Using free standing tent in the Whites

[DownEaster]

So, if you're still looking at what tent to buy for the AT, this is something to consider. A tent doesn't have to be completely free-standing if you can get by with just guy lines that extend past the platforms. A design that relies on poles pegged into the ground, however, would be problematic. That's too bad; I thought the Sierra Designs Flashlight 2 FL looked pretty spiffy.

[Zea]

You'll easily figure out a way to set your tent up. A couple tricks I've used are to tie guylines to rocks, put rocks on the guylines if they're too short to tie, or extend guylines with shoelaces or bear bag line and wrap around platform edges or hooks/screws if there are any. Once you're out in the woods with nothing but a tent and a platform, you'll find a way to make it work. It just might take an extra 5 or 10 minutes.

[Engine]

We had no trouble using our Triplex on the platforms. After fiddling with it the first time, we quickly developed a system which worked just fine.

[saltysack]

We had no trouble using our Triplex on the platforms. After fiddling with it the first time, we quickly developed a system which worked just fine.

Y'all still out?


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[Engine]

Y'all still out?


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Nope, summited August 18th. Now hanging out with our daughter in Oklahoma. I'll be updating the trail journal this afternoon.

Time of our lives!!!

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[williamgymnst]

Thanks for a lot of great insight, everyone. Particularly the info concerning small sites that aren't on the maps. Super helpful! One last question. Lake of the Clouds will be closed during my time on the range, and I am spending my first night at Valley Way. This being the case, would it be easier to loose the 1000ft and regain the next day or try to go from Valley Way to Nauman in one day?

[peakbagger]

You just tripped my alarm bell. If LOC is closed you potentially are in winter conditions hauling a lot more gear. Valley Way to Nauman is a really long day especially in winter conditions. I would expect you don't have a choice but to break it into two days and hope for a good weather stretch. Be aware you could be camping in below freezing conditions.

[williamgymnst]

You just tripped my alarm bell. If LOC is closed you potentially are in winter conditions hauling a lot more gear. Valley Way to Nauman is a really long day especially in winter conditions. I would expect you don't have a choice but to break it into two days and hope for a good weather stretch. Be aware you could be camping in below freezing conditions.

I'm going the first week of Oct. It's been a while since I looked at the hut schedules, but I think this is only a few days after LOC closing. The historical weather I've found for these dates shows 30s-40s during the day and anywhere from 15-25 at night. Does this sound about right?

[peakbagger]

The temps are pretty good but what needs to be factored in is wind chill. 30 MPH in the clouds is nasty stuff and occasionally winds can go over 100. It perfect hypothermia conditions There is usually a snow dusting or icing event after October 1st, it usually melts quick. Annoyingly pick your weather and it can be real nice conditions during the day so you end up hauling a lot of extra gear but catch it wrong and we will be reading about the rescue. At night it gets cold and day light is short so you end up spending more time in the dark and once your core is chilled its b*tch getting warm again.

By the way the NH F&G who runs the rescues in the area would most likely a define a solo overnight trip like this as "reckless" that means you pay for the rescue even if you buy the hike safe card. Folks do it all the time and most of the time they make it without rescue but given your location on your signature you just may not have the skills or hit the weather right.

[williamgymnst]

The temps are pretty good but what needs to be factored in is wind chill. 30 MPH in the clouds is nasty stuff and occasionally winds can go over 100. It perfect hypothermia conditions There is usually a snow dusting or icing event after October 1st, it usually melts quick. Annoyingly pick your weather and it can be real nice conditions during the day so you end up hauling a lot of extra gear but catch it wrong and we will be reading about the rescue. At night it gets cold and day light is short so you end up spending more time in the dark and once your core is chilled its b*tch getting warm again.

By the way the NH F&G who runs the rescues in the area would most likely a define a solo overnight trip like this as "reckless" that means you pay for the rescue even if you buy the hike safe card. Folks do it all the time and most of the time they make it without rescue but given your location on your signature you just may not have the skills or hit the weather right.

You would be correct about my location. I have quite a bit of experience hiking, but mostly in the Smokies and southern Appalachians. I have lived in the NE, so I know what conditions can be like. Although, I was not into hiking at the time, so I've never put the two together. I've been reading, researching and map-reading extensively. I've got good bail-outs planned. I am also considering shortening the traverse to two days and finding something to do around Crawford Notch for a day.

While I know one can never mitigate all risks and there's no way to know what the weather will do during the day at this point, how protected are sites like Valley Way, Perch, and Nauman?

[egilbe]

Valley Way and Nauman are well below treeline. They are fairly well protected. The Perch is on the edge of a ravine. Its pretty exposed. I'm surprised the windows are blown out of the camp every winter.

[Slo-go'en]

Valley Way and Nauman are well below treeline. They are fairly well protected. The Perch is on the edge of a ravine. Its pretty exposed. I'm surprised the windows are blown out of the camp every winter.

Your thinking of Crag Camp, which sits on the edge of King Ravine. A rather stunning view from the front porch towards Madison and the King Ravine.

First week of October can go either way. It can be really, really nice or life threating. And it can go from one to the other in a matter of hours, some times minutes. You really have to make the call at the time and not go just because that's the time you have to do it no matter what.

By the first week of October we have lost a significant amount of daylight hours, which complicates things. Rather then attempting a traverse of the range which is complicated due to the lack of good camping options, there are other things to do. One is to just hike up to one of the RMC camps and spend a few days. Day hiking Madison, Adams and Jefferson using Crag or Gray knob as a "base camp" is a popular thing to do. Or you could car camp at Dolly Cop or Lafayette camp grounds and do peak bagging day hikes. There are many trails in the Whites, some are very difficult and some are pretty easy but have a good reward with a stunning view at the top.

