food, and access to hiking right outside the door.
We had a total of 39 attendees. They included 16 blind and low-vision participants, (referred to as explorers), three brand-new to NESFL; and 23 guides, six brand-new to NESFL. A few other explorers and guides joined us for their first NESFL hiking trip after participating in our winter ski trips.
We arrived at the Highland on Friday afternoon for lunch and guide training, then headed out on a warm-up hike of the lovely Nancy Pond Trail, a new one for us. This trail was relatively gentle with a brook babbling alongside. It offered new participants opportunities to practice what they had just learned and veterans plenty of time to converse. Some made it to a pool before the turnaround and were even brave enough to wade in! We returned to the Highland to settle in and enjoy a well-deserved dinner while we made plans for the next day.
Saturday started bright and early with breakfast and a morning meeting for guide pairings, safety reminders, lunch pickup, etc. We split into groups and spent most of the day hiking. Some did an all-day hike up Mt. Pierce which was much longer and harder than anticipated. We organizers are so proud of our Pierce hikers and learned the importance of pre-hiking prospective trails; we will be sticking to shorter, high-reward hikes in future. Other pairs summited Mt. Willard, joined a local naturalist for a hands-on tour, hiked around the lake next to the Highland, and had time to grab ice cream nearby.
The highlight of the evening was a backyard bluegrass concert that the Highland happened to be hosting that weekend. It was great to relax with NESFL friends and enjoy the music after a busy day.
Sunday is many people’s favorite day of our summer trip, when we join our friends in Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country (ASP) for various activities. This time, besides our usual kayaking, tandem cycling, and indoor rock-climbing offerings, we had a couple groups who elected to do more hiking at Lonesome Lake and walking around the nearby town of Woodstock. Those of us who spent time with the wonderful ASP volunteers found the kayaking and cycling in particular a great way to unwind after the stresses of the previous day. The rock climbers enjoyed getting out of their comfort zones, some trying it for the first time.
We gathered at the end of the trip for a wrap-up meeting before departing for home. Words people used to describe their adventures included amazing, challenging, and inspiring. Several commented on the warmth of our friendships and the energizing community we foster. Everyone probably left at least a little sore from all the activity, but with memorable experiences and pride in their accomplishments. We look forward to using all the great feedback and lessons we learned to create another exciting adventure weekend next summer.