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  1. #41

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kerosene View Post
    I get to start my next New England section hike from Pinkham Notch, probably after sitting on a plane and shuttle all day. Should be interesting.
    I was looking forward to that section this year after a long car ride myself. Plans changed, so it will wait for next year.

    Read several stories about Kinsman's being difficult, but thought they were cake. Northbound over Moosilauke in May two years ago was icy going up and slippery wet with 2-3 feet of snow melt going down in a driving rain. Again, fun stuff. Interestingly enough, we ran into quite a few people day-hiking and overnighting in those conditions.

    On a week-long trip last year, the northbound climb out of Crawford Notch ran me a bit ragged for a few moments on one hot August day after just finishing Franconia to Crawford on the way to Pinkham. Again, just part of the fun.

    Remember folks, it's just walking. Take your time and it ain't all that bad.

  2. #42

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wags View Post
    from shelter to water and back at peter's mountain shelter
    Good call! That was quite the hassle just for water.

    Something that I did notice was that none of those climbs seemed as bad the second thru as it seemed the first time.

    Each year everyone seems to ponder whether to hike the approach trail at Springer or go USFS 42 because the climb on the approach trail is sooooo bad, but after N.H. and Maine, the approach trail ain't s**t!

    geek

  3. #43
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    The climb down into or up out of Carter Notch and the Beaver Brook section were just plain nasty, but for me, climbing down a ladder that had the first and last rungs missing on the north side of Baldpate in a driving rain has to rank as the most difficult for me. South side of Moody and north side of Hall are a close second. Don't remember S. Kinsman being all the bad, thought it was kinda fun-first time I got to use my hands since Albert in NC.
    Sweetwater gap in the Stecoahs was the only time I ever puked though.

  4. #44
    1,630 miles and counting earlyriser26's Avatar
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    My "favorites"
    Kathdin, Mahoosuc Arm (made the notch look easy), Albert mt., Pinkham, and Pond mt. (maybe because it was such a PUD). I actually thought Stecoah was not bad at all.
    There are so many miles and so many mountains between here and there that it is hardly worth thinking about

  5. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Toro '94 View Post
    The climb down into or up out of Carter Notch and the Beaver Brook section were just plain nasty, but for me, climbing down a ladder that had the first and last rungs missing on the north side of Baldpate in a driving rain has to rank as the most difficult for me. South side of Moody and north side of Hall are a close second. Don't remember S. Kinsman being all the bad, thought it was kinda fun-first time I got to use my hands since Albert in NC.
    Sweetwater gap in the Stecoahs was the only time I ever puked though.
    clmb out of carter notch was definitly a workout but well worth it once up on the ridge until the decent off wildcat...

  6. #46
    Registered User sloetoe's Avatar
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    I think it's plain that the time of day matters here a lot. My kids and I camped at the NOBO "exit" of Mahoosuc Notch and fairly strolled up it -- me complaining on how they'd once again "smoothed" the trail compared to my long-ago throughhike. Moody Mtn we did laugh about -- it kicked our butts, mostly with surprise. Katahdin we fairly *ran* up -- fresh from the car. (We were flooded out and unable to climb the prior year.)

    But for "steepest"?

    NOBO: South Kinsman -- Geek nailed this.
    SOBO: Beaver Brook -- ice or no, this will take it out of you if you're not (mentally) prepared.


    But for what makes it "tough"? I think the expectation that you can get to the top of a mountain without much work (or *minimal* work), and then being disappointed, is what turns something from "steep" to "tough". At the beginning of the day, we all are somewhat humbled (and fresh legged). Towards lunchie time, we start thinking that we've earned something. Dang mountain don't care.

  7. #47
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    OFF TOPIC:
    BTW, Geek did a fanTAStic job at the Gathering Sunday night. He rolled along like a stand-up comedian, throwing out little facts and (hiker) one-liners like a pro. The audience (us) were entirely up on the subject matter, of course, and the laughter (which I got a big kick out of) was quick and loud -- made me feel like I was at a hiker presentation actually attended by knowledgeable hikers (something I don't get much of in Indianapolis....) Good times, y'all.

  8. #48
    Registered User sixhusbands's Avatar
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    South Twin from Galehead hut up is vote for the most intense half mile climb. We just finished the Pemi Loop in one day and that short climb was by far the toughest!

  9. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by sixhusbands View Post
    South Twin from Galehead hut up is vote for the most intense half mile climb. We just finished the Pemi Loop in one day and that short climb was by far the toughest!
    i need to ask. was it the large loop or the half loop using the trail that goes by 13 falls? if the whole loop thats impressive....great hike no mater what way you do that area....the whole loop up the bond cliffs over garfield to franconia ridge , up over flume and down the osseo trail will kick your butt....almost 30 miles

  10. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by sixhusbands View Post
    South Twin from Galehead hut up is vote for the most intense half mile climb. We just finished the Pemi Loop in one day and that short climb was by far the toughest!
    I didn't have a problem with this one. maybe because it was not endless like the others.
    I wasn't able to see the mts before starting out of crawford notch. I arrived in the dark, and started in overcast conditions. It was an amazing sight once the clouds cleared and I am almost thankful that I didn't see what I had to climb prior to starting. I got to see it this summer when I connected the dots.

