New Hampshire backpacking info needed!

[DrPhun]

It can be black fly season in June so bring headnets just in case

[howlinmadman]

Baldface Circle Trail, I hiked it last March pretty challenging then, but I was really impressed with the views. There is alot of possibilities to extend the hike from there and I believe that you may find it slightly less crowded then some other places in the whites. The mountains I believe are 3 to 4k range but like someone else said you start at pretty low elevation. I really enjoyed my over nite hike there.
http://sectionhiker.com/great-hikes-...l-evans-notch/

Baldface looks pretty cool! I think I'm gonna need more vacation time!

[howlinmadman]

June is a tough month. Early June may see lows dip into the high 20s (rare but happens). Late june that's much less likely. I typically use my 0° UQ and 20° TQ until about June 15th or so. Then I switch to my 20° UQ. I don't use the 40° set in the Whites until August, and even then I usually use my 20° UQ unless the forecast is certain to be warm. I am aslo a VERY warm sleeper. The kind of person who uses a light summer blanket at home and keeps the bedroom at 65° with no pajamas. The kind of New Englander who wears a t-shirt when it's 50° outside. A lot depends on where you are too - there is a difference north of the notches where lows in the 40s are common all summer when high pressure blows through. The average low changes about 10° between 6/1 and 6/30. You can use Conway climate data as a proxy, but assume you'll be at least 10° lower up in the woods.

I help run an event in September every year that brings hundreds of people of all abilities hiking all 48 4000' peaks. To help you plan your daily distances, our general guidance is that most people make about 1 - 1.5 mph uphill and 2-3 mph going downhill. Most people are generally about 10% faster than the times in the White Mountain Guide.

Also - the cost for an online subscription to White Mountain Guide maps to make route planning much easier is only $15 a year or thereabout and there is a free 5-day trial. Totally worth it in my opinion.

Here's some pics of the loop I described earlier. The pic with the snow was taken at a campsite near the junction of the Shoal Pond Trail and the Ethan Pond Trail just inside the Pemigewasset Wilderness Boundary. In late May. Lows predicted to be in the 40s. They were in the 20s and it snowed. I'll say that again - it snowed in late May which is almost June . My 20° UQ was not up to the task given the exposure to the wind. The next night I was able to nestle into some pine trees and was much warmer. The scenic shot is Thoreau Falls, but the picture does it no justice. It's amazing and we only passed 6 people in 3 days when we did this hike.

Looks like I may need to get another 20 degree underquilt at least. I like the looks of the route you took and may try to work part of that in while also catching the Franconia Ridge, my son really wants to do that section. I may get back to you once I think I have a route and see what you think!

[howlinmadman]

OK so here is what I'm thinking for the trip.
Day 1- start at the bridle path trailhead and take the Falling Waters trail up to Franconia Ridge trail make a right, follow this onto the Osseo trail and take that down to Lincoln Woods trail make a left and follow to the Franconia Brook Bridge and camp somewhere in that vicinity. This should be around 11.1 miles give or take.
Day 2- head up Bondcliff trail to Twinway trail make a left take Twinway to the Galehead Hut and camp somewhere near there. This should be around 10.6 miles give or take.
Day 3- head out Garfield Ridge trail to Franconia Ridge trail follow this back to Falling Waters trail and back to the parking lot. This should be about 10 miles.
I know this may not have the seclusion I was originally hoping for, although what do I know, but from some of the videos I watched this looks like an awesome area and my son thinks the Franconia Ridge section is cool so that's important to me!
So my questions to those of you who know- do my camp spots seem OK for hanging(will I find suitable trees and clear enough areas) especially my second night since I will be up top a bit, and do my mileages seem doable for a decently in shape 45 year old and his 16 year old son who is in good shape? These mileages would be no problem at all around home here in PA, but I know we will be going up and down alot more. This isn't set in stone yet so I'm still open to suggestions. Thanks for the help, that's what I love about this forum!
P.S. I was thinking of starting this on a Sunday and ending on Tuesday so we may not encounter as many people along the Franconia Ridge trail on a Tuesday!!??

