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View Full Version : I used to be a card carrying member...



Team GAK
01-20-2003, 19:44
.. of the AMC until I thru-hiked the Whites. Now I only day hike in the Whites and do most of my backpacking in Vermont & Maine.
I wish all of you luck getting thru this section. Some will get lucky with work-for-stay, some will be happy at the huts, but I bet for most it will be a challenge (where to stop for the night). It would be to your advantage to do the presidentials on weekdays, there will be more opportunity for camping. I cannot recommend, in good faith, illegal camp spots, but there are quite a few - ask the SOBO's/NOBO's you meet about camping spots. I know last year there was a list floating around, but I never got a copy.

ganj
01-20-2003, 20:03
Any Northbounders heading for the Whites can find a list of stealth camping sites at the Hiker's Welcome Hostel in Glencliff. SOBO's can talk to Bruce who works at Hiker's Paradise in Gorham. Along the way most of the shelter/campsite/hut caretaker's are helpful in letting you know where these sites are at as well.

White's are not a bad experience if you can get past the crowds. I don't care what AMC does and don't believe that they should give up control to ATC. They have been there doing their thing much longer than the ATC has exsisted.

Ann
01-20-2003, 20:08
Team Gak wrote regarding the difficulty in finding legal spots:


but I bet for most it will be a challenge

Yes, I second that suggestion for trying to get through the Presi's
during mid-week. Also, I am very sympathetic to the challenge of getting a legal spot...it is VERY difficult in that area, and very unfair...all I can say is make sure you are WELL HIDDEN if you camp illegally. There have been instances of hikers being ticketed.
And TeamGak...I'm looking forward to doing some week hikes in Maine and VT this year...maybe I'll see you on the trail...I'm easy to ID just look for the most beautiful black coated male dog you've ever seen in your life and I'll be with him!!!!!! :D

Trail Yeti
01-20-2003, 20:54
There are so many stealth sites in the Whites its unbelievable. Don't worry about finding a place to stay. I stayed in 2 huts while there and had a great experience in each. However, I did have to stealth in the rain one night when I got to a hut too late.
No big deal, the crew let me hang out for a while to get warm, let me get water, and the thru-hikers staying there even raided the fridge for me. Also, the crew leader told me of a great stealth site that was only 100 yards away.
As for the presidentials....I wanted to do them in one day, and I did....it was not hard. I stealthed at Wilson Cliffs the night before...(awesome spot) and worked at Madison hut the next night.
The only hut I ever heard bad things about was Lake of the Clouds....the only thing I did there was eat a lot of soup!!!!