Photos Of Six Husbands / Sphinx Trail And King Ravine

I resumed my "ravine list" this weekend with a hike up Great Gulf Trail on route to Washington and it reminded me of a few things I wanted to look into.

First, I'd like to take Six Husbands and/or Sphinx Trail one of these days. Does anyone have a photo of the dangerous ledge at the top of ladders on Six Husbands Trail? AMC Guide makes it sound quite dangerous and tricky, but the AMC Guide has been known to exaggerate. I descended Wamsutta Trail on my way out last weekend and found the chimney at approximately 3600' to be quite daunting (was pretty steep and slick with loose gravel on the ledge surfaces) and there was barely a mention of it in the Guide. If that chimney barely warrants a mention I'm wondering exactly how nasty Six Husbands is. It doesn't seem like the trails in this ravine see too many dry days. I did Madison Gulf Trail last summer after a prolonged dry spell and it was like hiking up a brook on the headwall.

Second question is on King Ravine. I will also be doing this trail over the summer and have a question on the "Subway" route option. Exactly how "cave like" is this section? I have no issues with the boulder scrambling but I am pretty claustrophobic and I'm wondering if the squeezes in this section are so tight that I might freak out doing it. It mentions crawling under rocks, etc in Guide. I didn't have any issues with the section similar to it at beginning of "The Fan" in Huntington Ravine but I wouldn't consider that "cave like" and don't know how comparable it is.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so if anyone has any photos they can share it would be appreciated. Thanks.

IIRC, pictures of Six Husbands can be found in at least one trip report on this site. Search and ye shall find.

I believe there is also at least one trip report describing the Subway in detail. The Subway is an option--you can go around it.

Doug

Here's someone exiting The Subway. Note the blaze on the boulder. The black hole is part of The Subway. But as said, you don't have to go through it.

DayTrip said:

First, I'd like to take Six Husbands and/or Sphinx Trail one of these days. Does anyone have a photo of the dangerous ledge at the top of ladders on Six Husbands Trail? AMC Guide makes it sound quite dangerous and tricky, but the AMC Guide has been known to exaggerate. I descended Wamsutta Trail on my way out last weekend and found the chimney at approximately 3600' to be quite daunting (was pretty steep and slick with loose gravel on the ledge surfaces) and there was barely a mention of it in the Guide. If that chimney barely warrants a mention I'm wondering exactly how nasty Six Husbands is.

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We checked it out last summer and it was awesome. There isn't anything terribly technical about it, but it is a steep grueling climb that requires you to pay attention. The section with the 'overhanging ledge' is not too bad, but I had to take my overnight pack off as I was too 'thick' to easily crawl up it. My hiking buddy has no such troubles. I know Tim did it last summer and posted a great report. He has a link to all of his pics, so you should get a good idea of what the trail is like.

DayTrip said:

...They say a picture is worth a thousand words so if anyone has any photos they can share it would be appreciated. Thanks.

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I agree. A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is worth about 10 thousand. Check out youtube. I've seen many great gulf and king ravine videos there. With the go-pro epidemic, as well as the quality of cell phone video and point-n-shoot video, there are some pretty good videos there. And it's easy to blow past the crap, as you can usually tell in the first 30 seconds how good/bad it's gonna be.

Billy said:

I agree. A picture is worth a thousand words, but a video is worth about 10 thousand. Check out youtube. I've seen many great gulf and king ravine videos there. With the go-pro epidemic, as well as the quality of cell phone video and point-n-shoot video, there are some pretty good videos there. And it's easy to blow past the crap, as you can usually tell in the first 30 seconds how good/bad it's gonna be.

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Never thought of that. Duh! I found an excellent video of Six Husbands Trail. That ledge section does look extremely dangerous. Found short video of the Subway too and I think I'd be fine in there. Don't see myself rushing out to do Six Husbands any time soon though. Yikes.

Video I watched was from 2011 and there was a note about a fifth ladder being added. Does anyone know if that ever happened and if it is on that problematic ledge?

TJsName said:

We checked it out last summer and it was awesome. There isn't anything terribly technical about it, but it is a steep grueling climb that requires you to pay attention. The section with the 'overhanging ledge' is not too bad, but I had to take my overnight pack off as I was too 'thick' to easily crawl up it. My hiking buddy has no such troubles. I know Tim did it last summer and posted a great report. He has a link to all of his pics, so you should get a good idea of what the trail is like.

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Are you referring to Six Husbands or the Subway here?

DayTrip said:

Are you referring to Six Husbands or the Subway here?

