Meet Matt Chabe, BACKPACKER's New Hampshire Trail Scout
Meet Matt Chabe, BACKPACKER's New Hampshire Trail Scout
Our expert shares his favorite day hike, backpacking trip, post-hike dinner and more.
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Age: 41
Hometown: Bangor, ME
Day job: Magazine/newspaper editor
All-time favorite local dayhike: Franconia Ridge. Crowded in the warmer months? Sure it is. But it sports superlative 360-degree views of the White Mountains, and if you’re an early riser it can all be yours.
Favorite local overnight hike: The “Bonds Traverse”: You can pitch camp at the Guyot Campsite, catch sunset at Bondcliff (the site of a million photos), and make it back for dinner and a snooze before retracing your steps the next day.
Best prehike breakfast spot: Can’t beat a bagel and coffee at White Mountain Bagel Co. in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
Best posthike dinner spot: The Woodstock Inn Station & Brewery.
Favorite thing about hiking around New Hampshire: I appreciate the fact that many “westerners” scoff at the low elevation of the White Mountains… until they get here. This is some of the most rugged (and beautiful) hiking in the country.
Top tip for New Hampshire hikers: The popular peaks can be overwhelmingly crowded during tourist season. Go in the off season—with appropriate layering, you can enjoy the peaks without the crowds.
