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View Full Version : Advice on 6-7 day trip in the Whites 6/1/08



snowskier13
02-06-2008, 21:40
Hello, I am looking for some input on the itinerary below. This will be my 11.75yo daughter and myself gasp..39yo,, ~ June 1 - June 6. Start Pinkham Notch DAY 1: Osgood Tentsite Day 2: Crag Camp, Gray Camp or Perch Day 3: Hike out to road via Caps Trail, meet scared to death wife, shower, real food and bed HERE IS WHERE I NEED HELP? OPTION 1 Day 4: AM - Ride Cog, explore Mount Washington with family Day 4: PM - AZ Trail to Zealand. How long to hike AZ from Highland Center to Zealand Falls Hut? What would be a rough Idea on the latest we should start out? Day 5: Zealand to Garfield ridge camp Day 6: Hike out Greenleaf trail to waiting wife option 2 Day 4: AM - Ride Cog and explore Mount Washington with family Day 4: PM - Crawford path to Nauman Tentsite Day 5: Zealand Hut Day 6: Garfield Camp Day 7: hike out Greenleaf trail to fanily We are both in reasonable shape and Santa has equipped us with alot of new gear. A few concerns. How long can I play on the Cog and MW and still make the AZ trail to Zealand Hut? I suppose with a hut, arrival isn't as crucial as a tent. We would plan on arriving at Dinner :) Hopefully!! Suggestions are greatly appreciated. Wife is demanding day by day itinerary so she can worry even more I guess. I have the White mountain Guide and multiple maps for this region. I just don't want to stretch a day too far and get caught in the dark. Thanks in advance!!

snowskier13
02-07-2008, 08:57
Sorry about the mess above had formatting off or something. Anyway I need some adivce on the itinerary below:

Start Pinkham Notch

DAY 1: Osgood Tentsite
Day 2: Crag Camp, Gray Camp or Perch
Day 3: Hike out to road via Caps Trail, meet scared to death wife, shower, real food and bed

HERE IS WHERE I NEED HELP?

OPTION 1
Day 4: AM - Ride Cog, explore Mount Washington with family
Day 4: PM - AZ Trail to Zealand.

How long to hike AZ from Highland Center to Zealand Falls Hut? What would be a rough Idea on the latest we should start out?

Day 5: Zealand to Garfield ridge camp
Day 6: Hike out Greenleaf trail to waiting wife

OPTION 2
Day 4: AM - Ride Cog and explore Mount Washington with family
Day 4: PM - Crawford path to Nauman Tentsite
Day 5: Zealand Hut
Day 6: Garfield Camp
Day 7: hike out Greenleaf trail to fanily

End Franconia

dmb658
02-07-2008, 11:00
Going from washington to zealand is a bit of a haul, its about 7 miles in between nauman tentsite/mizpah to zealand, and its about ~8 miles from washington to nauman. SO its just a question of timing and how fast you hike, you can do it, but it would make for a long day.

If you went for option 2 i would recommend taking the webster cliff trail, there are some great views on top of jackson as well as webster. also with option 2, you may want to take a side trip to mt. willard ( its a mile up and a mile down, very easy trail, great place for lunch, and its off of the avalon trail, which connects into the a-z trail)

i hope you have good weather, you'll get some fantastic views! and don't forget the raingear, cause if you forget it, it WILL rain

EAnderson
02-07-2008, 11:43
Sorry about the mess above had formatting off or something. Anyway I need some adivce on the itinerary below:

Start Pinkham Notch

DAY 1: Osgood Tentsite
Day 2: Crag Camp, Gray Camp or Perch
Day 3: Hike out to road via Caps Trail, meet scared to death wife, shower, real food and bed

HERE IS WHERE I NEED HELP?

OPTION 1
Day 4: AM - Ride Cog, explore Mount Washington with family
Day 4: PM - AZ Trail to Zealand.

How long to hike AZ from Highland Center to Zealand Falls Hut? What would be a rough Idea on the latest we should start out?

Day 5: Zealand to Garfield ridge camp
Day 6: Hike out Greenleaf trail to waiting wife

OPTION 2
Day 4: AM - Ride Cog and explore Mount Washington with family
Day 4: PM - Crawford path to Nauman Tentsite
Day 5: Zealand Hut
Day 6: Garfield Camp
Day 7: hike out Greenleaf trail to fanily

End Franconia

Are you taking the Cog back down from Washington with your family and then hiking from Crawford Notch to Zealand in Option 1? If so, going up the Avalon Trail to A-Z (past Mts. Tom & Field) and down A-Z to Zealand shouldn't take too long. The climb up is nice and took me about an hour. Once down it is fairly level from what I can remember. Maybe 2 to 2 &1/2 hrs total? Take the spur to Mt. Tom for a nice view.

Another option would be to have your wife drop you off at the Zealand Trail out of the Zealand Campground. Then it is an easy hour or so to the hut from there. That would give you more time to spend exploring Washington.

Option 2 is a steeper climb up Crawford Path (and Mizpah cut-off?) to Mizpah and Nauman campsite, but I like that trail.

Have you hiked the Caps Ridge Trail before? It is fun, but becareful as it is exposed and I wouldn't suggest going down if it is wet. The caps were more scary for me going down, but I'm a little scared of heights.

Have fun, but don't forget the bug spray in June!

Peaks
02-07-2008, 17:44
If you have the White Mountain Guide, then it's 5.5 miles from Crawford Notch to Zealand Hut. Book time is 3 hours 45 minutes. Dinner at huts is served at 6:00 pm

wtmntcaretaker
02-07-2008, 17:54
either trip sounds good. you can spend a lot of time on Washington. especially if it is your first time up there. You and your family would want to get an early morning ride up and try and get down before 2 so you and your daughter will have time to get to Zealand. The A-Z trail is nice. you would be able to do either plan just as long as you plan on everything taking longer than anticipated. that is a good way not to be caught in the dark.

snowskier13
02-07-2008, 21:09
I think the family would like as much time together at Mt Washington as possible. I really like the idea of the being dropped at Zealand trail and hiking to the hut on Day 4. This sounds like it would maximize the Mt Washington experience and still put us at the Zealand Hut for dinner.

How does this sound?

Begin at Pinkham Notch

Day 1: Osgood Tentsite
Day 2: Crag Camp, Gray Camp or Perch
Day 3: Hike out meet scared to death wife, shower, real food and bed
Day 4: AM - Family exploration of Mt. Washington
Day 4: PM - Dropped at Zealand trail hike to the Zealand Hut for dinner.
Day 5: Garfield Ridge Camp
Day 6: Hike out Greenleaf Trl to parking lot.

Once out we plan to explore the Olympic Village in Lake Placid and the Adirondacks, on to Canadian side of Niagara Falls. From there we drop the daughter off at camp in Traverse City. MI and head back home.

rickb
02-07-2008, 21:34
If you get delayed on Mt Washington having fun, there are super wimpy ways to get to Zealand Falls as a back up, too.