Hiking 2015

fairlee76

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Oct 9, 2005
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jp
So, let's talk about hiking.  Where are people going this year?  Any dream trips folks are just starting to think about?
 
I'm hoping to do the Pemi Loop as a day hike sometime in August.  Any words from the wise on that?  A few of us are probably going to the the Presidential Traverse again this summer as well.  A great hike.
 
Dream trip-wise, I have started looking at Gannett Peak in Wyoming for next summer.  Looks a lot more technical than the other "big" mountains (Whitney and Elbert) I have climbed.
 

Leather

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Jul 18, 2005
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Going to Rocky Mountain NP with the fam for a week at the end of July.
 
Hopefully the monsoons give us a few days of nice weather.
 
Brother in law wants to climb Rainier next summer (2016).  Would probably run about $2,000.  Not sure if I want to do it yet.  I mean, I want to, but that's a lot of dough.
 

canvass ali

New Member
Jul 17, 2005
88
Attleboro MA
Hello folks, I'm looking for suggestions/recommendations for day hikes in the vicinity of Mohawk Trail State Forest.  My sons and I (17 and 15) get a cabin for a couple of days at Mohawk every summer.  I'm looking for something in the 3 to 5 hour range with a memorable vista.  We've been on most of the trails in the immediate environs of the Park in years past but the vistas are not as spectacular as I'd like so I'm looking to go further afield this year.  A limiting factor is the younger boy has some physical challenges so we need to choose wisely (neuromuscular problem makes it hard for him to navigate certain situations, and descent is really hard and slow). 
 
Also, what are some preferred websites for searching out hikes in MA/NE?  
 
Thanks in advance...any thoughts/suggestions would be much appreciated.  We don't go until August 10 so not urgent.
 

fairlee76

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Oct 9, 2005
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jp
canvass ali said:
 
Also, what are some preferred websites for searching out hikes in MA/NE?  
I'd look here for books and maps on hiking in New England: http://amcstore.outdoors.org/books-maps.  The White Mountain Guide is great, if you happen to be hiking in that area.  I've been using a version of it for the last twenty-five years.
 
Headed up next Friday night/Saturday to do the Presidential Traverse.  Pemigewasset Loop was out-voted by folks who did not join on last years Traverse.
 

C4CRVT

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Feb 29, 2008
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Heart of the Green Mountains
So far this year:
VT: Mt Hunger and White Rock via Middlesex trail; Mansfield via Butler Lodge/ LT, out to the chin and back via Maple Ridge/Frost trail; Snake Mt.; Sivler Lake
NH: Welch-Dickey Loop; Mt. Moosilauke (last Friday).
ME: Beehive-Gorham loop plus the Ocean Path; Acadia-St. Saveur loop; Mansell via perpendicular trail; Pemetic-South Bubble-Sergeant- Penobscot loop.
 
Not sure what's next, might try for some of the presidentials this year.
 

canvass ali

New Member
Jul 17, 2005
88
Attleboro MA
fairlee76 said:
I'd look here for books and maps on hiking in New England: http://amcstore.outdoors.org/books-maps.  The White Mountain Guide is great, if you happen to be hiking in that area.  I've been using a version of it for the last twenty-five years.
 
Headed up next Friday night/Saturday to do the Presidential Traverse.  Pemigewasset Loop was out-voted by folks who did not join on last years Traverse.
 
Thanks fairlee, I'll explore that.  I was looking into the Pemi Loop out of curiosity and came across this youtube video that was pretty informative.  Maybe you'll see some familiar sights from your previous hikes.  Good luck with the Presidential Traverse, have fun.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF9qlWNjo9I
 

fairlee76

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Oct 9, 2005
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Heading up this weekend to do the Pemi Loop.  We're starting at 3 AM and hoping to be at the Woodstock Inn and Brewery by 7 PM.  This will be my first long hike in trail running shoes (Brooks Cascadia 10s) - does anyone have any testimonials about making the switch from hiking boots to trail runners?
 
Also, thoughts on doing the loop clockwise versus counterclockwise?  I'm thinking clockwise would make for a less crowded afternoon (on the Bonds instead of Franconia Ridge) and has the added bonus of the last five miles being on relatively flat terrain.
 

Spelunker

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Jul 17, 2005
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Well, now we have the testimonial of Scott Jurek running the whole Appalachian Trail in those shoes :)
 

fairlee76

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Ha.  He'd knock this hike out in 7ish hours.  Going to take us at least 15 hours I think.
 

Leather

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Jul 18, 2005
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So any tips on hikes in Rocky Mountain NP? Overrated, underrated, best lake?
 

fairlee76

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I am an Idiot said:
Turns out I'm doing Mount Washington this Saturday.
Ha.  A surprise adventure?  You should consider going up Huntington Ravine.  More technical than other routes (lots of scrambling across exposed ledges) and super quiet, especially in comparison to the Tuckerman Trail.
 
A few of us did the Pemi Loop last weekend, including a buddy who informed us at mile 12 that his "hiking" experience consisted of nature walks in the Blue Hills.  We made it but it took us all of the book time of 20 hours.  Going clockwise, the stretch starting with the ascent of Garfield and ending with the descent of South Twin was absolutely brutal.  The conditions (rain in the early AM, fog most of the day, a torrential downpour to end our day at 11 PM) did not help our timing.
 

Leather

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Jul 18, 2005
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fairlee76 said:
Ha.  A surprise adventure?  You should consider going up Huntington Ravine.  More technical than other routes (lots of scrambling across exposed ledges) and super quiet, especially in comparison to the Tuckerman Trail.
 
 
 
It's supposed to be rainy and wet on Washington on Sunday (surprise, right?).  Don't do Huntington with conditions like that.  
 
