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View Full Version : Section Hike Itinerary, Is daily mileage about right??



FeO2
06-08-2008, 17:05
Hi All,

My buddy and I are section hiking NH in August.
Here is my daily milage plan, let me know if I am off base with the milage through the Whites. I can comfortably hike 12 miles average terrain (couple 2000footers) with 40pounds.

Day1 Vt to Moose Mt shelter 11.25 miles
Day2 Smart Mt campsite 12.5 miles
Day3 Ore Hill shelter 12.75 miles
Day4 Jeffers Brook shelter 8.5 miles
Day 5 Rt 122 Kinsman Notch 8.5miles
Day 6 Kinsman Pond campsite 11.5mi
Day7 Garfield ridge Campsite 15mi
Day8 Ethan Pond Campsite 14.5mi
Day9 Lakes of the Clouds Hut 14.1mi
Day10 Pinkham Notch 15mi
Day11 Imp Camp site 13mi
Day12 TRident Col Campsite 15mi
Day13 Full Goose Shelter 14mi
Day14Grafton Notch rt26 10mi

Thanks for the input
FeO2

rafe
06-08-2008, 17:13
What kind of shape are you in? That's doable for a fit thru-hiker, or a lightly-loaded, fit weekender.

Kerosene
06-08-2008, 17:31
Days 7-10 could be a bit long, depending on your fitness and the weather. I found that my average hiking pace dropped from 2-3 mph down to 1-2 mph between Moosilaukee and Osgood Tent Site due to all the rock-hopping. Above treeline, we spent a lot of time taking pictures as we had perfect weather (clear skies, 60F and absolutely no wind in mid-September).

Think about stretching Day 6 to reach Lonesome Lake Hut, or even Liberty Spring Tent Site if the following day's weather looks good. You're more likely to have electrical storms after noon during the summer months.

I haven't hiked north of Pinkham Notch yet, so I can't advise you there, except to say that your pace will be slow on the steep ascent to Carter Notch as well as through Mahoosuc Notch.

George
06-08-2008, 18:23
why carry 40# in august in the whites you can buy lunch at the huts and food in spots no need for that much weight

PJ 2005
06-08-2008, 19:04
I would do those miles with 25 lbs, max.

Frosty
06-08-2008, 19:52
why carry 40# in august in the whites you can buy lunch at the huts and food in spots no need for that much weightI would not advise not bringing gear for a 14-day hike from VT to ME because there will be huts for about 5 of those nights. He could lighten his load quite a bit, but he still better carry enough gear to sleep out and eat, even if he wants to spend $400 for those five nights.

Kerosene
06-08-2008, 19:53
I did the Whites with 28# in mid-September, and we didn't account for soup for lunch at the Huts so we ended up with extra food. We had a re-supply in Crawford Notch that helped keep the weight down somewhat.

burger
06-08-2008, 19:59
I did the northern half of this section last fall, and I while you're mileage seems reasonable, I'd suggest you slow it down a bit in the Whites. Those 15-mile days are doable, but I would plan for 10 or so mpd and leave extra time for gawking at scenery, chowing down at the huts, etc. Also, you may get bad weather, which could make having an extra day's food a lifesaver.

whitefoot_hp
06-08-2008, 20:03
the itenerary looks good. just be ready to throw it away and hike.

Roland
06-08-2008, 20:09
Rusty,

I noticed you're from New Hampshire, so it's possible that you are very familiar with the terrain and that you've hiked this area many times, already.

Not knowing your age, or your level of conditioning, or your experience, I can't speak intelligently about the feasibility of your agenda. But I can tell you that your schedule is very ambitious; even for thru-hikers. So, if you know what you're getting into, go for it. But, if you're going into this blindly, throttle-down a little. You may have more fun.

rafe
06-08-2008, 20:13
I did the northern half of this section last fall, and I while you're mileage seems reasonable, I'd suggest you slow it down a bit in the Whites. Those 15-mile days are doable, but I would plan for 10 or so mpd and leave extra time for gawking at scenery, chowing down at the huts, etc. Also, you may get bad weather, which could make having an extra day's food a lifesaver.

Yup. . . . . :cool:

Blissful
06-08-2008, 20:15
No way. Adjust it to ten miles a day (excet through Pemigawasett - sp? wilderness - you might be able to do more) you'll be glad you did and you will enjoy it much more. Too much backpack weight first off and no way can you do over ten miles in much of this section if you are only used to 2,000 footers.

FeO2
06-08-2008, 20:24
Good Input!!

