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modiyooch
07-05-2008, 08:53
I'm missing this 22 mile stretch from Pinkham to Gorham and going to catch it on my way to or from Maine this August. I looked at the bus schedule for the Whites, and it says that it drops off at Gorham Irving Gas Station, but it doesn't show the map for that area. How far is this gas station from the trailhead? I want to park at pinkham and walk south from Gorham.

Lone Wolf
07-05-2008, 08:54
about 4 miles or so

modiyooch
07-05-2008, 08:56
easy hitch?

Lone Wolf
07-05-2008, 08:57
easy hitch?

yeah from the corner of 16 and 2

Roland
07-05-2008, 09:00
modiyooch,

If your plan is to arrive by bus and start your hike at Pinkham, you can ask the bus to drop you there, on the way by. I have been on the bus when they've done this. I think Pinkham is a "whistle stop".

The Old Fhart
07-05-2008, 09:08
Also available from Pinkham to Gorham is the AMC shuttle (http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/lodging-shuttle.cfm) (10:10-10:35AM) daily at a cost of $16 non-member.

modiyooch
07-05-2008, 09:27
Also available from Pinkham to Gorham is the AMC shuttle (http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/lodging-shuttle.cfm) (10:10-10:35AM) daily at a cost of $16 non-member. I have a car. We are travelling from NC to ME and stopping at Pinkham to do the 22 miles. I figure I will leave the car at Pinkham. After paying $16 for the shuttle, I will still be short 4 miles to the trailhead.

rafe
07-05-2008, 09:34
Google maps says 9.9 miles from Pinkam Notch to Gorham, NH. That sounds about right to me; I was going to guess 8. I've had both good and bad luck hitching around there. I waited 45 minutes for a ride towards Gorham from the Rattle River trailhead. Got dropped off at the corner of Rte. 2 and 16. The next ride, down route 16, took less sixty seconds to catch. Awesome hiking and views on the Carter-Moriah ridge. Plan to stay at or near Imp Shelter -- it's got a great view.

Rattle River shelter is nice also, but if you stay at Imp, it's an easy-sleazy day from there out to Rte. 2.

Lone Wolf
07-05-2008, 09:43
Google maps says 9.9 miles from Pinkam Notch to Gorham, NH. That sounds about right to me; I was going to guess 8. I've had both good and bad luck hitching around there. I waited 45 minutes for a ride towards Gorham from the Rattle River trailhead. Got dropped off at the corner of Rte. 2 and 16. The next ride, down route 16, took less sixty seconds to catch. Awesome hiking and views on the Carter-Moriah ridge. Plan to stay at or near Imp Shelter -- it's got a great view.

Rattle River shelter is nice also, but if you stay at Imp, it's an easy-sleazy day from there out to Rte. 2.

he's taking the bus to gorham and hitching from there

rafe
07-05-2008, 10:06
I have a car. We are travelling from NC to ME and stopping at Pinkham to do the 22 miles. I figure I will leave the car at Pinkham. After paying $16 for the shuttle, I will still be short 4 miles to the trailhead.

That would be a great opportunity for a bike-hike. You can probably cover the distance by bike (between Rattle River trailhead and Pinkham) in about 90 minutes or less. There are no major hills. The total distance by road is about 16 miles.

modiyooch
07-05-2008, 11:21
We are not bringing bikes.

I guess if it's 13 miles by road, and we still have to find a ride for the 4 miles once we take the shuttle, we should not take the shuttle at all. I rather pay someone to take us the 13 miles.

Now, let me ask about Zeta Pass. It says not to pitch within .25 miles of Zeta Pass. Is there a spot to pitch outside that .25 miles, but not far from the AT?

modiyooch
07-05-2008, 11:38
The reason I am inquiring about Zeta Pass, is that I would like to do this section in 2 days if possible. It took me 2 1/2 days to do crawford to pinkham. I had to spend the night at Osgood, and I wasn't prepared for that---> no tent. Hiking in the Whites blew my mind. I'm used to hiking 2 miles and hour and was lucking to get 1 mile an hour at times.

