NH > Whites

[hutzelbein]

I hope you're enjoying the Adirondacks part of your trip. What areas of the ADKS have you been hiking?

I do! I'm just back from the French Louie Loop (West Canadas area). I managed to get my boots, socks and feet soaked and itchy during a half day of rain and am still waiting for them to recover to tackle the next hike.

[ne_hanger]

There are a number of other ways into the Pemi. Again, I suggest purchasing the trail map of the region to get a better idea of the trail system, terrain, and camping options available.

Even with the trail closed it is still possible to enter from Lincoln Woods but you may need to bushwhack or do a river crossing. I've crossed the river in the Sept/Oct time period and had no issues. In high water it would not be recommended. The attached link is to an ongoing conversation on a local hiking board that has more details on the closer, and discuss, among other things, possible ways to by-pass the work zone.

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthrea...ln-Woods-trail

[hutzelbein]

There are a number of other ways into the Pemi. Again, I suggest purchasing the trail map of the region to get a better idea of the trail system, terrain, and camping options available.[/URL]

Is this a National Geographics map, too?

[sunshower]

http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/1934028010
we use the AMC one every time we go... we just tried crossing the river at the east side trail just past the campsite and it was too sketchy.. i hear going down the trail a mile or two longer gives a safer crossing.

[hutzelbein]

Thanks for the link.

I will not be crossing any (larger) streams. I'm hiking solo and I'm too inexperienced to try something like this. If there is no safe trail into that area, I guess I'm going to have to find other places to hike in the Whites

[1960HikerDude]

The trail closure is on the Lincoln Woods trail between the Suspension Bridge at the Lincoln Woods parking area it's junction with the Osseo Trail. There are many other points of entry to the Pemi Loop.

For example, you could hike the loop starting and ending at on the Liberty Springs Trail. You could also hike in from the parking lot at the end of Zealand Road.

A little research will reveal many options. Don't let the trail closure stop you.

[hutzelbein]

Thanks for the heads-up. I managed to get hold of a map today. Looks like there are lots of options. I read, though, that the Pemi loop is pretty hard. Lots of climbing and descending. Not sure if I'm able to do that. I just hiked 4 days in the Adirondack High Peaks area and was overtaxed - at least when having to carry the full pack.

With all the different trails in the Pemi area: which ones are less difficult but still rewarding? In hilly area and with a full pack I'm comfortable hiking between 6 and 11 miles a day. I love to be at the camp early (~3pm) and take my time cooking and relaxing. The nicer the location, the more time I like to spend time at the camp. In the High Peaks area I was able to hike around 5 miles with the full pack, but it was exhausting and I'd prefer not to repeat that. Should I still hike the Pemi Loop?

[McRat]

The 'Pemi loop' has a lot of time above tree. Without a good weather window, it can be quite dangerous in places. With a full newbie 47lb pack, I did it in four days, three nights. Was the hardest backpack I've done. Rewarding backpack, but exhausting for a occasional hiker. My legs ached for days after.

In general, trailbuilders in New Hampshire had a fascination with ridges. The trails seek out ridges (without the gently graded switchbacks that you see elsewhere) and then proceed to go over every bump possible. Not sure your exact hike plan in the Adirondack High Peaks, but expect similar outlays of effort.

I find the Garfield Ridge Trail, end to end, a fairly miserable set of ups and downs with little to recommend it*. The east side has the exposed and gorgeous Franconia Ridge, a Classic NH dayhike. The downside is that it is popular enough to draw crowds, and you are close enough to the highway to hear the traffic.

If you like solitude, there are flat fairly isolated spots outside the Pemi loop, but inside the Pemi wilderness where you can enjoy solitude and gentle terrain.

Are you looking to basecamp and dayhike, or backpack? If so - how many days? Are you looking for solitude or to meet the locals or other hikers?

With a bit more information I can probably make some suggestions with much of the joy of a Pemi loop, but without the full suffering.

[hutzelbein]

My pack weight is not that high, but with around 33 lbs (including the bear canister) too much for me to haul up and down the mountains. Especially along trails that seem to be the standard in the US. German "trails" (compared to trails here I'd call them highways...) would be another thing

So basically, if there are mountains to climb, I would prefer to have a base camp. I'm also not into mountaineering. I was a bit scared when I had to scale some of the huge, almost vertical rocks in the Adirondacks. If I have a choice, I prefer better trails which allow for stretching my legs. But I'll do the scrambling, too. I just won't be able to hike as many miles.

Solitude is fine with me, but I also enjoy meeting other hikers. What I found in the Adirondacks is, that the less popular areas seem to attract friendlier hikers. Traffic in the High Peaks was such, that many hikers didn't even bother to greet when meeting on the trail. I find that a bit sad.

In conclusion, I definitely would like to camp in the wilderness (this is something that is not as easy to do in Europe!), but if the camp is nice, I don't mind spending several nights in one place and exploring the area from there. An easy loop hike with the pack would be fine with me as well. It just means that I either can't do many ups and downs, or that I won't do a lot of mileage.

If you can recommend some places and hikes that would fit, please do! I will be out hiking in the next 4 days, but have to make a decision with regards to the hikes in the Whites afterwards. Any advice is much appreciated! Up to now, the recommendations I got in the forum were great

[sunshower]

I just read on VFTT that they are reopening Lincoln Woods this entire weekend if that helps. You can do it with 35 pounds... I'm 130 pounds and carried that weight for 4 days on the Pemi Loop. Your legs will hurt but it's worth it. You don't necessarily need a bear cannister, just rope your food up in a tree. We are doing the Sandwich notch this weekend to bag two more 4000 footers. I'll report back when we get back.