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  1. #1
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
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    Post NH-ME>Mt Washington to Grafton Notch State Park, August 2013

    I am planning an Appalachian Trail hike from where I left off last August when hiking New Hampshire, the summit of Mt. Washington, and hiking for 11 days the 66 miles to Grafton Notch State Park in Maine. Currently four of us from Nashville are planning to go on this hike. Two of us will be hanging, two tenting.

    Any advice or suggestions will be appreciated. Also, if anyone can suggest shuttle possibilities either to get to the summit of Mt. Washington or to get our vehicle to Grafton Notch State Park (or back to wherever vehicle might be). Finally, if anyone would like to join us for all or any part of the hike, let me know.

    Our schedule is somewhat tentative, so keep that in mind. I did learn last year that I need to plan short days. We are all looking forward to a fun challenge, not a death march.

    Itinerary & Notes:

    Leave Nashville on Monday, August 5 (or perhaps late Sunday?) and drive
    to Mt. Washington or nearby. Drive straight through or stop along way
    to see some site/sight? About a 24-hour drive. Start hike on Tuesday, August 6?

    Day 1 - hike 5.7 miles from summit of Mt. Washington to Madison Spring Hut
    Day 2 - hike 7.8 miles from Madison Spring Hut to NH Hwy 16 and AMC
    facilities in Pinkham Notch (stay night there with option of going into
    Gorham, NH)

    Day 3 - hike 6.2 miles from NH Hwy 16 and Pinkham Notch to Carter Notch Hut
    Day 4 - hike 6.9 miles from Carter Notch Hut to Imp Campsite
    Day 5 - hike 8.0 miles from Imp Campsite to US Hwy 2 and go to Gorham,
    NH to resupply and for the night

    Day 6 - hike 6.9 miles from US Hwy 2 to Trident Col Campsite
    Day 7 - hike 4.9 miles from Trident Col Campsite to Gentian Pond Shelter
    Day 8 - hike 5.2 miles from Gentian Pond Shelter to Carlo Col Shelter
    Day 9 - hike 4.4 miles from Carlo Col Shelter to Full Goose Shelter
    Day 10 - hike 5.1 miles from Full Goose Shelter to Speck Pond Shelter
    (Mahoosuc Notch!)
    Day 11 - hike 4.8 miles from Speck Pond Shelter to ME Hwy 26 and Grafton
    Notch State Park

    Total trail miles = 65.9, divided by 11 days = 6 miles per day average.

    Leave Maine and return to Nashville approximately Sunday, August 18, perhaps stopping along the way.

    Notes: I do think that Days 7, 8, and 9 are possibly good days to make or make-up extra mileage if needed/desired. Also, we'll need reservations at Madison Spring Hut and Carter Notch Hut ($$$). Also, we'll spend $$$ in Pinkham Notch and also in Gorham at some motel or hostel. There are only two road crossings (I noted them with a line break in the above list of days), but both are good for housing and re-supply. We may be in the thru-hiker bubble, as many finish in September. We need to be prepared to "slide" our start at least one day, in event of bad weather on top of Mt. Washington, which is notorious for bad weather. Last year I "slid" my reservations at both Huts that I had reservations for, with no problem.

    (cross-posted from WhiteBlaze.net)
    "You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims." --Harriet Woods

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  2. #2
    Senior Member 1960HikerDude's Avatar
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    It sounds like a solid plan to me. You probably already know this. But the first day's route from Mt. Washington to Madison Springs Hut is very exposed and prone to nasty weather. It is very possible you could get delayed on the Northern Presidential Range. If that happens and you can't slide your reservation at Madison Springs Hut, you could stay at the Valley Way Tentsite instead.

    We ran into that very problem the last time I attempted a 3-day Presidential Range traverse. We had do descend back down the Valley Way to the Appalachia trailhead, drive to the bottom of the Cog Railway, and climb the Amonoosuc Ravine trail up to Lakes of the Clouds Hut. The following day was beautiful, so we left our packs at Lakes of the Clouds, and climbed up to Washington. We returned to the hut, picked up our packs and tagged Monroe, Eisenhower and Pierce before descending to the Highland Center on the Crawford Path.

