Feeling that "wilderness experience" in the Whites

[sli74]

Are you sure of this? The Adirondack park has 6 million acres in it.

Warren and others are absolutely right !!

I thruhiked the NPT a few years ago, a 133 miles from Northville, NY to Lake Placid, NY and saw noone except my hiking partner for the first 4 days until we came into a town for a resupply. And during the entire 15 day trip, not counting the people we saw in town when we stopped for resupplies, we saw a total of 4-5 groups/individuals and ALL of them BUT 2 were travelling in the opposite direction so the interaction was limited to Hello and goodbye.

Maybe I just stink or something because I have found that on MOST of my trips, particularly the winter ones, the only other people I see are the ones I bring with me (which granted sometimes can be MANY). I have hiked in NY, VT, ME and NH extensively and had solitude in all these states. On a recent Pemi trip with VFTT friends, we had 1 day hiking over Lincoln and Lafayette where we saw bunches of people BUT the other 6 days were spent with my hiking partners and ALMOST noone else.

Also, keep in mind that some of the resons you go to the mountains might be the same reasons others go there as well so to THEM you are the "problem" . . . don't begrudge the crowds their enjoyment and love of the outdoors, none of us deserve the mountains more than another.

Happy Hiking,

sli74

 

[dr_wu002]

Mt. Tremont Suggestion

Seriously, I think we've kind of bashed this poor guy enough.

Hey Crusoe -- if you want a nice peak in the Whites that's pretty accessible right now and I doubt, seriously, that you'll see anybody else during the hike: Mt. Tremont. It's a 3000'er with a ledgy summit & good views. Stinkyfeet posted a really interesting trip report of a loop that combined Tremont with a bushwhack trip to Sawyer Pond that I'm really interested in trying.

Chances are you wouldn't see a soul on this hike. The trailhead for Tremont along Rt. 302 isn't plowed and, in fact, the sign is completely buried. I doubt the trail has received much - if any - activity this winter.

Regards,

Dr. Wu

PS. You can see The Captain from Tremont. So when you're done with this, do the bushwhack out to The Captain. You won't see anyone on that either.

 

[sapblatt]

Dr. Wu is correct

...I agree...an early start is a great way to avoid traffic on many popular peaks. I usually start well ahead of 7am and often will not see anyone until near lunch time, even on the Franconia Ridge. Many people do not know what they are missing...it is so beautiful out there early. I start early because unless I am camping it is 2 1/2 hours each way and I preferr to be on my way home by 4 or 5 pm...it is not necassarily to be alone.

 

[afka_bob]

A personal gripe
To me a wilderness experience is hiking alone or with people I know to remote locations where there is no one.

If it's a trail that got you there, it's not a true wilderness experience. If it's land owned by a lumber or pulp company, it's not really wilderness. If you can get there on a weekend -- heck, in a week -- without a plane or helicopter, it's not really wilderness. Most likely, most of us here (including you, perhaps) have never really been in wilderness.

If you're gonna be an elitist, please, at least be a little elite about it! ([turning up one's nose and sniffing in disgust with best PBS faux-British accent] "oh, this is not really malt liquor -- not good malt liquor!")

 

[twigeater]

Interesting viewpoints…
I haven’t done much hiking in the White’s, mostly because there’s still so much I haven’t seen and done in my native state. The few times I have, the experience has been varied - same as anyplace else – depends on the time of year and area I’m hiking in. Tuckerman Ravine and the summit of Mt Washington in summer were mobbed…Whiteface in winter was just me and my hiking partner. Twice I have been annoyed by other hikers assessing my gear – one telling me I should be hiking with poles (it’s a personal choice) and the other just checking out all my winter gear – kinda like trail police or something.

I love the Public Lands here in Maine partly because they are so simple – no fees or reservations. On the other hand, I love Baxter Park partly because of the fees and reservations. Once I make a non-refundable reservation, I’m committed – rain or shine, I’m there. And there are places in BSP where you are totally alone and may not see another person for days, anytime of the year. I’ve made two winter trips to BSP this year, and saw no one other than the members of my party – me and two other people each time – no rangers, no snowmobiles, nada…
The rules and regs – just common sense and LNT.
I just sent in reservations for BSP for Memorial Day weekend – normally I avoid travel and the mobs – but if I get the spot I want, we won’t see anyone else the entire weekend.

