CT AT dayhike attempt - 11/25-26

I've been wanting to do this since last year when heavy snows (remember when NW CT had a foot+ of snow in late Nov?) and then later injury set me back for a long time.

Basically I want to attempt hiking the CT section of the AT in one shot - that's about ~55 miles(that's counting paradise lane and undermountain for descent at the end). If anyone would like to join in any of the hike or trail run it (I won't be running it... yet) let me know.

Right now I am planning (and training for) Thanksgiving weekend. Doing it alone I'd need 2 days, but if someone would like to join I have Sundays off and could do it on other weekends as well.

The plan as of now is starting the hike at the NY/CT border at nighttime probably late Friday or early Sat morn (hiking at 3mph avg I'd finish in ~18hrs, so starting at midnight I'd end around 6pm) - the earlier the start the better.

I'll probably stash some food and water at the rt4 intersection - and possibly other places too - like rt341 intersection, rt7 before falls village... just to minimize needing to treat water and carrying food for the whole day.

So, how does that sound?

It sounds like fun!

I did the CT AT in a day with a friend in June '04. We weren't exactly tearing up the trail--I think we did it in about 18 hours--but had a lot of fun. We had two aid caches: one at a road crossing near Kent, the other just before Salisbury. We parked the "northern car" on (I think it's called) Mt. Washington Road and took the short side trail from the AT to the road at the end. Someone else can probably explain this better than me.

On our first attempt in August '03, my buddy and I just about died in the heat and humidity and ended up bailing in Falls Village. We then had to hitchhike to the end and were picked up by some rather interesting characters, but that's another story...

Have fun!

I've always been interested in this one, but I don't know if my schedule will allow yet. Hard balancing work/family/life sometimes... You might consider heading down the Sages ravine instead of all the way back over under mountain. Someone else can verify but I think there is a ?unmarked? trail there.

-percious

Stinky: Up for another go-around?

percious: I'll definitively have to find that trail option - it would be much better than the alternative.

Hmm... I should be more flexible with the date. I have Sundays free and really all I should need is one day for the hike and it could be a Sunday. Thanksgiving weekend is the first full weekend I'll have free for November - if I did this alone I'd need at least two days, one for the hike and the next to ride back to my car.

So if anyone would like to join then we could make it a Sunday thing and other weekends could be picked. Cool?

percious said:

I've always been interested in this one, but I don't know if my schedule will allow yet. Hard balancing work/family/life sometimes... You might consider heading down the Sages ravine instead of all the way back over under mountain. Someone else can verify but I think there is a ?unmarked? trail there.

-percious

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According to my AT Trail Guide to Mass-Conn (ATC, 2000):

There is no trailhead here, nor is there a trail down to Conn. 41 from Sages Ravine; attempts to bushwhack down have often led to accidents and expensive rescues.

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Although your skills at whacking down steep ravines may be superior to the average AT hiker, doing it after an 18 hour day may not be the best time to prove it. Of course in the 6 odd years since my guide book was printed, who knows what herd paths have developed.

Any one with local knowledge?

cb, you can zoom in on this map by clicking on the lower right and see the trail and parking coming in from Mt Washington Rd and the AMC camp. Not the "Bee Line" to Bear, the other trial that skirts the border. You're not going to want to do Paradise and Undermountain after that day. You could also catch the herd path straight down the north side of Sages Ravine back to 41.

As far as the plan, more power to you ! I'd join you if I could bring my bike !

Papa Bear said:

According to my AT Trail Guide to Mass-Conn (ATC, 2000):Although your skills at whacking down steep ravines may be superior to the average AT hiker, doing it after an 18 hour day may not be the best time to prove it. Of course in the 6 odd years since my guide book was printed, who knows what herd paths have developed.

Any one with local knowledge?

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There's designated day parking for 2 cars where sages goes under 41. The path is not bad if you find it. The only rescues I could imagine may be from drunk teens trying to follow the actual river, not that I ever attempted anything like that in my youth.

The other side to Mt Washington Road would be easier.

CB, let me know when you're going, I'd pick you up there if you needed it, I could meet you at the end of the AT in CT or something.

I wish I could joun you. Would you mke this an annual thanksgiving tradition? If so I could shoot for next year.

Any way have a great trip. Let us know if there is any corn left in that field by the Housatonic River on River Road. Chip needs a side dish for his trout.

I would second, or is that third or fourth?? the suggestion on using the side trail from Sages that heads west to Mount Washington Road near the AMC cabin... It is on the map that Chip has posted here in the past, but it is unnamed, it is also on the NY/NJTC map as well. Heading in from the road is fine, but I have missed the turn heading out in the past, the intersection is not well marked. Look for some turnpiking that was installed to stablize the treadway just south of Sages, the turn is in that area.

I plan to be around that weekend... I will follow what your plans are here in VFTT, maybe those that want to could do some lower mileage compared to you and meet for some post hike get-together... If you plan to do this on Saturday we could plan an overnighter down at Sages at the campsites.

Catch you later, and good luck!
Kevin

It's a good thing they're bailing out at the border, I hear the guy that's in charge of the next section of trail is a real slacker, Kev.
...Kev ?