[brambor]

I think the mileage for day 2 is underestimated. If you chose to stay at guyot shelter then I'd say the plan is more realistic but you chose the most remote spot in the Whites...

I'll give others the podium to reflect on day 3 and of course 1 & 2

[Grumpy Squatch]

This is a very ambitious route. I plotted it for you. Here's what the White Mountain Guide has to say for totals:

Totals
Distance 35.35 mi
Time 24 hr 10 min
Elev Gain +13060 ft
Elev Loss -13105 ft
Elev Change -45 ft

You will gain essentially all of that 13,000 feet in the first couple of days continually gaining and then giving it back. In fact the Falling Water Trail is no picnic - you'll know by the top of that if you'll survive the rest. I curse that trail. All I can say is this: I'm 46. I'm carrying about 40 lbs more than I should. I wound't try this as my first Whites Hike. I wouldn't even do it now at all, but I've already bagged all those peaks when I was younger and stronger. If you want to fly the route in Google Earth, PM me w/ and e-mail address and I can send you the file. I might have tackled this when I was 25 and could run great distances. But not now.

Your camping point for Day 1 might be a problem. There's a Restricted Use Area around the East Branch of the Pemigewasset River (see https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE...rdb5228790.pdf) and the 1/4 mile buffer makes find a spot anwhere in that vicinity a problem. Also if you've heard about the bridge and intend to use it as an escape route, know that it's no longer there :-). It was damaged heavily by Hurricane Irene and removed. The warning from the White Mountain Guide is this:

The Pemigewasset Wilderness Bridge removal and trail project has been completed. Hikers are advised that advance route planning is essential. If you are starting your hike at Lincoln Woods, be sure to start on the correct side of the East Branch of the Pemi River, using either the Lincoln Woods Trail or the Pemi East Side Trail, depending on your destination. Hikers planning to access Franconia Brook Trail or Bondcliff Trail should start on the Lincoln Woods Trail (west side of the river) and hikers planning to use Thoreau Falls Trail, Shoal Pond Trail, Desolation Trail, or points beyond should start on the Pemi East Side Trail. Do not rely on crossing the river at the site of the former suspension bridge. (Note: this bridge removal does not affect the suspension bridge located at the Lincoln Woods Trailhead.)

Day 2 also presents a problem. You will not be camping anywhere really close the Galehead Hut. First there is the 1/4 mile restriction, but more importantly, there is no camping in or above the krummholz, defined by the WMNF as where trees are shorter than 8 feet. The 1/4 mile exclusion takes up most of the level ground so you'll have to be prepared to be on a pitch somewhere which is one of the benefits of a hammock. You'd have to drop down the Twin Brook Trail or the Zeacliff Trail to be able to camp easily. You can find spots along the Twinway that are hammockable but you have to keep your eye out and kind of stretch the definition of legal. You should be 200 feet off the Twinway. But 200 feet off the Twinway will usually put you on a 45° slope. So many people cheat in this area. Depends on what kind of a lesson you want to impart to your kid. I've had better luck between Guyot and Zealand than on the South Twin side. Trees on the Twinway and in legal areas around Galehead are pretty tight, so finding two good hammocking trees with a good 14' - 15' spread might take some serious looking. I did all these when I was a tent camper and I could always find a 3'x8' place to put my small tent.

Remember that weather can interrupt your plans. It snows in June on the peaks all the time. And there's plenty of fog and wind. Be smart and be ready to bail if the weather doesn't cooperate.

And if you really plan on being at altitude camping that second night, I would not rely on 20° gear and I would bring my 0° UQ and my UQP or a sock. A tarp with doors is great, but trees can be tight in these areas so tying out a big tarp with doors might be tough.

Good luck.