Now as far as the Maine AT goes…I avoid the main roadside trailheads as much as possible when day hiking in summer. Seems I just can’t get out there without a busload of kids from a certain school being there at the same time. Very different in winter though….
Backpacking the AT, I usually see many people.

It’s all good...or not…either way, it's optional...hike your own hike!

 

[Jim lombard]

Posted by Spider Solo

Ever broken the silence of a misty morning on the water with a spoken word only to hear a Moose rise up out of the mud a few feet from you?

Very nice, we have some poets here.

One of the best wilderness experiences I've had in the Whites was an early morning summer walk along the Ethan Pond trail. A curious Pine Martin was my only company.

 

[funkyfreddy]

One of the best wilderness experiences I've had in the Whites was an early morning summer walk along the Ethan Pond trail. A curious Pine Martin was my only company.

One of my best wildlife sightings was also on the Ethan Pond Trail when I came around a bend in the trail and ran into a young bull moose chewing on some leaves. We stared at each other for a minute or so before he bounded off into the woods.

 

[Crusoe]

Thanks for all the good suggestions

Wow, I just looked at my post and was surprised at the response. Judging by what most of the posts said (I skipped the sarcastic ones) I should give it another try and go very early, in the middle of the week and on a rainy day or something like that. Oh and try and find a trail off the beaten path. I want to thank you for your kind responses.

Thank you all for all the good suggestions.

And to all who said childish nasty things, Like my kids would say Nan Nan Nan, I didn’t read them.

 

[grouseking]

I should give it another try and go very early, in the middle of the week and on a rainy day or something like that. Oh and try and find a trail off the beaten path.

Yeah, thats a great idea. May I suggest the Pemi?

Earlier in my post i spoke of diff wilderness areas. The more i think about it, I was just dealing with actual federally declared wilderness areas, when of course places like NY and ME have an endless supply of wonderful forests that are remote and very wild. Everything has its charm, everything is beautiful, and to each unto their own. Hopefully that made sense.

 

[afka_bob]

A synergistic "nan nan nan"

And to all who said childish nasty things, Like my kids would say Nan Nan Nan, I didn’t read them.

Oh, good -- since those things weren't really intended for you (it was for those snickering behind your back), nor particularly nasty or childish, nothing's lost!

Now this part is for you, if you wish to read it:

As pointed out earlier in posts you apparently did not read, there is no pristine wilderness in New England or the Northeastern US. We just go out into the woods, be those woods backyard, Adirondacks, WMNF, or, well, Maine Woods. Maybe your woods are bigger, but it's still just going out into the woods.

If you want to put quotes around somebody else's "wilderness experience" (as you did in your initial post: "I hope they have a great 'wilderness experience'") , well, go ahead -- but if you don't put those same quotes around your "wilderness experience", even up in your big woods, you would be well advised to not grouse about somebody else's sarcasm or childishness. If you're gonna hold a higher standard, you'll have to, uh, raise your standards.

There it’s off my chest, too.

PS:
have not had a bobcat jump on my tent (is it really a "wilderness experience" if you insulate yourself from the natural environment with a tent?). Perhaps human traffic in the Maine Woods have inured your bobcats to the presence of man?

 

[Sherpa John]

... And to all who said childish nasty things, Like my kids would say Nan Nan Nan, I didn’t read them.

Someone banned me from saying such things.

 

[forestgnome]

A personal gripe
Ever see a Fisher or a pair of porcupine in a tree? Ever had a moose trot past your tent at night? Ever had a Bob cat jump on your tent in the middle of the night, or herd a pack of coyotes nearby? "
.

