REI's 7 Hardest Day Hikes on the AT
Glad to see my local section in PA made the list.
What do you think of REI's seven hardest day hikes?
what, no connecticut? methinks the list should just include NH and Maine walks for the first 10... sorry, my southern friends.
Lazarus
it's a great view from the top but a tough climb with a 30lb pack. watch out for the snakes in the summer heat.
Cheoah was a bi$?&...did last winter at night...4 hours uphill to the bald....8-12am...
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Fortunately I reached a point many years ago where there is no such thing as difficult and day hike in the same sentence.
The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
You never know which one is talking.
exactly thisOriginally Posted by 1azarus
No way Madison is hardest. I thought Osgood was way over hyped. The Crockers are harder than Madison. I am not saying the Crockers are the hardest. It is just one example of a hike harder than Madison.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
Mt Madison is #1. There is no easy way up and down Madison in a day.
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Yea, the Crockers were were a pain, but their talking about a round trip day hike. Although I suppose you could do these as a day hike.
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The hardest day on the AT is that last day before you get your trail legs. For me it was that little 800 ft relentless grade without a single switchback to the top of Kelly's Knob, the day before Hiawassee. Even Blood Mountain was not half as bad. I did Kelly's Knob 30 yards at a time, trudging from one shady spot to the next, and swore I was getting off at Hiawassee.
But after a zero at the Hiawassee Holiday Inn, I was ready to give it another go. The climb out of Hiawassee was a breeze and even the 3000 ft climb out of the NOC that REI lists as #5, was just a pleasant morning's exercise. The worst part of that one wasn't even climb, it was all the bugs on Cheoah Bald.
Amazing how the body adapts!
Mine was a kneejerk reaction. I view Madison as part of a day hike. As such, in my disbelief of seeing it listed as number one, I gave a poor example. I am confused on if they mean a day hike that touches a part of the AT or if they mean a day hike that remains entirely on the AT. If so, The Mahoosuc Notch is ahead of Madison. Imagine going over Speck and the Arm and the Notch twice in one day. The other route would be to keep going to Gorham. Therefore, the inclusion of the Notch made me believe they are seeking to get to parts of the AT and not be bound by the AT. Also, a day hike in my mind is a hike that is done in one day by many hikers.
Therefore I consider the Pemi Loop starting at Lincoln Woods as the hardest day hike on the AT. Hundreds, if not thousands do this loop. Going over Flume, Liberty, Lincoln, Lafayette, Garfield, South Twin, Galehead, Bond, and Bondcliff has to be much harder than anything on the REI list.
My second hardest AT day hike is another one that is done by many each year. The Presidential traverse includes Madison as only a portion of this hike.
Somewhere on my list would be a day hike I have done in Baxter. It started at Roaring Brook, went to Chimney Pond, traversed the Hamlin Ridge, across the Saddle, over Baxter, and down the Hunt to KSC.
I could go on. Again, if the Notch is on the list and we can assume they are not saying you have go over Speck twice, then Madison is not in the top 10 in my book.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
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