  11. #51
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    Default Stecoah has been made easier

    Back in the day, those switchbacks on the top part of the climb out of the gap weren't there. At the point the switchbacks start, in 1994 the old trail could still be made out continuing straight up.

  12. #52
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    According to the info in the data book/companion, the NOBO climb out of Carter notch has an elevation change of 1350 feet in .7 miles. That's the steepest part of the AT I could find. South side of Moody was second with an elevation change of 1335 ft. in .9 miles. In case anyone is really interested.

  13. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by El Toro '94 View Post
    According to the info in the data book/companion, the NOBO climb out of Carter notch has an elevation change of 1350 feet in .7 miles. That's the steepest part of the AT I could find. South side of Moody was second with an elevation change of 1335 ft. in .9 miles. In case anyone is really interested.
    That's interesting. I remember Moody as being an unexpected, unrewarding, irritating climb. I figured it was just because I was tired and cranky.
    If not NOW, then WHEN?

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  14. #54
    Registered User sixhusbands's Avatar
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    My friend and I left the parking lot at Lincoln Woods at 2:30 AM in 22 degree weather carrying a day pack with food, 3 liter water bag, emergency blanket, extra wind clothes for the high peaks and extra batteries.
    We hiked the 31.5 mile route clock wise and reached Galehead hut at 11:15 AM. Then the climb up South Twin was the last major up and then on to the Bonds then the long walk down and the 5 mile finsh on the Wilderness trail to the car. We reached the parking lot at 7:45 PM dead tired, having avereged 2 mile an hour over 8 high peaks (over 4000 foot).

    For the crazies out there, the record hike time is 7 hours 5 minutes!

  15. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by El Toro '94 View Post
    According to the info in the data book/companion, the NOBO climb out of Carter notch has an elevation change of 1350 feet in .7 miles. That's the steepest part of the AT I could find. South side of Moody was second with an elevation change of 1335 ft. in .9 miles. In case anyone is really interested.
    Wow, I don't remember much about the steepness of the hike out of Carter Notch - it was 21 years ago and the early Fall snowfall probably kept my mind off the strenuousness of the ascent. I had stayed at Carter Hut the night before when the snow began. Atop Carter Dome, it was snowing like crazy - all the evergreens were covered. Not having winter gear and concerned about a 2 foot accumulation, I bailed out at one of the side trails further along the ridge.

  16. #56
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    Six Husbands..what is the vert gain on this loop?

    Sounds like insane fun.

    (I did something similar a few years back, the "Ringing the Bells" loop here in CO as a dayhike. It was a mixed ability level group of people I was shepherding alas. It is also why I screen my more aggressive hikes much more vigorously now..but that is another story! )

    Is the loop this one here?
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  17. #57
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    About a half dozen places in Maine. Going south they seem to mellow.

  18. #58
    Registered User sixhusbands's Avatar
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    The vertical gain is about 9000 ft. There are different schools of thought on which way to go. We chose clockwise because the tougher climbs up Flume,Liberty,Lincoln,Lafayette and Garfield are all in the first half. But the last five miles on the Wilderness trail was in the dark and you were tripping over the railroad ties with dead leggs.
    The other way you can run the first five miles and have a short 2 mile walk out on the Wilderness trail at the end. This way would give you several bailout options if you hit bad weather or if you were running late.
    Either route you choose is going to be a long days work. Backpacker Magazine rated the Pemi Loop as the #2 hardest one day hike ... I would hate to see # 1 !
    You can find the Pemi Loop info on line. Make sure you keep an eye on the weather to do that one day loop in bad weather would really be insane!

  19. #59
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sixhusbands View Post
    You can find the Pemi Loop info on line. Make sure you keep an eye on the weather to do that one day loop in bad weather would really be insane!

    I did the Pemi Loop as a backpack many moons ago. The Bond Cliffs are definitely up there in terms of scenic sights in the Whites. I looked at the map and thought "this looks cool". This was pre-long distance hiking. Part of the reason why I tend to have a corridor approach to long distance hiking is that I (and my hiking buddies) were making up routes long before I knew of designated routes to hike.

    As for the toughest loop.. the "Ringing the Bells" may be up there: 30 miles/10k vertical. 4 alpines passes and at elevation for the whole day....

    But, that is on-trail. See above about looking at a map and making your own routes.

    And, of course, there are other things I would not want to attempt..I'll leave those to others.
    Last edited by Mags; 10-15-2009 at 15:10.
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  20. #60

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    absolute hardest: climbing into my truck to go home after a glorious week of hiking

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