About

Hey, you made it to my About page! I probably should tell you a little about myself now… 🙂

Truth be told, I’m just a regular dude who likes to adventure, find new limits, and be outdoors. I grew up in New Hampshire (where I still live) where I’ve explored and camped in the White Mountains.

I created The Winter Hiker to share my knowledge and experience to help others get started. A lot of information I share on the site is based on personal experience, research, and also sometimes talking to experts.

My goal is to equip readers find accurate information they need for whatever outdoor adventure they go on.

Adventures

I’m retired from racing, but “back in the day”, I used to do ultramarathons (anything over 26.2 miles) and multi-day adventure races. Here are a few things I’ve done:

Spartan Death Race

What is the Spartan Death Race? The Spartan Death Race is a multi-day adventure race held in Pittsfield, Vermont. The race is designed to test the physical, mental, and emotional limits of endurance athletes.

The race was created by Joe De Sena and Andy Weinberg, two crazy mo-fos who thought typical endurance races were “too soft”.

The race is pretty unpredictable. Even before the race starts, the staff attempts to confuse and frustrate you with obscure gear requirements and unconventional prerequisites.

Racers are simply told to show up and with their required gear. They don’t know any of the race tasks until they are told to do it, which could be chopping wood, climbing mountains, moving boulders, sitting in cold water, or performing rolls on your side for a mile making you puke (they really did this).

Racers also have no idea when the race ends, which can last 3-4 days without sleep.

If you want to learn more about the Spartan Death Race, head over to the Legend of the Death Race page for race schedules, reviews, and stories.

Ghost Train Trail Race

The Ghost Train Trail Race is New Hampshire’s first 100-mile foot race.

Even though it’s a 100-mile race, racers are allowed to race in 15-mile increments. The above photo is during my 60-mile race, which a mostly walked (really, I was just there for the food).

Other Adventures

I also have an appreciation for playing in the woods and building random shelters from time to time. This is a lean-to shelter I built and slept under.

Contacting Ben

If you would like to get in touch to give feedback or for networking opportunities, use my Contact Page and drop a message.