Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch in a day?

[backpacker451]

As the title says, I planning on trying this. Its slightly over 16 miles and looks like southbound is the better option. I have done a 20 miler in VT and it took me about 14 hours. I started at 4 am and hiked over 2 hours in the dark in the morning. There is more up and down, but 4 miles less. Planning it for this month. What do you guys think?

[rafe]

Doable if you're strong and get an early start. Days are already getting noticeably shorter.

The southern slope of South Kinsman is seriously steep. I think I'd rather go up it than down.

[BirdBrain]

Where did you do the 20 miler? What terrain? How old are you? How much weight will you be carrying? Are you in good shape?

If you are in good shape, have hiked hills like this, and slack pack; yes, this is doable. I have done 20 milers in the Whites slack packing. I am 54. I could do that walk. I am not in as good of shape as many that I see on the trail. I have seen many hikers that looked like they were in good shape, but were not prepared for the Whites. I have seen people older and heavier than me that were doing fine. Depending on the answers to my first 5 questions it could be yes or no.

If you could, I would try 25A to the Lyme-Dorchester Road as a shakedown. That is a 16 mile section that is a slightly easier and has less PUDS. You could learn a lot from that walk.

[rafe]

BB: the hike in question is 16 miles. I did 11 miles of that in a day, loaded with about 50 lbs. and hardware in my leg for a recently broken femur. I'm guessing a youngster traveling light should be able to handle the extra five miles, from Kinsman shelter down to the road.

[BirdBrain]

BB: the hike in question is 16 miles. I did 11 miles of that in a day, loaded with about 50 lbs. and hardware in my leg for a recently broken femur. I'm guessing a youngster traveling light should be able to handle the extra five miles, from Kinsman shelter down to the road.

I agree. I did that area too. I took in Cannon and the Kinsman Ridge Trail over the Cannon Balls on my way through. I think he can do it as well. I also agree that NoBo over the Kinsmans is to be preferred. Too many assumptions about his experience to say for sure though. I don't know him. Using my recent hikes in the Whites as a gauge, I think I would do his perspective walk in about 10 hours.

[backpacker451]

I did VT 9 near Bennington over glastenbury fire tower to USFS 71. I should mention that I will not be doing it alone, my dad will be with me. I'm 20 and he is 69, but I consider us in hiking shape. We have done SNP to the VT/NH border together over 3 years. I will be carrying a day pack and him nothing. I would like it to be shorter, but the hut is only 3 miles from the road and my dad can't carry a heavy pack.

[Slo-go'en]

That 16 miles could take as long as 16 hours. Maybe you could do it in 12, but I wouldn't count on it. If you have to do any of it in the dark (and it's very likely you will have to this time of year), that slows you way down.

But not knowing your age, level of fitness and experience hiking White Mountain trials, hard to really guess.

[rafe]

This stretch is somewhat harder than southern Vermont. Just sayin'.

[BirdBrain]

Okay. Given that experience, I will only add a few details. There are many PUDS in that section. South Kinsman is very steep. That climb is the only serious obstacle. The better view of the Franconia Ridge is from North Kinsman. Take the very short detour to the vista on North Kinsman. I believe given your last 3 years, you know better that I can guess. That stretch is not the toughest the Whites have to offer. Some complain about South Kinsman. The good news is that the really steep stuff is relatively short.

[backpacker451]

How would this compare from this to the VT state line?

[Slo-go'en]

I did VT 9 near Bennington over glastenbury fire tower to USFS 71. I should mention that I will not be doing it alone, my dad will be with me. I'm 20 and he is 69, but I consider us in hiking shape. We have done SNP to the VT/NH border together over 3 years. I will be carrying a day pack and him nothing. I would like it to be shorter, but the hut is only 3 miles from the road and my dad can't carry a heavy pack.

Except for the short climb up from VT 9, that section in Vermont is reasonably easy. What your looking at in NH is significantly harder. Given your dad's age and the need to go slow and careful over the rock scrambles, I'm going to stick with the 16 hour guess. Since camping at Kinsman pond to break it up into two days doesn't sound like an option you may want to reconsider this, especially if the weather isn't 100% perfect that day.

[Jeff]

I would contact The Notch Hostel...newly opened this year. They may be able to slack you on this stretch. Their website is http://notchhostel.com/

[BirdBrain]

Except for the short climb up from VT 9, that section in Vermont is reasonably easy. What your looking at in NH is significantly harder. Given your dad's age and the need to go slow and careful over the rock scrambles, I'm going to stick with the 16 hour guess. Since camping at Kinsman pond to break it up into two days doesn't sound like an option you may want to reconsider this, especially if the weather isn't 100% perfect that day.

I am waiting for the accusation that you are too negative again

But ya', the age of his father and the concern that he can't carry a heavy pack gives me pause too. Your 16 hour estimate is likely closer than my original guess.

[backpacker451]

So far it seems like maybe the best plan is to do the trail up to that point and see what our bodies are telling us. Is it general opinion that from this section south is easier and if we decide to do it, that northbound would be better?

[BirdBrain]

So far it seems like maybe the best plan is to do the trail up to that point and see what our bodies are telling us. Is it general opinion that from this section south is easier and if we decide to do it, that northbound would be better?

If you are doing the trail up to that point (I assume NoBo from the border), the 9 miles over Moosilauke will tell you something. I did the Kinsmans SoBo. I would rather have done it NoBo.

[backpacker451]

Thanks for all the info. If we complete it and I can remember, I try to report back.

[tdoczi]

That 16 miles could take as long as 16 hours. Maybe you could do it in 12, but I wouldn't count on it. If you have to do any of it in the dark (and it's very likely you will have to this time of year), that slows you way down.

But not knowing your age, level of fitness and experience hiking White Mountain trials, hard to really guess.

doomsayer! : )

i did it in a day, sobo. started at 6am, done by 6pm, maybe earlier. once youre out of kinsman notch there are a good 4-5 miles or tail thats more like the areas south of moosilauke than what you typically think of as the white mountains. then you south kinsman and its a mess the rest of the way to lonesome lake, then a couple easy last couple miles. my advice is get an early start, get out of the notch as quick as you can, then dont dilly dally on the easy part. crank out those few easy miles as fast as you can so you have more time for the hard stuff.

[tdoczi]

doomsayer! : )

i did it in a day, sobo. started at 6am, done by 6pm, maybe earlier. once youre out of kinsman notch there are a good 4-5 miles or tail thats more like the areas south of moosilauke than what you typically think of as the white mountains. then you south kinsman and its a mess the rest of the way to lonesome lake, then a couple easy last couple miles. my advice is get an early start, get out of the notch as quick as you can, then dont dilly dally on the easy part. crank out those few easy miles as fast as you can so you have more time for the hard stuff.

sorry, meant nobo!

[joshuasdad]

I did this section NOBO in 2013 in about 24 hours, including an overnight. Count on 1 mph throughout, except for perhaps the first and last two miles (near the roads) SOBO, where you might be able to average 2 mph. I personally would leave before dawn to get to Lonesome Lake, so that you can hike most of the rest during daylight. Vermont really does not compare...I pretty much averaged 2 mph there.

[eriksprince]

I know it has been a while but I am curious how your hike went of Kinsman went as I am looking to do something similar. Any details would be appreciated.