White Mountains Shakedown!

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#1

Ok, so thank God I’m not heading out for the AT yet. I’m about to head out on a 1 week shakedown in the white mountains, and I’m suddenly realizing I have no idea what to bring. I mean, i’ve done lots of reading, but it seems like nothing once faced with actually having to DO it. What things are ABSOLUTELY essential? Will I need to bring rope to hang my food in the White Mountains? How important is a multi-tool if I’m just going for a week? Are gloves and a hat a good idea, or will I be fine with just regular warm clothing? I don’t know…i can’t think of any other questions right now, but if you think of questions i should be asking, please let me know the answers. Thanks everyone!

C-Giddy

#2

I won’t try to complete your gear list by myself, but you are asking some good questions so I’ll start there and offer my opinions. Multi tools, like a Leatherman, are heavy and have items you can do without. I carry the smallest Swiss Army knife I’ve ever seen (1 ounce) and it has a small blade and sissors for trimming mole skin. Cold weather in The Whites is a real possibility anytime of the year so I recommend hat and gloves. I like a light and thin fleece for both items. Keeping your head warm is important for all around warmth. As for other essentials: biting black flies are out right now (especially on the summits) and mosquitos too in the lower elevations near standing water. Have your favorite bug remedy on hand.

celt

#3

Celt beat me to it. I was typing. Here you go.
I’m from there. It depends on if you’re going about tree line. If you are, yes, you had better have the proper clothing and know when to turn back. What makes this area different than any other place in the world is its unique location. It is in such a place that sees the collision of northern air masses and southern but mostly the mountains channel the cold Canadian air between them. They hold the record of having the highest recorded surface wind speed of 231 mph before the gauge broke. It can also snow any time of the year. Snow in August…yup. And also some of the nastiest lightning storms… Thunderstorm Alley north of Washington summit is the best place. In this gap winds are forced tightly between the hill and a storm can break in a matter of second. Not the place to be without some good gear and know-how. Dozens of people have died on the White on a regular day that looked fine when they started out but soon turned bad. Several hundred pages could be taken up writing about that. Google it.
Check out of journal from our trip.

As far as what to wear; good weather resistant rain gear head to toe, a warm hat, dry shell gloves or mittens, a fleece jacket and a plan of where to go. You can stay at the huts for big bucks or tent/bivy/tart. Also added what Celt said. Keep your pack weight down. And don’t play Superman. The park service loves to send you the bill for a rescue. Leave an itinerary with a relative. Happy bug feasting. Oh, they’ll feast on you.

Bushwhack

#4

I just got back from doing several hikes on the White’s, we missed Mt. Washington, because of the bad weather. I tell you what Bushwack is right on the money about the gear, I used my rain gear several times during the trips and something that was definitely used was my trekking pole, specially when it rained and we had to climb over the slippery rocks above tree line, once the sun goes down or it gets overcast you’ll start feeling the temperature change, so fleece will become youre best friend. About food we used a lot of PowerGel, Cliff Bars, homemade trail mix consisting of nuts, Pepperridge Farm Cheddar fishies and chocolate. We brought kick making 5 minute rice, pasta and Cous cous and we even brought packaged dried meat and chicken. our packs weighed less 17 pounds, because everything we carried was in Zip-loc bags to reduce the weight. I brought a 35 foot rope with a light weight carabiner attached to it for easy attachement and for easy swinging over the trees. My partner had close encounters with the black “Vampire” flies, so use your deet aboundantly. Your maps, compass and trail guide are a must and last but not least we carried a water bladder (Camelpak) and a filter it was great…Have fun, be smart and like Bushwhack said don’t be a hero, there is always next time:)

Chief"One Bad Knee"

#5

Hiya,

Great advice above. I just wanted to add: if you do stay at the tentsites (ie. Liberty Springs not far after Route 93, and Osgood tentsite between Mt. Madison and Pinkham, to name two), you’ll either want to have a free-standing tent or some way to attach your tent to the platform–extra nylon cord to tie off to the eyebolts or (and I’m not sure the Forest Service would have approved of this, but I used…) those little screw-in hooks. They made tiny holes, yes, so I may be suggesting something that’s a no-no. But they did work really well. Throw-down (stealth?) camping is permitted 1/4 mile from any huts, 200 feet (or is it 300?) from trails, roads and water sources, and below timber-line, but you won’t necessarily find a spot right when you’re ready to stop. Might want to start looking BEFORE you’re completely pooped and stop a little early, if need be, rather than find yourself above treeline with miles to go before the next possible spot. The tentsites have caretakers, by the way, and the fee is $7. (Or was it $6?)

The Whites are just gorgeous, though. And when you’ve hiked the Whites, you’ve really hiked the toughest part of the A.T., other than the Mahoosucs in Maine. (Some consider that part tougher, others don’t.) Enjoy and be safe!

ramkitten

#6

$8.00 a night this year for the AMC’s Kinsman Pond Sh, Liberty Springs TS, Garfield Ridge Sh, Guyot Sh, Ethan Pond Sh, Nauman TS, Imp Sh & Speck Pond Sh (AMC site in Maine). Shelter sites have tent platforms too.

The Randolph Mountain Club maintains two shelters, The Perch and The Log Cabin, in the Northern Presidentials. These caretaker run sites cost $5.00 a night.

http://www.randolphmountainclub.org/shelters/aboutourshelters.html

celt

#7

C-Giddy
What is your itinerary for your week long bp? I just returned from a successful Solstice day traverse of the Presidentials. It was one of the warmest days I’ve hiked in the Whites, even the peaks didn’t have jet engine winds blowing. I never touched any of the clothes in my daypack. Flies are out and biting some fierce, seems to be right after you break out above treeline and yes, on some summits (Jefferson was bad). Glorious day though.

