View Full Version : The RMC 100 challenge
Slo-go'en
07-31-2011, 18:48
The Randolph Mountain club (RMC) had it's 100 year anniversity last year, 1910 to 2010. The RMC maintains 102.6 miles of hiking trails in the Randolph area, which includes the north slopes of Mt Madison, Adams and Jefferson, along with parts of the Crescent and Pilot range.
Someone in the club came up with the great idea to celerate the 100 year anniversity by starting the RMC 100 challenge. Anyone who completes hiking all 102.6 miles of the RMC trails, which covers some 70 different named trails, gets special recognition on the club web site. The longest named trail is 7.6 miles, many are 2-3 miles long and quite a few are 0.5 mile or less "short cuts".
Hiking all 102.6 miles of trail would not be a big deal if the trail was linear like the AT. No, the RMC is a maze of interconnecting or disjointed trails, some of which "dead end" onto non-RMC trails somewhere above tree line or provide multipule routes to basically the same place. All this defies any attempt to connect them together in any sort of logical manor!
Over the years I've hiked many of the RMC trails, maybe 60-70 miles of them. But for the RMC 100, I decided to reset the clock to zero and only count those I have done since the beginning of the year (so I don't have to start again right at zero!). I've only recently become serious about doing the 100 and over the last few days have done about 25 miles of trail, completing or doing part of some 30 different trails! I hope to keep chipping away at them and hopefully compete the task by the fall.
Thats cool! SOunds like a difficult challenge. Is there a time limit/frame to complete the challenge? I have probably done 30-40 miles over the years. Alas I live in Maine now so I wont be doing all 100+ miles any time soon.
Best of luck to you!
Be sure to tell us the story of the .15 mile connector spur that you had to go 15 miles round trip to get at.
Bound to be one little chunk to torment you.:)
Slo-go'en
08-01-2011, 18:20
Be sure to tell us the story of the .15 mile connector spur that you had to go 15 miles round trip to get at.
Bound to be one little chunk to torment you.:)
Not quite that bad, but there is something called the "Upper Bruin" which is a 0.2 mile short cut between the Valley Way and Air Line trials, just at tree line. The kicker is neither the Valley way or Air Line are RMC trails, but the Bruin is and is located about 3 miles and 3000 feet up from the parking lot!
Good view point right there. I think. You have probably been there. Good excuse to go swimming.:)
hikerboy57
08-01-2011, 19:00
great! I still have 18 more 4000 footers to go , still have to thru hike, and now theres a new ticklist.just great.Ive spent a lot of time on those trails, its one of my favorite parts of the whites.Im probably somewhere around 30-35 miles, but now you're making me pull out my maps again.its almost like my ex-wife. its never what you did. its what you didnt do.great, just great.thanks slogoen
Slo-go'en
08-01-2011, 20:54
its never what you did. its what you didnt do.great, just great.thanks slogoen
Your welcome :) BTW, there is an offical log book to record the trails you hike which you can print out from the RMC web page, www.randolphmountianclub.org (http://www.randolphmountianclub.org) I forget the direct link, so you'll have to hunt around for it. I belive you will find it under the "our trails" link. As of today I'm officially at 34.6 miles.
hikerboy57
08-01-2011, 21:17
Your welcome :) BTW, there is an offical log book to record the trails you hike which you can print out from the RMC web page, www.randolphmountianclub.org (http://www.randolphmountianclub.org) I forget the direct link, so you'll have to hunt around for it. I belive you will find it under the "our trails" link. As of today I'm officially at 34.6 miles. Im coming up wk of aug 14th, i was torn between franconia and the Bonds or the grafton loop. now you've totally made me rethink the trip.If I were to spend 5 days doing the challenge, where would you recommmend as a base? I hate you.:)
It would be interesting to calculate how many miles one really has to walk in order to finish the "100"...
Slo-go'en
08-02-2011, 09:43
Im coming up wk of aug 14th, i was torn between franconia and the Bonds or the grafton loop. now you've totally made me rethink the trip.If I were to spend 5 days doing the challenge, where would you recommmend as a base? I hate you.:)
Well, of course you'd want to spend a few nights at Crag Camp and/or The Perch in order to do the above tree line trails, which other wise are the hardest to get to and are the most rewarding. To knock off some of the lower trails as day hikes, you could stay at Dolly Copp camp ground and commute over the Pinkham B road, or if you don't mind spending some $$, a motel room.
hikerboy57
08-02-2011, 11:44
Well, of course you'd want to spend a few nights at Crag Camp and/or The Perch in order to do the above tree line trails, which other wise are the hardest to get to and are the most rewarding. To knock off some of the lower trails as day hikes, you could stay at Dolly Copp camp ground and commute over the Pinkham B road, or if you don't mind spending some $$, a motel room.
Thanks, any motels near appalachia closer than gorham?no im not rich. I already figuresd on the perch and crag camp, stayed at crag once a few years ago, great spot.
Slo-go'en
08-02-2011, 12:09
Thanks, any motels near appalachia closer than gorham?no im not rich. I already figuresd on the perch and crag camp, stayed at crag once a few years ago, great spot.
The Grandview lodge and cabins is about 2 miles from appalachia. I belive she gets $64 for a room and $84 for a cabin, plus tax of course. Rooms have microwave and fridge. TV gets two channels - weather channel and what ever the owner happens to be watching. Why do I know this? I'm good friends with the owner and help out with chores when it gets busy. She also runs a yarn shop out of the lodge, so if you know anyone who knitts...
In theory, you can get better rates in Gorham, but in practice, probably not. It seems the least expensive rooms are always unavailable for some reason.
hikerboy57
08-02-2011, 12:40
Thanks slogoen. I'll be up there week after next, maybe see you on the trails.
The Madison Inn in Gorham is not too far, it was around 75$ last time I was there, as I recall. The hot tub after the hike was great.