    In your case, you could probably double the mileage on the ed of your trip to complete the segment in time you've allotted.

    Have fun and please post some pix when you get back!!!!!!
    1960HikerDude.com

    “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” ― Jack Kerouac

  3. #3
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1960HikerDude View Post
    It sounds like a solid plan to me. You probably already know this. But the first day's route from Mt. Washington to Madison Springs Hut is very exposed and prone to nasty weather. It is very possible you could get delayed on the Northern Presidential Range.
    Yep. I had super nice weather on Washington last August. See pic below. That's Sipsey from Alabama on the left, Tooth Fairy from Kentucky in the middle, and me from Tennessee on the right. But if it's bad weather this year, we will slide our reservations and start a day or two late, depending on how bad the weather is.

    Quote Originally Posted by 1960HikerDude View Post
    In your case, you could probably double the mileage on the ed of your trip to complete the segment in time you've allotted.
    I have tried to build in some flexibility, without making it a death march. Last year it was turning into an unhappy death march for me, till I cut loose from two thru-hikers and my hiking partner (a past AT thru-hiker) who was determined to keep up with them. Once I "gave up" on that and began to "hike my own hike" with shorter days, my body thanked me and I simply had more time and fun. Ironic thing is, my partner hiked herself into the ground and had to stop the exact same place I did anyway.

    Quote Originally Posted by 1960HikerDude View Post
    Have fun and please post some pix when you get back!!!!!!
    Absolutely. I always post an album and will provide a link. Here's a link to last year's album, if you'd like to see it. The first 150 or so are mine, the rest are my partner's. 2012 hike of NH from Hanover to Mt. Washington.

    Rain Man

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  4. #4
    Senior Member 1960HikerDude's Avatar
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    Cool beans. Thanks for sharing the pix from last year. I just did the Pemigewasset Loop. Our loop paralleled your's from Liberty Springs tent site to South Twin Mountain.

    I am really interested in hearing about the segment from US2 to Grafton Notch. I haven't hiked that stretch yet.

    Have a great trip!
    1960HikerDude.com

    “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” ― Jack Kerouac

  5. #5
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
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    Talking

    Well, it's 5:00 a.m. Sunday morning and I hit the road in 30 minutes. You HFers don't post anything for the next two weeks, or else my new posts are gonna hit 20,000 or some such!

    I'll come back with a couples of photos, I suspect!

    Rain Man

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  6. #6
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
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    Thumbs up Photos from our first 5 days.

    Having a great time!

    Photos of first 5 days. From Mt. Washington to Gorham, NH. Here are some photos from all three of us.

    We are taking a zero day at the White Mountains Lodge & Hostel. A very nice place! I highly recommend it.

    Tomorrow, onward in the woods for six more days.

    Rain Man

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  7. #7
    Administrator attroll's Avatar
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    Thanks for sharing the photos. It brings back a lot of good memories.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Dos's Avatar
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    I didn't see your original post.
    White Mtn Hostel is AWESOME!!

    Also.....plan for 4-5 hours through the Mahoosic Notch.

    the Arm is just about as rough....
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~

    AT '12. AT '14. FT '15. CA '15.

  9. #9
    Senior Member 1960HikerDude's Avatar
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    Sweet! Can't wait to see the rest of the photos.
    1960HikerDude.com

    “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” ― Jack Kerouac

  10. #10
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
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    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by 1960HikerDude View Post
    Sweet! Can't wait to see the rest of the photos.
    The rest of the photos.

    I've posted the rest of my photos. My hike companions will be posting some more, I'm hoping. I'm trying to go through mine and add captions to all of them. Give me some time to get that all done.

    It was a GREAT trip with GREAT people all round. Can't wait to go back next August and continue deeper into Maine on the AT.

    Rain Man

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    "You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims." --Harriet Woods

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