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)
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