Well, it's wintertime and some of the mountain Madison behind me here awaits our arrival.

And if that works out all right, well, Mt Adams is right nearby-- we might try that too, so stick around.

[music playing] Welcome to "Windows to the Wild."

I'm Willem Lange.

Mount Madison is rising right behind me.

It's huge, bulk rises almost 5,400 feet and it attracts hikers in the spring, summer, and fall.

Winter time however, presents a few more extra challenges.

I'm here today with Mardi Fuller, who's going to tackle the mountain with a bunch of her pals, right?

I am.

We hope you make it and maybe even make Mt Adams if you're still fresh enough afterward.

That is the hope and the aim, but we'll see if conditions allow.

You never know in the presidential.

Yet is pretty breezy in there.

Yeah.

Slightly breezy.

Are you OK with wind?

I'm OK with wind so long as it's safe to travel in, but when winds get above 30 miles an hour, 40 miles an hour, it's hard to walk, could be dangerous, and it may gust up to 60 miles an hour up there today and I don't want to be out in that.

You feel OK?

I'm feeling good.

If I make it to Adams today I'll finish my winter 48.

Really?

Hiking all 48 of New Hampshire's high peaks in winter, and then that's the aim.

So I've got 46.

Madison would be 47.

Adams, 48.

Oh, yeah, I love winter, but I can't keep up with your kids anymore.

So I'm going to enjoy it from down here, while you have your fun on the mountain, and hope to see you later.

Yes.

I really hope to see you later.

I also hope to see me later, and you, Will.

Will see you there.

Mount Madison is not an easy hike.

Even in shorts and t-shirt whether, it can be a challenge.

But add some ice, snow, and winter winds above tree line and even well seasoned hikers might have second thoughts.

The first time that I ever went on a winter hike I had never experienced that kind of extreme cold.

The old arm swing trick.

You're getting warm?

Yeah, really well.

Just keep the blood flowing.

Mardi's with a friend, Serena Walsh.

I started hiking in 2012.

And I got into it in August and then it became cold pretty quickly, and I just kept on hiking.

So I started hiking in the winter in the White Mountains that first winter and I never stopped.

I used to live in Boston and now I've moved all the way up to the White Mountains so I can be here all the time.

It's really nice to be here for today.

I find in the winter it's more fun to hike with friends than by yourself, because you need a little moral support to get out there when it's like five degrees out here.

That's warm.

[music playing] Another friend joins Mardi.

We're in Joe Klementovich's backyard.

He's a local outdoor photographer and a search and rescue volunteer.

Joe's along on the hike to help document it.

What do you recommend for people who want to win or hike for the first time?

For the first time?

Yeah.

Yeah, pick something that's short and get all your systems squared away, like Mardi's got her pad and all the stuff she carries that's extra.

And in case you twist an ankle and you have to sit there for an hour or two before you can get out, you need extra layers.

So getting all that stuff figured out on a short hike.

There's a lot of trail experience in this group.

If the weather becomes a problem they'll turn back.

Whenever you're going above tree line in the White Mountains, you need to have a healthy amount of respect and fear, I think, personally.

And so I will certainly choose as good conditions as possible, looking at wind, weather and daylight hours.

Well, I mean, it's one of the presidential, so I always have to be mindful that the winds up here could be-- and the temperatures could be a lot more substantial than any other spot in the White Mountains.

Also, it's above tree line.

So that's another factor that makes it even colder.

There's no trees to block the winds.

So even though it might say it's 20 degrees in the valley, you got to be prepared that it could be negative 5 or substantially lower up in the presidential range in the winter, so hence all the layering.

So you've got to always be prepared to turn around and be safe.

The weather changes if you are having navigation problems.

Mt Madison rises between Randolph, New Hampshire and Mount Washington.

Mt Adams sits right next door.

There are several trails to the summit, Mardi's chosen, the Valley Way Trail, out and back, 7.7 miles.

If she decides to add Mt Adams to the hike, it'll be 9.2 miles.

Boston is Mardi's home.

It's where she lives and works for an educational organization.

But she grew up in New York City.

Her parents are from Jamaica.

They love nature, and they made sure Mardi knew about the joy it brought them.

The first time that I went to Jamaica, I was about seven or eight.

My dad was almost 40 years old, and he just comes to life when he's back home in Jamaica.

And even now, is an 81-year-old, he just goes there and he just comes to life.

It makes me so happy to see it.

And on that particular trip, he was so excited to climb a coconut tree and to show me that he could still do it.

And I was seven.

I don't even remember if he actually climbed the tree, but I just remember how much joy it gave him to do it-- to be there.

I think that is the spirit that I've inherited from my parents.

That spirit's grown stronger over the years.

During the summer of 2003, Mardi drove North out of Boston, headed for the White Mountains.

What she discovered then brings her back today.

It's my-- what I consider my local hunt.

I live in Boston it's two-hour drive to get to the West side of the mountains, a three-hour drive to the East side.

