Gnarliest trails

[gwags]

Lots of talk about what are the steeper/scarier parts of trails in the NE on the Whiteface/Passaconaway thread.

What are people's votes?

I have done Katahdin (only in fall) and No. Tripyramid slide in winter and many others, but I think that the west side of Saddleback in the Adirondacks is sketchier than those, although none are really scary without snow/ice. That I can think of, it's my vote.

[Greg]

Six Husband's always seems to get mentioned as a very difficult trail. I've descended it several times, and only under dry conditions in the summer, but didn't find it to be that difficult. Madison Gulf has a few steep sections where long stretches are required. Never done Huntington Ravine.

[salida]

Hunginton... Madison Gulf, as Greg said.

The Abol on Khatahdin, Trypyramid like you said... Great Gulf Trail puts the G in gnar, not nearly as much use as some others have.

[MichaelJ]

I had a few moments on the Coe slide where I felt like I wasn't going to be able to take another step without slipping. It's the smooth slabs that bother me, the rough or talus stuff (S. Slide Tripyramid, Owl's Head) I enjoy.

[from_the_NEK]

When I last hiked Huntington ravine, there were people roping up in a few sections. Not a good trail to hike DOWN under any conditions and only good to hike UP in dry conditions.

[sledhaulingmedic]

Several routes in Madison Gulf

Tripyramids have been a while (maybe they're worse than I remember).

I also recall a trail on the East (maybe Northeast) side of Mooselauke, perhaps from Kinsman Notch. I think it was part of the AT. I recall being on there a little too late in the day... (and it was wet )

[David Metsky]

Originally Posted by sledhaulingmedic

I also recall a trail on the East (maybe Northeast) side of Mooselauke, perhaps from Kinsman Notch. I think it was part of the AT. I recall being on there a little too late in the day... (and it was wet )

That's Beaver Brook, I was just up it this weekend. It's steep, but nothing like the slide or headwall trails.

Any list would include Huntington, King Ravine, Great Gully, Great Gulf, Six Husbands, North Tripyramid, Chemin de Dames, Castle Ravine, Madison Gulf, and Sphinx.

-dave-

[Mike P.]

Don't have much experience in the Great Gulf or King Ravine yet I'd agree with Dave's list for NH. Some trails have interesting spots on the Osceola trail in the Chimney, my guess is that more casual hikers take the detour.

In ADK's you have to include the Trap Dike on Colden, I did the Great Range 11 years ago & thought Saddleback would be worse if you were 5'9" or shorter, descending it after a night of rain was okay in July.

Knife's Edge if wet & windy (in those conditions many I guess would apply) I have not done Cathedral on Katahdin but they have had a few fatalities on the trail I'm thinking that should be on the list too. I've slipped & slid about 15-20 feet on those wet slabs on the Coe slide before, I'll vouch for those, it wasn't even raining. Luckily my pack took some of the landing & the spot I stopped at was not too hard.

[MichaelJ]

The Osceola chimney I found *easier* than the bypass. And a lot more fun, too. I felt perfectly safe the whole time - with tons of handholds, it was like going up a jungle gym.

The winter's a different story. That chimney gets filled with an ice flow (floe?) and you have to take the bypass, and I slipped and fell down it last winter. There wasn't enough snow coverage for crampons, but enough to make it a slippy-slide.

In a month I'll be trying out the Link Trail. We'll see if it lives up to its reputation.

[ChileMass]

The Link is supposed to be really rough betwen the Caps Ridge Trail and the Castles. Better north of that according to the big book. I'll be interested in your assessment.....