Here's the view from the top of Mt Potash, a little 1.9 mile, 1400 foot climb hike I did today. The view would be awash with color the first week of October (and there is some starting to show up now). This is just one example of many hikes you can do which don't involve the AT.

SAM_3203.JPG

[Slo-go'en]

Here's the view from the Crag Camp porch:
SAM_1003.JPG

Here's looking over to Washington from the top of Mt Adams:
SAM_1032.jpg

The Perch does hang on the side of a ravine, but is reasonably well protected. The Valley Way tent site is a mile and a 1000 feet down from Madison hut and is also reasonably well protected.

[KDogg]

Don't overthink it. You can pitch any tent design on the platforms. You don't need any longer guylines than what you have been using and any poles (including trekking poles) will work. I have a duplex. It was not hard to figure out.

[Deacon]

I have a Duplex with linelocs at each corner and at the pull outs. I intentionally used six feet of 1.75mm lines at each of those locations, and about ten feet on the pullouts so I could make them long, or pull them through the line locks and make them short. There were times I went to a tree with the pullout.

I also carry eight small brass eye screws with my stakes, for use on the platforms. I used those as often as the stakes.

[williamgymnst]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. I am flying in for the trip, which does complicate things. I've spoken with the airline, and there it is possible to change my flight, for a fee of course. So, I will keep the trip as a go for now, watch the weather religiously leading up to the trip, and call it off it the weather has been dangerous and is forecasted to remain so. If I make the flight up, I will still watch the weather up until I step off and find something else to hike if the weather takes a quick turn.
Day hikes sound like a good idea. Does anyone else have any other suggestions about 1-2 day hikes in the area?

[Slo-go'en]

Consider renting a car. The only way to get here is by the bus which leaves Logan airport at 3:40 PM and arrives in Gorham as late a 9:30 PM, depending on rush hour traffic leaving Boston. Friday is the worst, Sat and Sunday are the only times the bus is close to schedule. If flying to Manchester, NH renting a car is the only option. For some reason there is no bus service to the Manchester airport.

Once you get to Gorham, you'll need a place to stay. You'd have to check with the Rattle river hostel (formally the White Mt Hostel) to see if they would come pick you up that late at night. Otherwise you'll have to spend top dollar to stay in town at one of the motels. On the weekends most of the motels are full up with ATVers.

If you rent a car, you can avoid these hassles. In that case, flying into Manchester is the best option, since you don't have to deal with driving through Boston traffic and Manchester is only a couple hour drive from most places in the Whites. Then having a car gives you the flexibility to get to places which otherwise would be difficult or impossible to get to. The only problem is this is turning into an expensive couple of days to hike here.

[williamgymnst]

Consider renting a car. The only way to get here is by the bus which leaves Logan airport at 3:40 PM and arrives in Gorham as late a 9:30 PM, depending on rush hour traffic leaving Boston. Friday is the worst, Sat and Sunday are the only times the bus is close to schedule. If flying to Manchester, NH renting a car is the only option. For some reason there is no bus service to the Manchester airport.

Once you get to Gorham, you'll need a place to stay. You'd have to check with the Rattle river hostel (formally the White Mt Hostel) to see if they would come pick you up that late at night. Otherwise you'll have to spend top dollar to stay in town at one of the motels. On the weekends most of the motels are full up with ATVers.

If you rent a car, you can avoid these hassles. In that case, flying into Manchester is the best option, since you don't have to deal with driving through Boston traffic and Manchester is only a couple hour drive from most places in the Whites. Then having a car gives you the flexibility to get to places which otherwise would be difficult or impossible to get to. The only problem is this is turning into an expensive couple of days to hike here.

I am flying into Portland, seeing some friends that are there and then continuing onto Gorham in the early hours on Saturday. I was able to use points for my flight, freeing up some cash to rent a car out of convenience. My plan, as of now is to camp at Valley Way on Saturday night, and hopefully go to all the way to Nauman on Saturday, weather permitting of course.
You do raise a great point. Should the weather not permit a traditional traverse, the car rental would give me great flexibility to go do multiple day hikes or go find another spot with better weather to do a multi-day trip.

[egilbe]

Your thinking of Crag Camp, which sits on the edge of King Ravine. A rather stunning view from the front porch towards Madison and the King

SAM_3203.JPG

you're correct. I was thinking of Crag camp.

Valley way to Nauman is doable, if you are in good condition. Chris Dailey did it in under 6 hours, but he's the exception. Backpacking, plan on about 10 to 12 hours. The trail becomes decidedly better after Lakes. Before lakes, its several miles of rock-hopping.

[Slo-go'en]

How are you getting from Portland to Gorham? It's about a 3 hour drive if you have someone drive you direct, otherwise you have to go to Boston first.

The hike up to the Valley Way tent site will take about 3 hours (assuming the direct route via the Valley Way trail). The hike from the Valley Way to Nauman will take 8 to 10 hours assuming ideal conditions and how often and how long you need to stop and rest. Some of that depends on if you take the summit by-passes or not. It's *only* 12.6 miles, but these are fairly rough miles and it's a rare day your not walking into a stiff wind up there. Wind chill can be significant.

For October 1st, sunrise is 6:43 AM and sunset is 6:24PM. By October 7th you've already lost 18 minutes of daylight. The decent to Mizpah Hut is on the east side of the ridge, so it will be getting dark on the trail an hour or two earlier. Cloud cover to the west can make a big difference in how fast it gets dark. Good Luck!