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  1. #1
    Senior Member Yosef's Avatar
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    NH>Help with Trip Planning for a hike in the White Mountains

    I am a hanger from Charlotte, NC and I am heading to New England this June for some hiking and am in need of some help from my yankee brethren.

    Planning to be on the trail from Thursday morning June 12th through Sunday June 15th and driving back to Boston to fly home sometime Monday. I would like to hike the presidentials in that 4 days and have never been on the trail that far north. It will be 3 of us hiking together and we are all experienced backpackers in our early 30's.

    Can I hammock at all on this section? If not are tent spaces easy to come by?

    Can you camp around the huts? I saw the prices average $120 to stay in them and that is out of my league for this trip.

    Is all the hiking on the ridge lines? Are the campsites off of the ridge line?

    What are water sources like on the trail here?

    We have a ride from Boston to the trail head, do you recommend any shuttle services in the area so we can hike point to point?

    Anything else you think we need to know?

    Any places that you recommend stopping on our drive from Boston to the trail head or on the way back?

    As always thank you so much for your help! This site is such an incredible resource filled with great people.
    "The mountains are calling and I must go."
    John Muir

    “I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
    John Muir

  2. #2
    Senior Member jofish's Avatar
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    You shouldn't have a problem with finding places to hang your hammock - most of your hiking will be below tree line. Hammocking around the huts is probably not a good idea though - there is no camping in alpine zones and the trees will thank you. See this brochure for some more info about camping & fire restrictions in the Whites: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5363715.pdf

    Water sources can vary, but are generally frequent (especially when compared to out west!). We've had a fair bit of snow this year and a somewhat soggy spring, so water levels probably won't be an issue.

    No idea about shuttles.

    What else do you need to know? Don't underestimate the White mountains. They're steeper than most other parts of the AT and the weather can change quick. Be prepared for unpredictable weather, even possibly snow. Then again, it might be in the 70s... and then the 20s at night. You never know. Just follow the good ol' Boy Scout motto; be prepared.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Yosef's Avatar
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    That is a huge relief. All the pictures and everything I've read said that most of the hiking was above the tree line and so I figured I was going to have to leave the hammock and a good nights sleep at home.
    "The mountains are calling and I must go."
    John Muir

    “I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
    John Muir

  4. #4
    Senior Member SemperFiGuy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yosef View Post
    That is a huge relief. All the pictures and everything I've read said that most of the hiking was above the tree line and so I figured I was going to have to leave the hammock and a good nights sleep at home.
    Yosef,

    I have a recommendation. Follow the link below and watch the video. It is a very good depiction of the landscape that you can expect to encounter. I hike the Whites regularly and you'll be right at home in a hammock. The link will lead you to many more videos of the Whites and Presidential Range.

    The individual who's video I am linking you to is a YouTube contributor by the trail name of Sintax77. You can search for his user name there, or just follow this link. Once you see the video, you should think about PM'ing Sintax77 and asking him some specific questions. I can't think of a nicer kid who is very knowledgeable of hiking the Whites in all types of weather.

    I think you'll be pleased with the result. Be sure to post a trip report after you return. We'd love to hear/see how the trip was. Remember, if you didn't take pics or video, it didn't happen.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=947GEuHZbj4

    All the best and have a wonderful trip !
    Gil
    Just Hanging Out !

  5. #5
    Senior Member perrito's Avatar
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    +1 on Sintax77. Awesome hikes and great videos.
    perrito

    "If a man speaks in the woods, and there is no woman there to hear, is he still wrong?"

  6. #6
    Senior Member Demeter's Avatar
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    I am going to NH in august for my third hike of Mt. Washington. This year I am doing a hut-to-hut hike of the full Presi. I love my hammock, but I decided to stay in the huts because of logistics.

    Keep in mind there is NO camping above tree line, including around the huts. Once you are above tree line, which is about 16 or so miles of the Presi, you may have to descend more than a thousand feet or more to the tree line, so make sure you have good maps of all the trails. The weather can change in an instant, and it can go from 60*f and sunny to sub-freezing and socked in with fog in no time. We had steady 30mph winds and wind chills of 30-ish the last time I was there (Memorial Day weekend two years ago). We cancelled our trip last year due to -9* f and ice the last week of May!

    Don't want to scare you off; it's a bucket list trip, for sure! Just be prepared!

    The AMC has a shuttle. I think it's $19 pp. They have a schedule on their website.

    Water and hot lunches are available at huts and Mt Washington visitor's center.
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  7. #7
    Senior Member Yosef's Avatar
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    The info has all been great! I watched the video last night and found it very informative. I also got on the stair climber this morning at the gym after looking at all the elevation gained per day.

    Do you have a recommendation for a particular map? I looked at a few of the USGS maps on Amazon and will probably purchase one this week.

    How many days are you planning for the entire presidential traverse? I would love to do the Hut to Hut but the price per night is just way too much for me to handle.
    "The mountains are calling and I must go."
    John Muir

    “I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
    John Muir

  8. #8
    Senior Member Demeter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Yosef View Post
    The info has all been great! I watched the video last night and found it very informative. I also got on the stair climber this morning at the gym after looking at all the elevation gained per day.

    Do you have a recommendation for a particular map? I looked at a few of the USGS maps on Amazon and will probably purchase one this week.

    How many days are you planning for the entire presidential traverse? I would love to do the Hut to Hut but the price per night is just way too much for me to handle.
    I am leading a Meetup group (DC Backpackers). We are going for three days, so ~ 8miles per day and about 8000' elevation change (I am doing the Presi range, not the Traverse), although several hikers are doing the full Presi Traverse (50miles), over a week. We have 30 ppl signed up. Expensive for sure, but like I said, it's a bucket list trip for me! I plan on returning for my through hike in 2021..

    I have the National Geographic Map of the Whites, but there are several maps. I also have a Garmin, so use that frequently. There are cairns on the side of the trail, but it's still easy to get off track, since the blazes are hard to see in places. On a clear day, you can see the trail on the ridges ahead for miles.
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  9. #9
    Senior Member Yosef's Avatar
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    How bad are the bugs up there? Is bug spray enough or do I need a head net for hiking?
    "The mountains are calling and I must go."
    John Muir

    “I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
    John Muir

  10. #10
    Senior Member Demeter's Avatar
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    Not bad on the ridge cos of the wind. Don't know what others experienced, but gnats were bad for me once in the woods...
    Demeter's Video Channel

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    "What is a weed? A plant who's virtues have not yet been discovered" ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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