Alumnus carves out N.H. trails

A Dartmouth alumnus and his colleagues recently completed a six-week, 550-mile backpacking trip along the Appalachian Trail, successfully linking existing trails to create a continuous route through the Granite State. Rick Ouimet '98 and his wife, Allison Coviello, both high school teachers from the Bronx, recently joined their colleagues to create a trail connecting all peaks above 4,000 feet in New Hampshire and additional sites of interest. "Our route took us over such celebrated southern peaks as Monadnock, Kearsarge, Cardigan and Smarts -- over all 48 4,000s in the Whites -- and through Coos County via the Cohos Trail," Ouimet said. The new route allowed the hikers to see infrequently visited parts of the state that stand apart from main attractions, such as portions of the White Mountains far from the beaten trail. Hikers on the Appalachian Trail often slow down upon arrival in New Hampshire because the paths are less clear than most spots along the route.