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Six Husbands. I've yet to do Kings Ravine, but hoping that will change soon.

DayTrip said:

Never thought of that. Duh! I found an excellent video of Six Husbands Trail. That ledge section does look extremely dangerous. Found short video of the Subway too and I think I'd be fine in there. Don't see myself rushing out to do Six Husbands any time soon though. Yikes.

Video I watched was from 2011 and there was a note about a fifth ladder being added. Does anyone know if that ever happened and if it is on that problematic ledge?

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Not sure where the 5th ladder would be, but I only recall 4. There are many sections that would be much more difficult to go down, and that would be tough to do when it is wet in either direction, so a 5 ladder could go in many spots. I surprised they allow the ladders since it is in a wilderness area, but there are exceptions all over (like the caretaker's platform at 13 Falls). The ladders are a huge help, and without them they would have to close or reroute the trail.

I don't think you need to avoid it, but I would suggest doing it with a partner.

This is the spot. It's pretty smooth and not much for handholds... dangerous? Maybe in the rain.

Tim

We did Six Husbands a few years ago - one of our favorite hikes ever - lots of fun - nothing that felt dangerous to us.

Pics at http://rbhayes.net/latest/jefferson-jam-2006/index.htm

- More Six Husbands/Sphinx TR pics: http://forum.hike-nh.com/viewtopic.php?t=5041&highlight=
- More Kings Ravine pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/mpetcher/Madison_Adams_06192011

fyi
Petch

First time on Six Husbands was a retreat off Jefferson in bad weather. We didn't know better, so we descended in the rain with heavy packs (and it got dark). That was pretty miserable and scary. Going up is no picnic, but it's quite feasible and fun if you have a bit of nerve.

The Subway is just plain fun. I'm claustrophobic in caves, but had no issues with the Subway. King Ravine is a wonderful place, and any of the three trails up to the headway are fantastic, though I prefer Chemin des Dames.

PETCH said:

- More Six Husbands/Sphinx TR pics: http://forum.hike-nh.com/viewtopic.php?t=5041&highlight=
- More Kings Ravine pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/mpetcher/Madison_Adams_06192011

fyi
Petch

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Your photo album shows a 5th ladder. Was that over the "problem ledge" or somewhere else? Great photos. Thanks.

blacknblue said:

King Ravine is a wonderful place, and any of the three trails up to the headway are fantastic, though I prefer Chemin des Dames.

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Have you done King Ravine, Chemin des Dames and Great Gully? Can't decide which route I want to take. They all sound pretty cool. Which one has the most ledge scrambles or fun features? Seems like King Ravine but I was leaning toward Great Gully so I come out closer to Thunderstorm junction so I can link to other trails and head over to Jefferson area.

Anyone else want to weigh in and vote on "best route" up King Ravine?

the best wasy to do 6husbands trail is to do king ravine trail and buttress trail on the way.
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?46192-The-Demented-King-Loop-(8-29-12)

DayTrip said:

Have you done King Ravine, Chemin des Dames and Great Gully? Can't decide which route I want to take. They all sound pretty cool. Which one has the most ledge scrambles or fun features? Seems like King Ravine but I was leaning toward Great Gully so I come out closer to Thunderstorm junction so I can link to other trails and head over to Jefferson area.

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Once I did all three in one day (starting and ending at Crag Camp)! My memory may not be superb, but I think Chemin des Dames is the most fun and scrambly. There was one particularly daunting ledge on Great Gully (I descended), but was otherwise just steep. King Ravine Trail is probably the most dramatic.

DayTrip said:

Your photo album shows a 5th ladder. Was that over the "problem ledge" or somewhere else? Great photos. Thanks.

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Yes, There is a 5th ladder, I'm pretty sure it was over the problem ledge.....but not positive. I'm loosing my memory....

natron said:

the best wasy to do 6husbands trail is to do king ravine trail and buttress trail on the way.
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?46192-The-Demented-King-Loop-(8-29-12)

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The "Demented Loop" sounds like an appropriate name for this hike. It sounds quite awesome actually but that would be at the very limit of my endurance in my current state of conditioning.

Great Gully has one spot where there is a little exposure. Folks seem to make it sound daunting but I thought it was very tame -- much more so than anything on the Huntington Ravine Trail. GG is like hiking up a steep stream bed in heavy brush most of the way. It strikes me that on trails like Six Husbands, once ladders enter into the equation, unless you have a fear of heights, there is nothing daunting since the ladders replace anything that would otherwise be technical. But I admit to not having been on SH before.