4.28.2008

Next Outing: Sunday, May 4th

As a follow up to some email exchanged (and tMail's comment on the previous post), this Sunday should be great weather on the heels of three days of cold rain. Suggested hikes can include distance, weighted packs or both. I don't think we need to dive right into long-distance weighted packs, especially in the deep mud - but maybe that's just me and my sandy diaper.

Some ideas- a few of which should be left for drier conditions after memorial day:

  • The Kilkenny Ridge to tap both Cabot and Waumbek on tMail's list.
  • The Kinsman Ridge from Kinsman Notch to Franconia Notch, hitting Wolf Mtn, S & N Kinsman, the Cannon Balls and Cannon.
  • Kinsman Ridge round trip starting from Kinsman Notch (Tap North Kinsman and return).
  • Isolation loop starting on the Rocky Branch (after memorial day)
  • Isolation w/ car spotted (Isolation Trail or Glen Boulder to Davis Path)
  • Nancy Pond Tr to Stillwater Junction to Thoreau Falls Tr to Ethan Pond (requires spotting a car).
  • Signal Ridge Tr. to Carrigain to Desolation to Wilderness to Thoreau Falls Tr. to AT.
  • Hale Brook to Lend-a-Hand to Zealand, return via Zeacliff and Zealand Road.
  • Webster Scout to Adams to Jefferson to Six Husbands to Great Gulf.
  • A Pemi loop, skipping N. Twin and Galehead but tapping West Bond (I vote for a late June Pemi).
I'm pretty sure these are all over 15 miles and all have significant elevation gain. Most require spotting a car, however all can be turned into loops. This (and any others you can think of) will be a good master list for long day-hikes in prep for Jay/Gannett.

[Update 4/30] tMail has called it: He'll be running up the Jewell Trail, circling Mt. Clay a few times and then running up and over the Bad Boy, doing a few pushups and then waiting a few hours for me to catch up. Damn you, tMail!

17 comments:

  1. These are all excellent suggestions, I will look at the map tonight and submit possibilities for Sunday.

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  2. I got an idea it may involve the Jewell Trial...to be continued...

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  3. Excellent. Just avoid brook crossings at all costs.

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  4. Your getting one brook crossing...i will carry you on my back...

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  5. i was just alerted by tmail about a sunday hike...mon/tues weather will dictate my ability to partake in the mountain delights. i'll be able to make the call fri based upon NOAA's forecast. mz, we're dealing with tmail (aka marathon man) remember...he's apt to loop us. -md

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  6. I think it's too early in the spring to do this hike, after all that rain. I'm concerned that with the extensive heavy rain that the snow is super-saturated and that the snowpack will be undercut. The VFFT comment about perilous snow bridges sounds threatening.

    One other idea that reflects my one-track thinking (and masochism): we could get one last day of steep terrain for Gannett training: Dodge's to Boott Spur, then to Nelson Crag via the Alpine Garden. Then backtrack up the eastern snowfields to the summit and back south and descend Boott Spur.

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  7. MZ we can avoid Ammonoosuc all together and just ascend and descend via Jewell...that would eliminate us having to travel near any snow bridges...having done Ammonoosuc a couple of times I know exactly where that snow bridge would be and it is not a good place. Let me know what you think if we totally avoid Ammonoosuc.

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  8. The other option is the Northern Presi's maybe do Adams - Jefferson go piss in Edmands Col???

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  9. as much as i'd like to get on hillmans and/or dodge's. it's gonna be a zoo with all of the late season skiers/boarders. hillman's is supposedly the best top to bottom run in the bowl at the moment.

    jury's still out on my availability. I got some family obligations on saturday that could carry over into sunday. should know more in a couple of days.

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  10. g-$$$, "zoo" is an understatement - although Dodge's will be pretty empty. The ravine will be crawling with yahoos. Last weekend was the peak with an estimated 2,500 people per day.

    I still think that with the rain-undermined snowpack we're just asking for mud, slush and postholing into running water, and with nighttime freezing we have a chance to get in some challenging end-of season gully ascents.

    That said, I'm up for anything. Let's do Jewell but we'll be prepared to cut the ridge route short if we run short of time.

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  11. Jewell it is with options of heading southeast to Bad Boy or due North for Jefferson and Edmands...hopefully it will be clear and we can play grab ass above treeline...

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  12. Updates to Sunday...I am pulling a sled and running the Clay Loop Marathon with Lake of the Clouds hut as my water station...don't miss it....

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  13. There will be respresentatives from the Strong Clan I believe but I am awaiting verification...

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  14. Looks like rain... I won't melt but am not sure I want to be out for hours in raw conditions. The Dengue fever is still hanging on to my lungs.

    I will be a last minute add to any weekend fun.

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  15. tMail, the PM is a total pussy. oh, poor baby, doesn't want to get his binky wet.

    ...

    uh, the forecast now is for rain starting late tonight and stopping sometime Monday. let's decide saturday evening, but you can count me out unless things improve drastically. i really don't want to get my binky wet either.

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  16. I'll tune in Sat evening, I'll either hike or cut down a tree on Sunday,

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  17. MWO is calling for heaviest rain on Sunday...hhhmmm...my binky is starting to talk as well...

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