I love this landscape.

I love the Rolling Green.

I do appreciate the grandeur of being out West in the Rockies or whatnot, but I think there's just something special about our topography and our forests and rivers.

I love going on a hike and then finding a secret little swimming hole along one of the scores of rivers that we have here.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a lot of people indoors.

Mardi has done her best to stay outdoors safely.

I was spending a lot of time in the Blue Hills, near Boston, walking in my neighborhood.

But as soon as it was safe and possible to travel up here, I started spending almost all of my weekends up here.

And it was such a lifeline in this time because it was a way to see friends safely outdoors, be outside, distanced, masked, spending time together, backpacking, camping, hiking, did a lot of paddling, a tiny bit of rock climbing, and so it was huge.

It's her love of the mountains that puts Mardi on the path to all the winter 48, 4,000 foot peaks.

Well, my first winter hike was 15 years ago in 2005 and I wasn't really working on the list until about three seasons ago when I realized I was about halfway done.

So I said, all right, let me just try to finish this out.

When I first started hiking in these mountains in the, we say three seasons, summer spring and fall.

I really enjoyed exploring.

The reason I wanted to do all 48 peaks was not so much to check things off of a list but just to get to know the region and explore and see places and begin to understand the mountains as much as one can.

And so when I began winter hiking in 2005, I wanted to experience the peaks in winter.

I also found the idea scary, and fear inducing.

And I wanted to face that and see if I could understand my fear and learn how to be safe in winter and enjoy myself in winter.

And then there are not that many Black folks who do winter sports and winter hiking out here in the White Mountains at least.

And so I just want to make sure that there were some black names on that list.

[music playing] We met Mardi a couple of years ago, not in the mountains but on the water.

She was paddling New Hampshire's coastline with friends from outdoor Afro.

Yeah.

Outdoor Afro is an organization that exists to build black connection and joy and the outdoors and to build leadership as well.

I particularly love being outside with a group of Black folks.

There's a certain special connection because of history and marginalization of course.

But there's a special connection and special reward that comes when I'm with my folks outside.

Black Americans connection with the outdoors is complex.

For hundreds of years they worked the land as slaves.

Following the abolition of slavery, many continued to farm despite having their land taken from them.

During the Great Migration from 1960 to 1970, millions of Black Americans moved from rural settings in the South to cities in the North and West.

At that time camping and hiking were often thought of as a White person's recreation.

Black Americans who visited parks often found signs of segregation.

And then all the while, largely White folks have been creating their own narratives of being outside, developing the activities, deciding how they're going to do them, and filling those spaces and showing up in the books, in the magazines, in and the TV commercials or in the branding.

How did we get this?

[inaudible] Black folks, though, we have always lived on the land, participated in nature.

There's a culture of adventure sports, there's a culture of being an outdoors person that has been formed by whiteness.

And so to be outside with a group of Black folks and say, we're going to self-determined.

We're going to experience this in the way that feels right to us.

We're going to create a culture together, has been important.

That's important in Outdoor Afro to remember that and to state that, like we've always.

Black people have always been outside.

Black people have always been partaking in nature.

What's detrimental about that, is that sometimes in our community, it's hard to picture ourselves doing certain sports or certain activities, and so I want to be part of breaking that down.

I'll be halfway up to Madison.

So far winds don't seem too bad which is great.

1.42, the hut and then another half a mile-ish to the summit in Madison.

Well, it'll open up once we punch out above tree line, and it will probably be windy.

The winds are forecast to pick up as the day goes on.

So expect some wind anywhere from 20 miles to 40 miles an hour.

The nice thing about Madison though, is it's not that far of a journey from tree line up to the summit.

So it's only maybe half a mile from when you pop out from the trees up to the actual summit.

So you can kind of dash up and dash back to safety.

In the summertime there's a hot there so you can get in to safety, but in the winter all the huts are shut down so you definitely can't count on that for much respite from the wind.

Mardi's goal is to finish the 48 this winter.

If you just want to hold on to it with one hand, totally fine.

Nothing wrong with that.

And it's kept her pretty busy.

Yeah.

I'm happy that I was able to do the peaks that I set out to, the Osceolas, the Twins, Maria, and yeah.

I also did North Kinsman, though I'd already done it just for fun.

[inaudible] tent site.

I think quarter mile.

And there's the element of fear.

Mardi mentioned, it's something she won't turn away from.

The weather, the unknown, and the challenges that every hiker faces.

A lot of what's elemental about fear is the unknown, right?

And so as I began to get to know the mountains and begin to understand the risks and learn from friends who would take me out, I started to feel more comfortable, and then also learn my own limits, and I start to understand how my body-- like my physical limitations, my physical strength, but also how I deal with cold, and how I would need to layer, and what kind of boots I would need.

So all of that and of course just doing it, getting out there.

Wow.

I love being outside.

I love the air and the sun, and I'm working at feeling a connection to nature and not feeling apart from it, like it's something for me to manage, but rather it's something that I am a part of.

