As I stood panting in front of my car, I had an idea: In addition to Cabot and Waumbek, I should also hike Carrigain.

Five minutes later, as I drove past the Berlin Hatchery gates again, I was already convinced it was a good idea. The temperatures were perfect, the day was clear, and I felt strong. If I could maintain the same pace I had climbed Cabot with, I could finish the triple header by 10PM.

Mt. Isolation is the second shortest mountain on the 4ker list, but also one of the most remote. Because of this, it tends to be a less popular hike in the winter, and trails can sometimes take weeks to get broken out after a snowfall. While it is only located about 2 miles southeast of Mt. Eisenhower, there is no easy approach. Isolation essentially stands on its own, making any summit bid a long day’s hike. Visiting from Colorado, my friend Leah decided to join Fred, Fred’s dog Porter, and me on our Saturday hike. I checked the weather report on Friday and it showed nothing but clear blue skies; Isolation and its magnificent views would be the target for the weekend.

When I sat down to plan this winter out, I paid special attention to the 4kers that could be fun to ski. I scoured the internet for trip reports, asked around in hiking groups, and finally decided on the peaks that would make for a fun outing. Then I sat back and waited for the fresh snow to pile up.

I’m still waiting.

To say that this winter has been underwhelming is an understatement. The whole backcountry skiing community kept hoping for a couple big storms that would provide a good base then a sufficient layer of new snow. However, there comes a point where you just have to cut your losses and change your plans. On president’s day, I decided that the time had come. It was time to stop waiting for an epic powder dump and just ski the crusty snow and ice where I could.