In the rain, or with threat of thunderstorms, do the Ammonoosuc.
 

fairlee76

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drleather2001 said:
 
It's supposed to be rainy and wet on Washington on Sunday (surprise, right?).  Don't do Huntington with conditions like that.  
 
In the rain, or with threat of thunderstorms, do the Ammonoosuc.
Yes, but what about the day of his hike? :)
 

I am an Idiot

"Duke"
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Nov 16, 2007
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Yep. Total surprise adventure. Mother in law is coming to town, I'm getting the hell out of dodge. Currently thinking of the Jewell-Amonoosuc loop, but not sure totally yet.
 

Leather

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Jul 18, 2005
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Well shit.  Wrong day.
 
If you have two cars, you could do Caps Ridge up Jefferson and then down the Ammo trail (or reverse).  Caps ridge is a quick way up to the good stuff and the trail heads are pretty close.
 

Titans Bastard

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Thread resurrection time!

Last summer I did the Pemi Loop with a few buddies over three days. When you do the loop in three days, there are some conveniently-spaced campsites that we used (Guyot and Garfield Ridge). This summer, we're looking at doing the Presi Traverse in two days. We don't want to stay at the AMC huts, but the fact that you are high above treeline the whole time makes camping difficult.

Does anybody know if there are viable campsites if you drop into the Great Gulf Wilderness via the Sphinx Trail? Otherwise we might just drop all the way down to the Hermit Lake site in Tuckerman.
 

Bunt4aTriple

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Jul 15, 2005
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Thread resurrection time!

Last summer I did the Pemi Loop with a few buddies over three days. When you do the loop in three days, there are some conveniently-spaced campsites that we used (Guyot and Garfield Ridge). This summer, we're looking at doing the Presi Traverse in two days. We don't want to stay at the AMC huts, but the fact that you are high above treeline the whole time makes camping difficult.

Does anybody know if there are viable campsites if you drop into the Great Gulf Wilderness via the Sphinx Trail? Otherwise we might just drop all the way down to the Hermit Lake site in Tuckerman.
I am a HUGE fan of the Randolph Mountain Club's facilities. http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/sheltersinfo/aboutourshelters.html

The Perch is a lean-to with platforms ($15/night/pp for non-members) while Gray Knob (also open through the winter) and Crag Camp are cabins ($25/night/pp for non-members). I don't know exactly how far the cabins are from the AT,but I"m guessing less than 2 miles. The Perch is 1.2 miles away.
 

Titans Bastard

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I am a HUGE fan of the Randolph Mountain Club's facilities. http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/sheltersinfo/aboutourshelters.html

The Perch is a lean-to with platforms ($15/night/pp for non-members) while Gray Knob (also open through the winter) and Crag Camp are cabins ($25/night/pp for non-members). I don't know exactly how far the cabins are from the AT,but I"m guessing less than 2 miles. The Perch is 1.2 miles away.
I've read good things about them, but they are located so close to the northern end of the traverse that they would create hugely imbalanced days. They seem ideal for a three-day traverse, though.
 

Bunt4aTriple

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I've read good things about them, but they are located so close to the northern end of the traverse that they would create hugely imbalanced days. They seem ideal for a three-day traverse, though.
I'm guessing Nauman tentsite at Mizpah hut poses the same problem on the other end.

The Presis are hard to split up over 2 days. You either have to have one monster day, or do two nights. Why not leave in the afternoon and get to Nauman, then see if you can do 18 the next day. If you can't, hit up one of the RMC shelters.
 

Bunt4aTriple

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On a side note, despite the additional mileage, I don't think the Pemi was that much more difficult. There are a lot more rolling sections, and the climb out of/down to the parking lot was way easier on the Pemi. Also, the Presidentials trail is much rockier, which is punishing on the feet. I've done both in a day and the time difference wasn't significant. Were you to take 3 days, I don't think you'd feel cheated.
 

Titans Bastard

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I'm guessing Nauman tentsite at Mizpah hut poses the same problem on the other end.

The Presis are hard to split up over 2 days. You either have to have one monster day, or do two nights. Why not leave in the afternoon and get to Nauman, then see if you can do 18 the next day. If you can't, hit up one of the RMC shelters.
Exactly right about the Nauman site. Unfortunately, three days can't fit into our collective schedules even though it would otherwise make sense logistically.

I suspect we'll end up dropping off the ridge at Sphinx col and finding a suitable site per USFS rules below treeline, but my friend can be irrationally confident about how well these sorts of things work out. At least there's a stream that should be a reliable source of water.

I've never hiked through the Great Gulf Wilderness before so I don't have a sense of campsite options down there. If it's dumb, I'd rather just hoof it to Hermit Lake.
 

GoJeff!

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May 30, 2007
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Exactly right about the Nauman site. Unfortunately, three days can't fit into our collective schedules even though it would otherwise make sense logistically.

I suspect we'll end up dropping off the ridge at Sphinx col and finding a suitable site per USFS rules below treeline, but my friend can be irrationally confident about how well these sorts of things work out. At least there's a stream that should be a reliable source of water.

I've never hiked through the Great Gulf Wilderness before so I don't have a sense of campsite options down there. If it's dumb, I'd rather just hoof it to Hermit Lake.
I had one of the best camping experiences of my life in Great Gulf, somewhere near where Sphinx meets Great Gulf trail. It was a crazy long time ago, however.
 

LastTripleCrown

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Aug 22, 2006
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Any family friendly trails around North Conway? My youngest will be in a hiking backpack but worried about my 5 yr old.
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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Has anyone ever hiked to Duck Lake, in California? It's near the ski town of Mammoth Lakes and it's my newest bucket list item.