And I love the feeling of physical exertion.

I love pushing myself.

And I love to see and explore just what the outdoors have to offer.

It took them several hours to push through a tree line, but Mardi and her companions made it.

What do you think the wind is right now?

At that point, [inaudible].

10.

Maybe 5, 7.

I think it may be [inaudible].

What's your-- Cold enough-- strong enough to bite but not any kind-- nothing to worry about.

I don't even think I'm going to get my goggles out.

Along the way, they considered whether to head for Adam's first or stay on course for the summer to Madison.

So we are at the junction of the Gulf side trail or airline trail, and we're going to make a push from Mount Adams.

We popped out above tree line a little while ago, half a mile a go by Madison Hut, and there was no wind at that point.

And it's about 11:00 in the morning, so we decided to make a go for it.

We're headed up to Adams.

The winds seem very mellow like maybe five miles an hour right now.

So I'm really tentatively thrilled, cautiously thrilled, because you never know what happens around the bend when you're up here in the presidential.

The group heads up the airline trail.

It's a little more than a half mile to the summit of Mt Adams.

In winter, navigating the trail can be difficult.

You're going to see it this summer.

The hikers follow the route carefully.

The lee side of the mountain protects them from the weather.

But it won't stay near the summit of Adams-- the winter wind finds them.

From her pack, Mardi pulls out a sign, it's a message that she carries with her.

I held up a sign there's going to be a campaign that two black trends women are running and they're asking folks to hold up signs that say transphobia is a sin, and trans people are divine.

And this is their way to call attention, especially in religious circles that they've come out of where transpeople are marginalized or seen as bad or sinners or doing wrong, or living wrong and they want to call out that.

It's actually really problematic to-- and harmful, to trans people to view them in this way.

With 47 of the 48 winter summits reached, Mardi considers whether to attempt the final peak, Mt Madison.

It's mid-afternoon and the winter light fades quickly here.

They want to avoid hiking back to the trailhead in the dark.

47.

Yes, we successfully summited Adams, it was fantastic, a little windy up there, but great.

And we made it back down safely to the hut.

And we're headed up Madison now and it's 48 if we make it.

I always put that caveat out there.

How far from here to the top?

0.5 straight up.

Everyone in Mardi's group agrees that the final summit is safely within reach.

Hiking, right?

Up to the sun.

Oh, yeah.

Madison is number 48 of 48.

Mardi set out years ago not just a hike through a long list of 4,000 foot peaks, but to be a part of New Hampshire's rugged outdoors.

And trails that disappear under snow and ice, Mardi finds her footing.

I think when I first started, I was a little bit afraid of the exposure and the cold, and being out in the elements.

And I knew that there were ways to manage those risks.

But it still just felt scary.

And frankly, every time I go on a hike, we're considering weather conditions.

We're considering trail conditions, whether someone's been on the trail, whether it's broken out.

We're considering whether we would have to navigate through the snow and find the trail.

And in the winter, you don't have a lot of daylight.

So all of this felt overwhelming from the beginning but I did have good friends who helped me and taught me and also just learned through experience.

I like leading back right now.

I'm literally leading back.

I'm like keeping close by the wind.

I love winter.

I love being out in winter.

I definitely want to hike more.

I want to do a little bit of alpine climbing maybe with some friends who have that expertise.

And I love Nordic skiing, and a little bit of downhill skiing, so I'll continue to be out here.

And of course, we'll continue to hike as well.

I'm just so happy I made it.

So not room for a lot of emotion right now.

It's very windy and cold.

Mardi, you made it.

I made it back.

You started this trick in the dark and you're ending up in the dark.

Exactly.

A long hard day though.

It was a long hard day but we made it to both peaks, Adams and Madison.

So I finished my winter 48.

Yes.

That's fantastic.

Yeah.

Now what are you going to do now?

I'm going to have some dinner.

I'm going to sleep.

Good idea.

Good idea.

Yeah, I know.

OK, well.

If you want to get on, then so do I.

You got a couple hours to go?

I'm staying up here for the night.

Oh, no.

I got to go two hours that way, so we will bid each other adieu.

Gee, I hope to see you again.

Thank you.

I hope to see me again as well.

I also hope to see you again.

I know.

I know.

That's OK, which means, we've come to that time once again, where we really have to say goodbye.

I regret it so much.

But Mardi, you and your guys have been just fantastic today.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It was a joy to have you all with me.

And I really can't believe with the wind forecast, I didn't think we were going to get the peaks.

But the peak winds were probably in the high 20s or 30s.

No, it's not bitter.

It's cold, but-- Near 60.

Yeah.

That's great.

It went really well.

So I'm going to say goodbye to these people.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Thanks for joining us.

This is Mardi.

We hope to see you again on "Windows to the Wild."

Support for the production of Windows to the Wild is provided by the Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust, the Fuller Foundation, The Gilbert Verney Foundation, and viewers like you.

Thank you.

[music playing]