Or from topozone,com
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=42.04949&lon=-73.4664&datum=nad27&layer=DRG

Note that this road is not plowed although presumably you would not do the hike in snow anyway

Ideally one could start from this end and reduce the net elevation gain, someone with CT AMC connections could tell you how to rent the cabin there to crash before/after

RoySwkr said:

Or from topozone,com
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=42.04949&lon=-73.4664&datum=nad27&layer=DRG

Note that this road is not plowed although presumably you would not do the hike in snow anyway

Ideally one could start from this end and reduce the net elevation gain, someone with CT AMC connections could tell you how to rent the cabin there to crash before/after

Click to expand...

I looks to me that that trail hits the road right at state line marker #198. Maybe I should join you for the last few hundred yards.

On a more serious note, although the "Entering Massachusetts" sign is down in the Ravine, the state line is actually just below that trail intersection (Map). No need to go down to the ravine and back.

Slacker? Not since I 'found' those loppers to clear the trail!

Chip said:

It's a good thing they're bailing out at the border, I hear the guy that's in charge of the next section of trail is a real slacker, Kev.
...Kev ?

Click to expand...

Also Mount Washington road is plowed right up to the border where the parking lot is for the AMC cabin on the Mass side, but not on the Conn side to the border. Just a few feet up the road from the parking lot is where they put some boulders or something to block the road for the winter.

If someone in the AMC( Chip... ) could, and it is available, they could rent the cabin, but I am sure it is booked for that weekend as it is a holiday weekend, I would be surprised if it was still open. If someone can get it, I would be willing to chip in a few $$....

Kevin

If there is interest, I say we plan a post Turkey Day-Pork Out hike to work off the pounds of eats that we will be consuming to coincide with 'cbcbd's ' marathon... Either a day thing, or an overnighter... or combo there of for those who cannot pull away from their family or that last piece of pumpkin pie or tofurky...

Either camping at the Sages Ravine sites, or if someone can rent the AMC cabin, or just a day hike, there are plenty of options from easy stolls to a few peaks... Heck even stay overnight at the Riga Shelter would be a good idea...

As long as we cheer along 'cbcbd' on his hike since he is attempting one heck of a challenge!!!!!

I'm thinking about hiking the haunted blue-dot section that weekend so a VFTT Sages Confluence sounds cool. I'll find out about the cabin, but that's a slim to none at this point. Anyone know if CBCBD actually wants to see any of us at the end of that day ? TOO BAD !

So you are going to hike the Mohawk Trail/old AT?

Shall we plan to meet you before with some garlic and holy water? LOL

Kevin beat me to it, yes, Mt. Washington Rd. is plowed right up to the AMC parking area. In years past they did a nice job of clearing the lot but last winter the plow only used it to turn around in and left quite a mess.
The trail from the AT to this parking spot is by far the quickest way out of Sages Ravine...less than 15 minutes. If you backtrack south on the AT out of Sages you'll go by the large sign on the end of Paradise Ln. and in 100 yards or so on the right you'll see the start of the " Charcoal Road ". If you start to climb Bear Mt. then you've gone too far.
Hey Kevin, I haven't been up there since we did that hike in the last snow of the spring. If you and Chip want to get together I'm good to go.
Dave

Dave, I'm in... Sounds like Chip is heading for Spooky-Town, but we can try to put something together...

Kevin

Chip said:

CB, let me know when you're going, I'd pick you up there if you needed it, I could meet you at the end of the AT in CT or something.

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That would be awesome, thanks Chip. I'll definitively let you know and will keep this thread updated as the day nears. It would definitively beat having to ride the ~50miles back to my car!

Puck said:

I wish I could joun you. Would you mke this an annual thanksgiving tradition? If so I could shoot for next year.

Any way have a great trip. Let us know if there is any corn left in that field by the Housatonic River on River Road. Chip needs a side dish for his trout.

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If I complete it this year then I'd be fine for making it the annual Thanksgiving-Dinner-Burner hike It actually works out pretty well - fill up on needed calories on Thanksgiving and then have plenty of energy for the massive hike!
I'll grab some corn if someone's got a fire and some butter waiting for me

Papa Bear said:

I looks to me that that trail hits the road right at state line marker #198. Maybe I should join you for the last few hundred yards.

On a more serious note, although the "Entering Massachusetts" sign is down in the Ravine, the state line is actually just below that trail intersection (Map). No need to go down to the ravine and back.

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Yeah, it looks like I'll probably try to take that trail. I've never been on the whole thing but I helped a couple this year finding that trail... which happens to be right at that little boggy section of the AT before the trail starts going up Bear (heading South).
I also wasn't planning on going all the way down to the junction with the Mass AT sign - cuz then I'd have to go all the way back up

-Doug

Kevin said:

If there is interest, I say we plan a post Turkey Day-Pork Out hike to work off the pounds of eats that we will be consuming to coincide with 'cbcbd's ' marathon... Either a day thing, or an overnighter... or combo there of for those who cannot pull away from their family or that last piece of pumpkin pie or tofurky...

Click to expand...

I'll join on the overnighter I'd be up for crashing somewhere around the end. I could stash some food and sleeping gear and be all set for a feast. Hmm... maybe I'll leave a nice 16oz steak marinating all day long waiting for me

Chip said:

I'm thinking about hiking the haunted blue-dot section that weekend so a VFTT Sages Confluence sounds cool. I'll find out about the cabin, but that's a slim to none at this point. Anyone know if CBCBD actually wants to see any of us at the end of that day ? TOO BAD !

Click to expand...

Oh, I have no problem seeing you guys as long as you're ready for a litter carry ... and are holding a extra big cup of milkshake