black fly situation in the White Mtns; suggestions for a hike

Hi,
What is the expected black fly situation in the white mtns this coming weekend?

Also, any suggestions for a 1 or 2-night backpack for me and my 6 yr old daughter? We've done backcountry camping in the PemiG wilderness as well as a trip to climb Mt. Paugus. I'm a seasoned backpacker (done all 48 ker's many times) , just looking for ideas at this point...

thanks,
FF

The biting bugs are just starting to make an appearance so time to carry some bug dope if that is the route you choose.

Depending on how much your 6 year old has done in the past some ideas for overnighters can be a trip to Nauman tentsite though residual snow and ice might pose a problem for her. Ethan Pond Campsite might be another nice trip option, this will likely be free of snow after the warm temps recently . . .

Backpacking to either Flat Mountain Pond Shelter or Sawyer Pond Campsite are both good options also. I think LittleBear did the latter trip last weekend, she might chime in and give you info.

I am sure you will have fun with anything you choose, glad to see you are getting your daughter out hiking early in life . . . Have fun.

sli74

This thread is of interest to me also because I hope to get out this summer with my 6 yr old girl also. I was thinking of taking her to Coppermine shelter (I believe there are falls there - I have never been there.) She is itching to get out, mostly to try out her new hydration pack. I think that newness should wear off soon though!

Jasonst,

If you are taking your little girl on dayhikes and not backpacks, there are a number of options . . . I take my friend's little girl who is now 7 years old on occasional hiking trips. We went on a waterfall hiking trip a couple of years ago and she did very well . . . if you are interested in taking your little one to some waterfalls, Gibbs Falls, the Appalachia Falls (Gordon, Salroc, Tama), Beecher and Pearl Cascades, Glen Ellis Falls and many others are easily accessible with a little one . . . Arethusa is my FAVORITE of the bunch and with the new reroute (which a close friend was involved with) the trip is rugged but still doable by a agile 6 year old. Let me know if you'd like other suggestion for hikes in the area suitable for younger kids as I make mental notes to take my friend's kid . . .

sli74

I took my kids 7&5 to Sawyer Pond last year. It was their favorite tentsite other than White Lake S.P.(sandy beach and Dunkins across from entrance I guess..)
S.R. Road will be open soon if not already. Good trail with kids.

Thanks SLI - I would like to take her overnight, perhaps later in the summer. We have never really camped together so I thought we would do that before doing a hike. Arethusa sounds like fun. I have been so consumed with the high peaks that I have neglected doing other smaller dayhikes. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
J

We were at Sawyer Pond last weekend. Sawyer River Road is open so the hike into the pond (if you drive to the end of the road) is only 1.4 miles. We elected to hike from 302, which made the hike more like 5.4 miles. There were virtually no bugs last weekend, which was a bonus. We saw some black flies and mosquitoes, but they were few and not biting. We had incredible weather - temps didn't dip below 50 Saturday night and were in the 80s during the day. Heard a couple of bard owls calling to each other, saw one loon early in the morning on the pond, no moose, bear, or other critters.

Sawyer Pond would be a great place to take a 6 year old. You can explore around the pond - it's a great place. Nice tent sites, although it's a bit of a walk to the privy.

Have a great time - if you do go to Sawyer Pond, go from the 302 side, not from the Kanc. You have to cross the Swift River on the Kanc side which might be a bit of a challenge this time of year.