I will be going out for my yearly section hike (my 16th year) the first week of June. I will be hiking Hanover, NH north for about 3 weeks. I would like information on that section. Hopefully, I can make to Kennebec River in that time. I would like information on the huts, hostels, hotels and other can't miss places along the way. Thanks for any information.
_Bilko/CanoeMan_Whites - Appalachian Trail
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#1
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#2
This is the hardest sustained hiking of the entire trail. From Hanover to the first hostel (Hikers Welcome)in Glencliffe is moderate hiking with two good climbs up Smarts Mountain and Mt Cube. Both with excellent views. Out of Glencliffe starts the tough hiking. At Frnconia Notch you wil want to resupply in Lincoln/Woodstock which has many good hotels, motels, Inns and a hostel. It is a real tourist trap and very busy in the summer. From there its the Franconia Ridge with its fantastic views and steep up and downs. In Crawford Notch there are a couple of campgrounds and small stores plus the AMC Lodge which is crowded and over priced and a bit of a hitch. This is not the best place to hitch as its mostly unfriendly tourists.
You then hike the Presidentials where you are limited to the very expensive huts or stealth camping. The Hikers Welcome in Glencliffe used to have a list of good stealth sites through this entire area. If you know where they are you can avoid all the huts in the Whites. There are a couple of good hostels in Gorham where you will dump out after the Carter-Moriah Range. I’ll let folks more familiar with Maine explain the rest.
I live pretty close to Hanover so if there is anything I can do to help let me know.
_Big B_
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#3
Thanks, Big B. I have been looking forward to this section for a long time. I will try and find that list of stealth campsites. I have heard that that there is a list out there. Of course once that list is placed out in the public, the list will no longer be practical. I have no interest in staying at the AMC Lodge, but I will plan on staying at the Hikers Welcome in Glencliffe.
_Bilko/CanoeMan_
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#4
The section you will be hiking is managed by the AMC aptly called The Appalachian Money Club by hikers. There are numerous tent sites / shelters run by them for a fee. I didn't try to stealth in the Whites but did stay in their shelters and work for stay in the huts as a thru hiker. Most hikers find themselves making less miles per day. The miles in this section are difficult with all the climbing involved. The views are spectacular when its cloud free. Enjoy your hike and don't get wrapped up in making miles.
_Old Goat_
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#5
I have not done a thru hike but am familiar with the hut system in New Hampshire. I used some of these huts when I hiked the 48 4000 footers and I know thru hikers can do work for stay. My second cousin (didn't complete the hike due to sickness) and his friend (completed his hike) started a thru hike southbound in 2009 and made use of the huts. They had no problems in doing so and the work involved is not difficult. As far as I know, the work for stay hikers generally can't eat until the paying guests have had their meals and also usually end up sleeping on a dining room table or perhaps the floor. Still, a place to sleep, dinner and breakfast are provided. It is wise not to get to the huts too late in the day, as only so many hikers can be accommodated. In Gorham there is a motel that caters to hikers, I don't remember the name of it (maybe the Colonial), but you can ask when you get into Gorham. I believe it is at the junction of 16 and 2. Gorham is a great town to get chores done and re-supply. A Wal-Mart is nearby, but you would need a ride to get there.
_Loretta_
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#6
This may be old info, but in august '89, I was in a weird bubble between the northern fast pack & southern slow pack of hikers (I started May 6); when I worked for stay at the 1st hut, they radioed ahead the next morning to let the next hut know I was coming.... the work varied from sweeping floors to cleaning out the septic system, but I didn't care cuz I wuz broke & usually was only about an hour in the morning. I may have had to wait til everyone else ate, but the hilarious part of it was the folks who paid the big bucks got a few minutes to eat, & I got a whole giant sheet of pizza or pancakes stacked to the ceiling & took as long as I wanted!!! While the patrons were being entertained & proselityzed to hand over tips to the college students humping for their pay..... (it was $40 or so at the time; dog knows what it costs now).... I was chowing down til the cows came down from the bald!
My favorite memory was literally crawling over Mt. Washington in gale force cloud winds & all of a sudden, here comes a tiny college coed leaping from rock to rock with a huge load of food strapped to her packframe like it was sunday in the park with George! Must have weighed almost as much as she did, so expect to be humbled at least once on the appalachian trail, especially if you are a mysoginist who thinks women can’t possibly keep up with men!!!
_gingerbreadman_
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#7
Yeah, I worked for stay in 02, but you can stealth in most treelines. Just lay low and go to sleep. If you have the list, so does everyone else
_Virginian_