Re: [at-l] Long Day in the Whites...

>From: Gary Ticknor <garyticknor@starpower.net>
>Date: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 19:18:40 -0500
>
>Why? I don't get it. Why so slow? True the elevation gain/mile can be 
>brutal (Franconia Notch), but the total gain per day looks
>merely bad. What's so bad about the Whites?

The trails in the Whites are old and were not built to current standards.  
They generally go straight up and down the mountains with few switchbacks to 
help.  As such, erosion is a big problem.  The trails tend to have all the 
dirt washed away and just be a jumble of rocks and roots.

There's also a lot of rock ledge to negotiate.  For example, the trail from 
Crawford Notch up to Mizpah is named the Webster CLIFF trail.  You really 
will end up using your hands to pull yourself up and let yourself down over 
rocks that just look big big to be part of a "hiking" trail.  And it's not 
just on that one section.  Much of the trail has sections like that.

Part of the time it takes to "hike" in the area is just looking at something 
and trying to figure out how you can get up or down it.  Those few extra 
seconds here and there don't seem like much but they really do add up - 
especially when you are used to just striding along.  There are few places 
in the Whites where you can just stride along.

>I need to know, I just can't see 1m/hour, but I know you guys and it must 
>be so. So what am I missing?

Oh, and if you're trying to make time, the big thing you'll be missing is 
the views.  Anytime you have a nice day above treeline in the Whites, allow 
yourself the luxury of enjoying the scenery.  It's just not the same in the 
Whites as it is in PA where you can take a break under these trees here, or 
those trees there.  The view is substantially the same.

One more thing to give some time to...  In the Mt. Washington summit 
station, over the stairs that go down to the museum, they show a video 
called "Breakfast of Champions".  Give yourself a bit of time to watch.  
It's hilarious.

>- Gary from Fairfax, needs to make his 15 miles/day or will never finish 
>this %^#@$% wonderful trail.

Finish?  Why finish?  :-)

>Paul Magnanti wrote:
>
...
> > If you are a strong hiker, you can probably get in about 15 miles. If 
>you are a psycho hiker...20 miles. :D

The thruhikers who tend to do miles in the Whites tend to be slackpacking.  
It's possible to do Mooselauke in a day (10 miles), the Kinsmans (~17 miles) 
and the Wildcat/Carters (~21 miles) as slackpacks.  It's also possible to do 
the Presidentials if you figure out rides to/from the summit of Washington. 
(~14 miles on each side).  You could probably just walk up from both north 
and south and snag rides going down.  You generally must carry your pack 
around the Pemigewasset unless you want to add a lot of blue blaze miles.  
Flashlights are necessary on these slackpacks because it's easy to end up 
finishing in the dark on these long hikes.

Mara
Stitches, GAME99
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Get more from the Web.  FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com

* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================
To:            AT-list <at-l@backcountry.net>