Sounds rather audacious, no?

I didn't say impossible, just audacious. Anybody here know anything about this group?

"Full WINTER Presidential Traverse followed by FULL PEMI LOOP! BACK-TO-BACK January 21, 2011... The single greatest CHALLENGE Hudson Valley Hikers has had to date. A total of 23 4K footers and 60 miles in TWO DAYS Get This: Backpacker Magazine will be there for this event! So, you have done the Pres traverse and the Pemi loop and you are not sure what to do next? Well here it is, back to back Pres. and Pemi in the dead of winter. NOTE: You do not have to hike the Full Traverse to join us. We will be on the first peak for Sunrise!!!! EPIC WEEKEND!

Read more:

http://eventful.com/newyorkcity/eve...dential-traverse-followed-/E0-001-032299581-6

The 4k list is very impressive if you don't follow any col rules.

Yup, it does.

"the winds hit triple digits on most days," - and of course we all know it's quite possible to hike when the wind is in excess of 60 mph, so why not triple digits?

It's a south to north trip on the Presi traverse.

Nice!

Down the Daniel Webster Trail on the first day, eh?

why do they need bugspray in January?

article said:

NOTE: You are responsible for bringing appropriate gear, supplies, clothing, first aid and lights. You should review topographic maps and trail features carefully; understanding topography of any challenge hike is key to your knowing where you are, where you're going and how to get back. Sunscreen, Bug spray, water and food

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I think it may be this group on meetup (although its not on their calendar)

http://www.meetup.com/hvhikers/

If it is this group, they do a lot of trips to the whites. I generally avoid them as they cross post the trips on multiple meetup sites and frequently have large (more than 10) group sizes even in widerness areas.

I just hope that we dont see a Derek Tinkham type incident where people without adequate comptency are pursuaded to do a trip above their compentency level by others. During that time of year and in that territory, its a bad combination.

They forgot to mention that all men should be sure to wear their Thermajocks.

I know Tim C did the Presi Traverse (with Tim Seaver and Cath) the day before he finished his SSW48 with a Bonds-Zealand traverse with Jeremy, Skip, Val and me. That was impressive to me... and that was in March when it was a bit warmer and the days a bit longer.

Tim

1/23/10 is looking like a perfect Sunday for a Pemi Loop.

Bob Marshall just rolled over in his grave. Again.

...but I heard it's impossible to do a single day Pemi Loop or Presi Traverse in winter?

These guys must be hardcore.

dug said:

Bob Marshall just rolled over in his grave. Again.

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Along with Guy Waterman.

SteveHiker said:

why do they need bugspray in January?

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Personally, I'm hoping they'll drink it.

Sorry, but I'm already rolling over in my grave.

I'm hoping they have a good time, return safely, and maybe learn a little. As long as no one gets hurt, I'm all for them trying to go fast and to cover lots of ground. There are many ways to enjoy the mountains.

SteveHiker said:

why do they need bugspray in January?

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Deadly snow fleas, of course.

Well, I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to presume (hmm... that's redundant, isn't it?) which dead guy is rolling over in his grave. Nor would I care. And anyway, it's not like Bob Marshall and Guy Waterman are innocent of consummate peakbagging themselves. But I digress...

It just sounded rather like a very lofty goal for a larger group, as opposed to a smaller one of 4 -- to say, fewer people, fewer issues.

I wish them well, hope they are safe, and agree with Jason.

ferrisjrf said:

1/23/10 is looking like a perfect Sunday for a Pemi Loop.

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I have no doubt there are fit hikers can do this under good conditions including some who have posted here, but would you want to do it with strangers from a Meetup group?

But make it a 24" snowfall the day before, or some rain, or those triple-digit winds for real, and one hopes they are smart enough to revise their plans. When idiots fail, it is often reflected in stupid new rules for the rest of us.

I wish them good luck as well.

Lots of people do winter Presi traverses, and under the right conditions, it's faster than in summer.

What's a bit worrisome to me is the direction of the traverse, leaving the most difficult to last, and dropping down a trail which is seldom-used, even in summer, to an unplowed road (Dolly Copp), rather than simply dropping down Valley Way to Appalachia. With all the work being done on Madison Hut this winter, that route will be a proverbial freeway. But, to each his own.

Sounds like they'll be creating bailout points for themselves, however.

Stinkyfeet said:

Well, I wouldn't be so presumptuous as to presume (hmm... that's redundant, isn't it?) which dead guy is rolling over in his grave. Nor would I care. And anyway, it's not like Bob Marshall and Guy Waterman are innocent of consummate peakbagging themselves. But I digress...

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My guess is that Dug feels, like I do, that this is antithetical to the concept and spirit of wilderness/wildness, which Marshall & Waterman both championed. As the Watermans themselves acknowledged, any hiking diminishes wildness--that's the paradox--but thruhikers and peakbaggers don't inherently do more damage. On the other hand, large groups, especially with a media presence, are a much greater affront.

P.s. Roy, isn't your post count high enough already so that you don't need to double post?

TEO said:

My guess is that Dug feels, like I do, that this is antithetical to the concept and spirit of wilderness/wildness, which Marshall & Waterman both championed.
...
P.s. Roy, isn't your post count high enough already so that you don't need to double post?

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I agree that this is contrary to the spirit of Wilderness, but since I didn't support Wilderness designation of this area it didn't bother me I'm not sure how Bob Marshall would have felt about calling this area a Wilderness, Guy Waterman is probably on record.

[in the olden days when the moderator used to purge old notes after awhile to save disk space, I used to delete my own old notes when I thought they were less valuable. This doesn't seem to be an issue anymore (and do deleted notes really go away or just hide?) but I killed the duplicate from system issues]