In the WMNF I've enjoyed sightings of fisher cats, had moose and porcupines just outside of my tent more than once, no bobcat yet but tracks I've seen, and I've seen what were probably mountain lion tracks. I've heard packs of coyotes howling many times. One time , in Zealand Notch, I heard two packs howling to each other. My wife and I were between the packs, and there was actually an almost-full moon! I've watched a coyote pack feast on a deer on a frozen pond at sunrise, and a bald eagle feast on it in the afternoon. I've watched a black bear nurse her three cubs, and countless nearby bear sightings, many times with cubs. I've been charged by a bull moose, and seen countless bulls,cows and calves. A falcon once flew from a branch just over my head, scaring the c&#p out of me. I could go on and on.
I've also hiked countless times where other people were few, or there were none at all. Insult this forest if you like, but I disagree.

 

[CaptainJim]

Crusoe..... sorry you're missing out....

As many have said... yeah you'll get crowds if you go to all the "usual" places or take the "usual" trails... but believe me, there are pleanty of "trails less travelled". I too have gone all day without seeing another soul (human that is) until back down to the car. Of course summer is much more crowded, but even then you can find places the average weekend hikers don't go. If you can go on weekdays... almost everyone hikes on weekends... go up there on a weekday and you have the mountains virtually all to yourself. Also get an early start if you go on weekends... you beat the crowds and only see them on your way back down. I've topped Mt. Washington in the summer (when it's very busy... especially with the auto road open) by 8:00am and seen no one on all the way up. Give it a try... you might like it!

Capt. Jim

 

[Jasonst]

There you go, now you got AFKA_BOB started on his elitist, wilderness rant. It has been a few weeks, hasn't it?

 

[CaptainJim]

Very Cool Hiker Bob......

I have never been more alone than in a crowded room.
I have never felt more part of something than on a deserted cliff.
I have stood and stared and seen nothing.
I have closed my eyes and seen it all.

There is beauty in a mountain.
There is beauty in a snowflake.
There is beauty in everything in between.

Beauty, solitude, wilderness.
They are all a state of mind.

Open your mind.

This sounds familiar... who authored this phrase? or was it you and I just think the same?

Peace Out........
Capt. Jim

ps: I don't care if Caruso is 52 years old and been hiking for 40 years... me thinks he's a troll.....

 

[HikerBob]

Jim - just me waxing lyrical, unless I subconciously cribbed it from somewhere.

Considering the finite number of words in the English language we must soon be approaching the point where everything *will* have been said before

Bob

 

[caleb]

Jim - just me waxing lyrical, unless I subconciously cribbed it from somewhere.

Considering the finite number of words in the English language we must soon be approaching the point where everything *will* have been said before

Bob

an impressive collection of photographs. thank you for sharing. enjoyed the compositions.

 

[vegematic]

Ever see a Fisher or a pair of porcupine in a tree? Ever had a moose trot past your tent at night? Ever had a Bob cat jump on your tent in the middle of the night, or herd a pack of coyotes nearby?

Yes to all except the one about the bobcat jumping on my tent and I can't say I'm too sorry to have missed that one. All these encounters were in the Whites, Baxter, and even near some popular sites along the AT in Massachusetts. As several others have said, it's a matter of choosing your days and times to visit.
-vegematic

 

[The Sikes]

We've done alot of hiking in the White Mountains and most of the time we see noone. Maybe it's luck or timing, I don't know. We tend to go midweek. There are alot of trails out there that aren't crowded. I hope you find some. We've been sitting on top of a mountain all by ourselves and have 2 hawks fly so close to us that they almost hit us. We've also been closer to a moose than I care to be. We've seen a porcupine slowly making his way up the trail and a deer run past us. A fox decided to clean himself while I frantically put new film in my camera. It's out there. You just have to find it.

 

[afka_bob]

There you go, now you got AFKA_BOB started on his elitist, wilderness rant. It has been a few weeks, hasn't it?

A minor quibble, Jason, but that would be my counter-elitist counter-rant. The "elitist, wilderness rant" was, I believe, Crusoe's, and unprovoked.

PS to sunfish:
Thanks for the kind words.