Tinker
07-05-2008, 12:00
I think that it would be possible to stay at the Imp campsite and finish the second half of the trail next day if you get an early start and are prepared to use a headlamp if necessary. This time of year you'll probably have plenty of daylight. It's been years since I've done this section, but I remember that the section south of the Imp campsite is much more rugged than the section north. We hiked up Wildcat in a rainstorm and the ledges were very slick. Weather will certainly play a part in the speed of your hike.

rafe
07-05-2008, 12:29
Imp shelter north out to Rte. 2 is a piece of cake. Imp south to Pinkham is much, much more difficult. For that 22 mile stretch NOBO from Pinkham -- by the time you get to Imp shelter, you've done 80% of the work.

rafe
07-05-2008, 12:58
The reason I am inquiring about Zeta Pass, is that I would like to do this section in 2 days if possible. It took me 2 1/2 days to do crawford to pinkham. I had to spend the night at Osgood, and I wasn't prepared for that---> no tent. Hiking in the Whites blew my mind. I'm used to hiking 2 miles and hour and was lucking to get 1 mile an hour at times.

One possibility is to camp in the col on either side of Carter, or find a camp site down 19-Mile Brook trail a ways. (Stay well away from Carter Hut.) As I recall, the vegetation is thick along most of the trail on the ridge -- typical White Mountain krumholz.

The Old Fhart
07-05-2008, 13:14
I'm not sure about the regulations so you'll have to check but there are some nice open spots near the summit of Middle Carter that are sandy and that would be about 11 miles by trail from Pinkham. There's no water there so you'd have to carry water from the Imp Shelter area.

If you get that far the first day, about 8 miles from Pinkham and .6 mile beyond Zeta pass is Mt. Hight (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=2094&original=1&c=member&imageuser=1531) that has 360° views-the best in the area. Note that the water at Zeta Pass may not be too reliable during dry spells but you can generally find it by going down the Carter Dome Trail 250+ feet.

Just after Imp Shelter is the crawl up North Carter that you'll remember!

rafe
07-05-2008, 15:07
We are not bringing bikes.

You might want to consider it. You only need one.

modiyooch
07-05-2008, 15:11
You might want to consider it. You only need one.
I'm driving 20 hours one way from NC to Me with gear for a 10 day hike. I don't have room. Where would I store the bike while hiking? Wouldn't want to lose an expensive bike. We can bike/hike here.

modiyooch
07-05-2008, 15:13
You might want to consider it. You only need one.
running 4 miles would be a better plan.

rafe
07-05-2008, 15:28
I'm driving 20 hours one way from NC to Me with gear for a 10 day hike. I don't have room. Where would I store the bike while hiking? Wouldn't want to lose an expensive bike. We can bike/hike here.

I misunderstood -- I thought you were hiking from Pinkham to Gorham... I see now that's only one segment of a larger plan.

Carrying a bike requires a $50 bike rack (http://www.drillspot.com/products/416487/Bell_111958_Double_Back_2_Bike_Rack). While you're hiking, you stash it in the woods near a trailhead, out of sight, chained to a tree. It's true, I have mostly used this scheme for short (2-3 night) hikes. For most of my long hikes I use public T.

Slo-go'en
07-05-2008, 16:31
If you palm the suttle driver a couple of extra bucks, maybe he'd swing you over to the trail head. If not, it shouldn't be too long a wait for a hitch. Reasonable amount of traffic heading that way.

If you got an extra day to kill, go up to the Gentian pond shelter too, just north of RT 2. That place is on my short list of AT shelters with a great vew.

Sleepy the Arab
07-06-2008, 15:54
I'm not sure about the regulations so you'll have to check but there are some nice open spots near the summit of Middle Carter that are sandy and that would be about 11 miles by trail from Pinkham. There's no water there so you'd have to carry water from the Imp Shelter area.

I'll second this. I was just up there yesterday and spotted a spot just big enough for 2 one person tents. This was between S. Cater and Middle, closer to S. Carter.

Currently there is water in Zeta Pass.