Hiking In The Heat

[gonesolong]

If you end your hike in Gorham NH or at the AMC lodge at Pinkham Notch, there is daily bus service to Logan airport or Manchaester airport. This cuts you just short of the most spectacular section of the whites but, you can easily do the section from Pinkham to Lakes of the CLouds ht and then cut back over to Teckermans Ravein and back to Pinkham via a blue blaze. Alternatively you can end at Crawford Notch and do a short hitch down to Bartlett and catch the bus there.

It is highly likely that you will need a shuttle to get to the trail in Maine as there is no bus service that crosses the AT. A real nice spot to start would be Caratunk at the Kennebec river as the next two days are relatively (for Maine flat) with several ponds to go swimming, before you hit the Bigelows which are a very steep uphill. You can resupply in Stratton, then Rangely, then Andover, then Gorham. Plan on 12 to 14 miles per day. If you are running late you can end in Gorham via the Mahoosuc trail or keep going to Pinkham. I havent checked the mileages and dont know your hiking ability so please check profiles and mileage. Shaws in Monson would be a start for looking for a shuttle.

Great info, I'm looking at it now, thanks so very much!

[gonesolong]

Great info, I'm looking at it now, thanks so very much!

pb, I'm not sure if you are recommending sobo or nobo or doubling back and therefore a combo of both. If you can, give me your best simple recommendation considering say a 75 to 125 mile hike, no options, just your personal recos. I am fit but a bit of a newby to hiking being from flat land USA but not worried about that aspect at all! Thank you, gonesolong

[gonesolong]

As I get a little closer to my 10 day section hike from Crawford Knotch to....well to as far as I can go in ten days, I'm getting into the details. May I ask you a question about water on this section? Looking at it from google earth (I'm working in Saudi now) there does not appear to be any supply towns near the area so for food and water I'm planning on carrying a good supply. is that right? But the real concern is about water sources on this section. can you advise?

Thanks Roger


Many beautiful trails like the AT in the Whites & Maine and the high-elevation western trails have very narrow windows for hiking but the OP's time - August - fits into that window. For that reason, it would be a waste IMO to hike trails like the AT in the south or the BMT in August when these trails aren't at their best. So save them for Spring, early summer, fall....and go hike Northern New England or the JMT or parts of the CDT or Wonderland Trail, adjusting your mileage expectations accordingly.[/QUOTE]

[Snowleopard]

If you're going to travel that far and you're young or in reasonable condition, I'd recommend NH or Maine over Vermont. Vermont is nice, the White Mts are spectacular. The only disadvantage to doing the Whites in August is that there will be lots of people, especially on weekends. Maine would probably have fewer people. If you aren't set on doing the AT, you could consider doing the Long Trail (goes the length of VT, fewer people, gets more isolated and rugged as you go south to north, first part shares trail with the AT), or the Cohos Trail in NH (White Mts to Canada,probably only if you are experienced).

[Snowleopard]

Somehow, I missed the last couple of posts.
Water: it's been a pretty wet summer in New England so far. It would be unusual to have to carry more than 1 or 2 liters of water at a time even it dries out by then. Sometimes I like to camp away from water, so I'll carry more water from the last available water for a mile or two to a dry camp. Most shelters are near water.

[Slo-go'en]

I hope you have made reservations to stay at the AMC huts between Crawford Notch and Gorham. Doing so would make that first section of trail a lot easier, as you would not need to carry nearly as much food nor try to find a legal place to camp (of which there are few options in that streach).

Also, most of that section of trail is above tree line, so water sources are also scarce. Therefore, start the day with adaquate water supply. North of Gorham and into Maine, water sources will become frequent.

[gonesolong]

No I have not made any reservations, thanks for the tip I do appreciate it and any others you may have for me!!

[Tinker]

Here's a tip: http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/...rshelters.html
Cheaper than AMC huts (bring your own food), and close to the ridgeline in the White Mountains. If you time your hiking correctly you can use one of these facilities rather than either Lakes of the Clouds or Madison Hut.

[gonesolong]

Thanks for the tip, gonesolong