The Whites

[lazarus]

Been checking out hammock sites for a July southbound walk thru the Whites from Pinkham Notch... I'm hoping to confirm that I can hammock at the Osgood Tentsite and/or the Valley Way Trail (which is better?), then the Nauman Tentsite, then the Ethan Pond campsite, then the Garfield Ridge campsite, then out at Franconia notch -- and then no more regulation/treeline worries! If I stay at or near these sites, do I need to make any reservations? At these sites, will it really matter if I overlap a weekend?

[GrizzlyAdams]

I've done a piece of that stretch, hammocking.

I avoided the "regular" sites such as you mention. Get 100 feet off the trail and hang wherever you like. One caveat, a quarter mile on either side of a regular site you'll find a sign that says you can't camp period within that boundary.

You can fill up on water just stopping by the campsites, if needed. Turned out I could get water I needed on the trail itself. Turned out to take more searching for hangable trees than I had anticipated, but we always found places to hang within ten or fifteen minutes of deciding to look.

One night we were just outside the 0.25 mile perimeter around Ethan Pond site, and could hear a crowd of 14 year olds whooping it up well into the night. I was glad then for the space buffer!

Grizz

[MAD777]

Lazarus,

I hike the Whites a few times each year and that is one of the primary reasons that I'm switching to hammocks (that and old bones). It's hard to find a clear, level space to put a tent in the Whites and I abhore staying in the designated camping areas, even in winter. For suitable trees, you will have to hike down from the ridge of the Presidentials.

[psyculman]

http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/index.html


You can check the Randolph Mountian Club Site for their several cabins up thru that Valley Way area, and that side of the range. Some do have a fee. You will need to carry cash for them, and, they are rarely full. Many other shelters and huts are along that route also, and are listed on any map.
No reservations are taken. Also, check the AMC site for up there.

That area has a lot of bugs, which cause me 'digestive irregularities', the worst being in July, be warned! It is ALWAYS very cool at night. The upper elevations can be below freezing at any time all summer, there are warning signs posted, and they are right. All steep and rocky. Be vigilent there, inexperienced hikers get into trouble all the time. Trail signs and cairns everywhere. Some sections are restricted for camps, again marked on maps, not a problem, it's why I got a hammock, vast other stretches to stop for the night, and, some unforgettable veiws.

Did I mention that it is always cool at night?

[smartcarpie]

I did a week long loop two years ago in late August, stayed at Garfield Ridge, Nauman site, Liberty Ridge, just outside Ethan Pond too. Hammocked right on tent platforms when in sites with them. Nauman and Lib. Rid. caretakers both thought my hammock was great and had a lot of questions about it, especially after weathering out two big downpours high and dry in the afternoon. The only issue I ran into was that staying at a site with platforms really limits your tree options...my answer was to walk early and relatively fast, doing anywhere from 16 to 19 miles and finding a camp by about 2 PM if I thought there would be any issue with finding a site. I was first into both caretaker sites for the day, and only found one or two suitable hanging scenarios, and both sites filled to capacity as the day went on. Enjoy your trip.

christian

[Tin Man]

I am doing a half Pemi loop hike with the Scouts this month and plan to stay at the campsites - hard to stealth with 7 boys and 3 scouts. This will be my first hanging experience and I was wondering if the AMC caretakers are going to give me grief over tieing up to their precious trees.

[GrizzlyAdams]

I am doing a half Pemi loop hike with the Scouts this month and plan to stay at the campsites - hard to stealth with 7 boys and 3 scouts. This will be my first hanging experience and I was wondering if the AMC caretakers are going to give me grief over tieing up to their precious trees.

Just to be sure you know....you can camp legally most places under some restrictions, the most current set of rules I can find are these. Thumbnail sketch : not within 1/4 mile of established sites (there are postings), or 200 feet of a trail or water.

When I hung in the Whites I did it specifically to miss the AMC sites, so I can't comment on their take on hanging at or near the sites.

Grizz

[Tin Man]

Just to be sure you know....you can camp legally most places under some restrictions, the most current set of rules I can find are these. Thumbnail sketch : not within 1/4 mile of established sites (there are postings), or 200 feet of a trail or water.

When I hung in the Whites I did it specifically to miss the AMC sites, so I can't comment on their take on hanging at or near the sites.

Grizz

Yeah, I have done some stealth and some of the campsites, but with the scout group, I thought we should stick to the AMC sites. Just curious if they might have an issue with me hanging between two trees.

[bear bag hanger]

I was able to hang my hammock at Liberty Spring tentsite, Mt Guyot campsite, and the Osgood tentsite. I hung at the Liberty Spring tentsite this year, back in June, the other two sites I did during my thru hike in 2004. My experience has been the caretakers like us because we don't usually take up their platforms. I think all the tentsites will accept hammocks.