Planning a Trip to the Presidentials

8/14 (Sat) thru 8/16 (monday). I accept that I will see a ton of hikers. I have never seen this area, however, I know that I have no interest in climbing Jefferson or Washington at this time. Any suggestions on a reasonable trek for two nights. I will have access to another car, so it does not need to be a loop.

Thanks in advance!

Presidentials Only?

Hi-
are you confining yourself to the Presidental range only or any place in the Whites?

Are you planning on camping or doing a hut-to-hut trip?

The Pemigewassett wilderness would be much quieter than the Presidential range and there are some amazing mountains out there

If you can spot a car a Pemi traverse would be a great hike. You could start at the Zealand trail head, camp at Guyot (get there early for a platform or shelter space), then hike out to Lincoln Woods the next day.

Some details would help.

Are you backpacking, staying at the huts (and have reservations) or doing day hikes?

What sorts of mileage and elevation gains are you prepared to do? You're comment about Jeff and George suggests you don't want anything too strenuous.

What are you looking for? 4000-footers to bag, views, solitude, wildflowers?

Do you have a copy of the White Mountain Guide, or, at very least, the maps?

Presidential

Bob, I appreciate the feedback, I know I was brief, with work and all, my time is limited....I am a seasoned hiker, I have hit all of the pemi, a many other 4000 footers....I have not hiked anywhere near the presidentials, mainly b/c I don't like hiking with a lot of people. Nonetheless, I recognize that it is a busy time of year and will accept it. Normally, I would hit the pemi, isolation of possibly bald face, however, I have hiked these venues.

As for the presidentials, I am not adverse to difficult conditions, the presidentials can't be any worst that the bonds in late October.....I am just looking for some advice on trails...


thanks,

Two years ago in September a friend and I hiked up Kings Ravine to Adams, then Jefferson, and went down Sphinx trail to camp in the valley. Next day we hiked Great Gulf to Washington, then Monroe, Ike, and Pierce, camping at a tent site just below Pierce (forget the name). We saw no one the first day, and other than the Washington summit, six people the second day. Just stay on the more rugged trails and people will leave you alone.

Using your map I'd focus on trails into & out of the Great Gulf & Northern end of Madison. Trails like Howker Ridge, Madison Gulf, Buttress, Kelton & Watson Path don't get as much use as the trails out of Appalachia, Base Road or PNVC. Some of these are tough with full packs have smaller cairns than others so they aren't great choices in poor visibility or are wide open (or both as the case is with Watson) so in more than moderate winds, they are poor choices. That explains why they see less traffic.

Should be able to do a trip using one of these with a more used trail like Lowes, or Grey Knob if you know you will see some people & are okay with that. Having too cars gives you too many choices to limit. Places worth seeing IMO

King Ravine - either from bottom or Airline
Adams or Madison Summit
Osggod Ridge (Howker is supposed to be nice too, looks it from Osgood
Castle on Jefferson, either from trail or Randolph Trail
Edmands Col (but not in bad weather.

I'm not a backpacker myself, but you might consider the Dry River Trail. There are definitely campsites and one shelter, and you won't see many other people. You could come in the first day and set up base camp at the shelter.

The next day you could do the Dry River/Crawford Path/Ike Trail loop that took you over Monroe, Franklin and Ike.

On the last day you could hike out via Dry River Cutoff and Webster Cliff hitting Jackson and Webster.

In the northern Presies, the Castle Ravine Trail gets very little use, and the views are excellent.

I've done a couple two-nighters by hiking into the Great Gulf and setting up a basecamp at the Six Husbands trail junction. There are a few trails that fan out from there and loops of different lengths to get back to the campsite.

There's no such thing as crowds on the trails that lead to and from the heart of the Great Gulf, most people stick to the trails that originate from Rt. 2 and go to the summits.

Not to hijack rainman's thread, but I expect to be in the Whites August 26-28, & was wondering if anyone had any particular recommendations for hikes in the Evans Notch area - thought it may be less crowded than the central Presis, and its an area I've never been to.

AMF: 1) Caribou Mtn is a nice short loop. 2) The Baldface loop is a classic (but harder than you would think) 3) I've been wanting to do Meader Ridge and the Royces forever!!!

el-bagr should have plenty of recommendations on this one.

AMF, Meader, & Royces should do & could add Baldfaces too if you've got two nights & a car spotted. I've looked at a 15 mile or so day hike that hits Eastman, Baldfaces & Meader & has a small road walk. I've only made it to East Royce as a 1/2 day hike & it was enough to get me to want to go back & see more.

If I was going for a couple of nights backpacking in the Whites & was looking for less people, This area would be on my short list of destinations. (Tremont, Nancy Ponds area of pemi the part w/out the bigger peaks, Sandwich Wilderness or vicinity of Dry River & the lower peaks south & East of Isolation, STairs, Resolution, Parker, etc.)