7.04.2008

Sunday is MadDog Day!

... this can't be good ...
MadDog's Choice, MadDog's Torture, MadDog's Joke.... Whatever it may be, it'll be 100%, Grade A, All Beef MadDog!

[Update 7/6/08 10pm]
We hit Adams and Jefferson via a novel route: from Appalachia, ascended via Sylvan Way to the Amphibrach to the Kings Ravine Trail (and the caves). We traversed to Adams and Jefferson and descended via the Castles to The Link - a remarkable trail for it's lack of use. Pics are posted. [Link]

MadDog's Trip Report:

Nice day out Mutha, thanks for the trip. Yep, the ravine did not live up to the guidebook description. It is essentially a mini-Mahoousuc notch, with some tunneling. It provide some nice extended scrambling, I enjoyed that.

What is kind of interesting, looking back at the day, at the point we popped up out of the ravine, Mutha and I were a bit stalled. Uh, where to next? We talked about Madision, the hut, Adams, etc., and there was no obvious choice given the large amount of daylight we still had. Plus, I think the threshold for exertion and trail travel with this crowd is now getting so high, that anything less than 6 hard hours of trail tromping hardly seems worth doing 2) I have now observed that once you're up on those ridges, no matter how much Madison et al bite it, there is a feeling of incompleteness if you don't cross at least one of the summits. So that's what we did as Mutha noted...and the Castles were very cool.

I really enjoyed the Link because of how little traffic it gets (as a result it has a nicely cushioned floor in most parts - the last 1/2 mile being the exception, it was a mud bog.

Also, I blistered both feet and now know for sure that I have to pre-treat for WY. Looking forward to the end of the week, start of THE trip, and not having to training with mega-loaded packs :-)
Mutha's Trip Report:
The Kings Ravine, touted as one of the greatest, visually stunning places in the Whites was kind of a disappointment ("...one of the most spectacular trails in the White Mountains."). The cave trail was cool and rather difficult (with refreshingly chilling air) but the views from the Castles were much grander. Kings Ravine headwall isn't all that tremendous an elevation gain (i.e., "not as bad as it looks") and as such didn't cause a pucker. Huntington Ravine is more challenging.

The summits were almost completely calm, even in Edmands Col. Sitting for any length of time allowed swarms of bugs to target us.

The Link was really interesting from The Castle Trail to Lowe's Path. After that it was kind of boring but that section was saved by lack of food (MD), lack of water (MZ) and good company (both). I haven't read about it, but it clearly links all the ravines and ridges and crosses all the trails between Bowman and Appalachia and the northern Presi's. The trail is remarkably unused. The rocks are moss covered and slippery and it crosses quite a few absolutely excellent camping sites on rushing rivers and one lovely cascade where it crosses the Israel Ridge trail.

Total Distance: about 15 mi.
Total time: about 9 hrs.
Elevation Gained: about 5,000 ft. (MadDog, elev gain from appalachia to Adams is 4,600ft!)

Conversation: wyoming, hiking, boots, wyoming, risk, gear, ice, tmail's speed, jay, wyoming, ruth foreman, gastric reflux, colonoscopies, purging, prunes, satisfaction, gastric reflux, jay, wyoming, getting older, fart sounds, gardens, canning/preserving, wyoming, tomatoes, camping, training dogs, chickens, cars, scooters, mccain, obama, pepper sauce, wyoming, dehydration, kings ravine was a let-down, wyoming.

Pics are posted! [Link]

10 comments:

  1. The weather is going to be nice. I'm going to coming to the Whites from the Maine side. I'm open to anything really. Short of any preferences, a dance along the Carter-Wildcat would be the trails du jour.

    Post if you're planning to join, what your constraints and desires are, also so we can plan a car drop. About 8 hour day seems to be my interest at this point, but I could be talked into more.

    A few possibilities,

    1. Nineteen mile Brook to Carter-Moriah to North Carter to Imp.

    2. Wildcat to Stony Brook

    3. Wildcat to Carter Moriah in Gorham

    4. A ridge loop in Evans notch, East Royce to Basin Rim to Meader Ridge to Baldface Circle to Emerald Pool.

    5. sit by the lake and eat strawberry shortcakes.

    6. Others?

    -MD

    ReplyDelete
  2. not looking so good anymore for me....getting some pressure to spend the day with ez-e since i'll be gone for a full week and a ton of work that can't wait until I get back. besides i did a test luggage pack and I'm scared to undo the fruits of my labor. man if TSA opens the bad, it's gonna be like a jack in the box...gear popping right out of the duffel.

    anyway, post the start time and location and with any luck I can make it..if not see you all in the HOLE.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MadDog, I'm up for anything. I'm going to be breaking in a new pair of boots. Are you planning a heavy pack? I'm okay with going light - I'll be breaking in a new pair of boots.

    ReplyDelete
  4. maddog, do you have the group gear i'm supposed to take?

    ReplyDelete
  5. this is all so tempting my third trip to NH in one week...i need a gas pipeline right from Dubai to my truck...what is the start time where, how far, how many mountains???

    ReplyDelete
  6. Fluid, that's the ticket. Faggetbout Carter-schmotter. I caught MZ building some kind of housing for some cute chicks today and we recalled King Ravine, it's promise of beauty etc and our discussion with Tmail about doing it. So that's the direction for tomorrow.

    830 departure from the Applachia parking lot. We're just getting boot time tomorrow, so light packs, not WY weight. We'll skirt the usual trampled terrain and crowds of Air Line, etc., and pickup King Ravine Tr., via the Link trail. After the ravine ascent, I don't much care what we tag or do, I'll leave it to the group. The descent will be a different route back to the car. Up and down should be in the 6-8 hr range, depending on where we play up high.

    Call me at 207-925-2452 before 10pm if you need anything. My cell is 802-999-7911 for the morning.

    -MD

    ReplyDelete
  7. If I am there I am there if not go onward and upward with out me...

    ReplyDelete
  8. Whew! Just got in. Aside from the 3hr boot shopping spree I put in a 9hr chicken coop building day. coop's done, monday's fence-day.

    i'll be at appalachia at 8:30. if i'm not there, i'm just late. i'll be there.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice day out Mutha, thanks for the trip. Yep, the ravine did not live up to the guidebook description. It is essentially a mini-Mahoousuc notch, with some tunneling. It provide some nice extended scrambling, I enjoyed that.

    What is kind of interesting, looking back at the day, at the point we popped up out of the ravine, Mutha and I were a bit stalled. Uh, where to next? We talked about Madision, the hut, Adams, etc., and there was no obvious choice given the large amount of daylight we still had. Plus, I think the threshold for exertion and trail travel with this crowd is now getting so high, that anything less than 6 hard hours of trail tromping hardly seems worth doing 2) I have now observed that once you're up on those ridges, no matter how much Madison et al bite it, there is a feeling of incompleteness if you don't cross at least one of the summits. So that's what we did as Mutha noted...and the Castles were very cool.

    I really enjoyed the Link because of how little traffic it gets (as a result it has a nicely cushioned floor in most parts - the last 1/2 mile being the exception, it was a mud bog.

    Also, I blistered both feet and now know for sure that I have to pre-treat for WY. Looking forward to the end of the week, start of THE trip, and not having to training with mega-loaded packs :-)

    -MD

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mount Washington has a mall and now there is a Subway...WOW

    ReplyDelete