Terrapin, I am a very “fit weekender”, I do weekends and at least a week long hike a year.
Kerosene, Good info, I’ll take a second look at the longer days and see where it makes sense to lower the mileage if we need to do a “plan B”.
George, Ya, 40#’s is a lot, I will be getting re-supplies at KinsmanRt112 and at Pinkham. Now I need to attempt to get my weight down. I’ll carry food for 5 days each leg, so that about 10pounds, I am not an extreme lightweight packer (base pack is heavy, Gregory Palisade at 7 pounds empty!!). I don’t want to go out and buy new gear, I’ll attempt it with what I have.
PJ 2005, 25 pounds plus food?, 25# max with food gives me 15pounds of gear, That would be nice but not realistic with the gear I have. I’ll have to work on it and see where I can cut weight.
Frosty, We will be staying Lake of the Clouds and at Pinkham only, they are about half-way and will be a welcome treat!!
Burger, Thanks, I’ll take another look at the high mile days.
Blissful, Thanks, for the caution on the high mileage days, I will take a look and reconsider.

Thanks all, I'll post an alternate plan for constructive criticism.

FeO2

Blissful
06-08-2008, 20:29
Anyway you do it, have a super great hike. It's awesome scenery.

modiyooch
06-08-2008, 22:06
I did not make it from Lake of the Clouds to Pinkham in one day as planned. I pulled into Osgood wll into the dark. I wasn't carrying a tent. I slept in my poncho and was thankful for the starry night.

Christopher Robin
06-09-2008, 18:28
Kinsman Pond campsit to Mt. Garfeild is the roughest secon in the W.M. w/ lots the rocks & 3-4 mountians at are 4000 feet.& the weather can be rought at time. Like someone said afternoon rain w/out wanning, keep an eye to the sky at all times.

A-Train
06-09-2008, 18:41
Day 13 will be exhausting. I did a 16+ mile day over the Mahoosucs and Baldplates in tip-top thru-hiker shape and was zonked.

FeO2
07-03-2008, 16:01
Updated Plan:

Start in Vermont at Rt 91 Hanover exit

2-Aug MooseMountain Shelter 11.25miles

3-Aug SmartsMountain Tent Site 12.5miles

4-Aug Ore Hill Shelter 12.75miles

5-Aug Jeffers Brook Shelter 8.5miles

6-Aug Kinsman Notch Rt112 (in town) 8.5miles Re-Supply, Spend overnight in Bath,NH (planned pick-up)

7-Aug Kinsman Pond Campsite 11.5miles

8-Aug Liberty Spring Campsite 7.5 miles

9-Aug "Stealth" before GaleHead Hut 10miles Try to push for an extra few miles, find a camp off of trail

10-Aug Ethan Pond campsite 12miles 4 more miles will get into Webster Cliff

11-Aug Lake of the Clouds Hut (AMC w/meals) 14miles Pre-Paid, must make date

12-Aug Pinkham Notch Camp (AMC w/meals) 15miles Pick-up Re-Supply Box, Pre-Paid night must make date,

13-Aug "Stealth" SouthCarterMountain 9miles Camp below Tree-line

14-Aug RattleRiver Shelter 10miles

15-Aug TridentCol Campsite 9miles

16-Aug Carlo Col Shelter 10miles

17-Aug Speck Pond Campsite 9miles

18-Aug Grafton Notch Me, Rt26 Pick-up 5miles

Kerosene
07-03-2008, 17:09
Like modiyooch, we tried to make it from LOTC Hut to Pinkham Notch in one day, but ran out of daylight a few miles north of Pinkham. It was such a nice day that we just dawdled and took a lot of pictures, but bad weather could slow you down even more. The miles from Madison Spring Hut, up Mt. Madison, then down Osgood Ridge are time-consuming, especially in late afternoon. If the weather is iffy, then there are shorter (yet steep!) trails down from the summit of Mt. Washington that you could take.

How about getting picked up in Glencliff instead of Kinsman Notch on 8/5? The next day you could get to Eliza Pond Shelter, and from there to Liberty Spring on 8/7, a day earlier than your schedule (or you could take a zero day).

The AT ascends Twin Mountain just north of Galehead Hut, so definitely stealth to the south.

You could probably do more daily mileage between the last summit of Wildcat and TridentCol if needed.

Hikerhead
07-03-2008, 23:11
Aug 11. That's a long tiring haul. Count on missing breakfast at LOC if you want to make Pinkham at a decent hour. The widerness area before Pinkham is a pain to hike in the dark....hiked for about 2 hours after dark before stealth hammocking..never knew if I was on the trail or not until the next day..no blazing and the signaged just sucked. Watch out for hikers camping on the trail.