Having said that, I consider a hat and gloves to be mandatory year round because New England is unpredictable and peaks are usually chilly. A “summer” bag to me is one that goes down to 30-40. I never knew til my hike last year that it can actually be above 70 degrees at night in the mountains. I like my 40 degree nights better. :wink:

I would take thermal tops and bottoms, dry socks to sleep in at night (I use fleece), rain jacket and another layer for your legs, but not necessarily rain pants. Depending where you go, things are MUDDY and wet right now. If you are looking for more info on a specific trail or mountain/area check out the website www.viewsfromthetop.com
(trail conditions) where folks up here post mostly dayhikes, but it’s very useful up to date information if someone has just been somewhere you are interested in going.

Bluebearee

#8

Hmm…well, I couldn’t say exactly “where.” I know we’re going to be in the Great Gulf Wilderness, but I’m not sure which mountain or mountains we’ll be attempting to summit. One question that hasn’t been answered so much though…should I hang my food? Are bears a concern in the Whites?

C-Giddy

#9

I’ll probably get hung for this one myself, but I have never personally hung a bear bag in the Whites or Maine for that matter. Our bears are very elusive up here, after more than 30 years of hiking in New England, I just glimpsed my first one three weeks ago. They typically don’t go above treeline, although two summers ago there was one living in the compost bin @ Lakes.

I would love to spend some time in the Great Gulf, are you using that as a base camp? Gonna be some good climbs up every day if so.

Bluebearee

#10

Well, here’s the thing. My buddy Ian and I are going up on a Monday, and then, on the Tuesday night, my cousin is meeting us there as well. So…We need to be at a place that would be easy enough for him to meet us at. So, I’m not sure what we’ll do yet. We might even have a different camp each night. Now, correct me if I’m wrong. The sites on the map marked Wilderness Campsite or tentsite are free…and the tentsites that have names cost $8, right? And the throw down camping is allowed 300 feet from rivers, trails, and shelters, as long as it’s below treeline, right? Hey Bluebearee…where in New England are you from? I’m from Southeastern Mass.

C-Giddy

#11

I believe that is correct. There are backcountry sites in the Wilderness area (which I have never explored) that are not fee based; Osgood Tentsite and Naumann (@ Mizpah) are $8. As far as camping goes, there probably are places to stealth in GG, but possibilities in the Presidential section of the Whites is practically nil as so much is above treeline and that that isn’t, is steep.

Windham, outside Portland.

Bluebearee

#12

Cool, lived in Mahsh-field '71-'74! Troop 79 Boy Scouts. Its not the bears, its the squirrels that’ll eat you food, your tent, your face. Once one finds you they call for backup. 'Lil red devils. Hang it as high as you can, or leave it in your tent. May chew on the tent if they smell nuts. Pretty much correct on the fees but its only a few bucks.

Bushwhack

#13

USFS Backcountry camping regulations for the Great Gulf Wilderness include:

No camping within 200 feet of any trail except at designated campsites.

No fires

No camping from the intersection of the Great Gulf and Sphinx trails in the direction of Spaulding Lake.

Bears? They have bear boxes at some of the tentsites. They replaced bear lines because the squirels could get into the food bags up on the line.

Fee: Parking pass at many trail heads (But not Pinkham). AMC staffed tent sites are $8.00 per person per night.

Peaks

#14

There is no fee for Osgood Tentsite. I just read up on the guidelines for the GG Wilderness and the only thing I’ll add is there is no camping south of the Junction of the Great Gulf Trail and the Sphinx Trail, stealth campers must go at least 200ft from trails and fires a prohibited in the Wilderness. Coincidentally there is a blurb about base camp hiking from the Great Gulf in the latest issue of Backpacker.

celt

#15

too slow!

celt

#16

Thanks Celt, I stand corrected on the Osgood tentsite fee, I’m surprised there isn’t one there!

How was UT? Email and tell me about it.

Bluebearee

#17

After your hike in the Whites I suggest going into Gorham and staying at The Barn if its open. Don’t go to Hikers Hell(oops I mean paradise) The caretaker at The Barn is a '95 hiker named Scavenger and he’s a great guy.Eat at Mr. Pizza or The Fortune Cookie(AYCE Chinese)

BooBoo

#18

C-Giddy,
I live up in North Conway and the area around the Presidentials is a wonderful place to hike and camp. As others have suggested, do bring lots of bug spray as they love to feast on hikers. And although I can’t say that I’ve seen bear up here, we always hang our food, which usually seems like it’s more for protection against critters than bears, but better safe than sorry… Also, even though right now in North Conway it’s something like 85 degrees, depending on where you’re going in the mountains there can also be lots of exposure to the elements so it’s always best to be prepared with coat, hat and gloves. And for my final piece of advice, hiking up here in the Whites can involve lots of rough and steep terrain --which is not to say that long days can’t be done–but just something to keep in mind…
With all that being said, Have fun! It’s beautiful up here!
-Danielle:)

Danielle

#19

thanks again to everyone for the help. I’ll actually be in your neck of the woods this weekend Danielle. I’m going kayaking down the Saco for a couple of days, then off to the whites.

C-Giddy

#20

I’m from SE Mass. too. I’m planning an overnight soon in Zealand notch. Taking the Zealand trail to the Ethan Pond trail and spending the night at Ethan Pond Campsite. Then the Willey Range trail to bag 3 4000 footers, descending on the A-Z trail and out via the Zealand trail. Has anyone hiked this loop before? I’d love to know what the trail is like between Zealand Falls Hut and Ethan Pond Campsite. I’m hoping to go during the week to avoid crowding. Does anyone know if this area gets a lot of use on weekdays in summer?

Frostillicus