Walk across New Hampshire.

I'm going to try to backpack from Grafton Notch in Maine to Vermont (Norwich?) via the AT this August. I may not be able to get enough time to complete the trip, but I'm hoping to spend at least 10 full days on the trail. Does anyone have any tips or ideas on logistics? Anyone section hike or thru-hike this area?

No specific suggestions, but it sounds like a ton of fun! 8)

Thanks for the thumbs up Greg or, more precisely, the smile.

I am thinking of pre-positioning my car somewhere a few days into the trip (maybe on Rt. 302?) with supplies and alternate gear (e.g. my Zoid in case I tire of my Hammock, a stove in case I am bored with uncooked stuff, a different sized pack in case I want to add gest, etc.). Depending on whether I can sucker... errr.... entice some friends into doing some or all of the trail with me, we might preposition their cars as well, or I could move my car and get a ride back to the trail-head.

Does anyone have any advice on logistics for shuttles, rides, pre-positioning of cars and supplies?

long hike

My experience comes from hiking the Long Trail end-to-end in three 10 day segments, three different summers, 2000-2002. (yes, that really is three!). I believe that you and you son have done most of the 4000 footers, so you know the trail. The AT Guides have those great maps that show the profiles of the ups and downs. What looks steep is always steeper if you hike it at the end of a long day, and not so steep in the morning. Do not take a lot of food, there are plenty of places to re-stock. Try to carefully estimate the right amount of fuel to carry, so you don't end up lugging too much extra. You will be meeting thru-hikers that left Geogia in April. Notice the average pace they walk. I learned that I, too, could hike faster than I was accustomed to especially in level areas and especially even when I thought I was tired. I do not mean trying to keeep up with thru-hikers or others hiking faster than you are, but, at times, just try walking faster than your normal pace. One time hiking with kids, one kid was really dragging behind. One of the leaders was a movie nut. The two of them started discussing movies. Suddenly that kid was walking faster, keeping up and not even noticing it. He was no longer thinking how tired he was, or that he was only a sixth grader not an eigtht grader, etc. The same thing happened to me this spring. I am poking along at the end of the day wondering how much further I had left. A thru-hiker came by, we started talking. Suddenly I was keeping up with him. We were zooming along and I was not feeling tired, ie, distracted from those thoughts. Like my son's t-shirt slogan: "Attitude is everything" Another thing to watch out for: leaving gear in your car. My car was left at a trailhead for a few days in VT. It had two windows smashed, I lost a Golite Breeze pack and a hammock, luckily not fuel or food that I had there, too. So, be careful. Leave gear well hidden from sight if you have to. It is a good idea to leave the glove compartment open. I once had a car broken into and the glove compartment torn open and I had not even locked it. I thought that the registration had been stolen, but about a month later I found it under the seat where I had hidden it. Sorry, to ramble on which is why I am also known by that name. (See you back on the AMC, bb.) My next goal is finishing the AT in NH and VT, too. Glencliff to Hanover still awaits. My daughters joined me for a few days at a time. Hope your son can, too. Multi-day hiking is very satsifying, but be careful when tempted by taking along that extra piece of gear that you "think you might need". After huffing and puffing up the backside of Stratton Mt., I got rid of about 4-6lbs. that I mailed home, First aid stuff, extra gorp, fuel and batteries. What a difference it made shedding those pounds. Your idea about leaving a car or arranging a pick-up as a place to change or leave gear is a good one. Hitching to Gorham should be easy, hitching to Lincoln also. The nice folks at Moonbow Gear in Glencliff, NH might give you some clues from there (Moosilauke) to Hanover. Anyway, keep track, because I plan to do that hike Glencliff to Killington in the fall. BTW I travelled by bus from Willaimstown to Boston at the end of my hike. They only took cash for the ticket.

Thanks for the notes and the thoughts pancho - I'm leaving at 6AM tomorrow - hopefully the weather will turn better eventually (esp. by the time I hit the Whites).

I'm going to try it stoveless. I spent a small fortune on Italian dry cured sausges and cheeses I got from an Italian speciality store. The owner had fun telling me which ones would survive two weeks of major heat and letting me sample the cheeses he recommended. I've managed to fit everything into a Ghost (even with the cold weather extras I'm bringing for the Presidentials, but not the extra food I will pick up later).

I will offer my gear list and trip report in a few weeks.

By way of follow up. I hit the trail at noon on August 9th and finished up on August 21st. I had a great time... I've never had such a long solo trip (of course you are not entirely alone on the New Hampshire AT in August).

I also realized that I hit enough of the NH 4,000 footers to be within striking distance of completing them all (eight more to go, and I'm doing one of those eight as part of "Flags on the 48"). So this section hike has turned me into a peak bagger.

Edit note: with the parentheses, "Flags on the 48" turned into "Flags on the 48)" I had to add the "" marks to get it to read correctly (2nd edit: oh now I see I could have disabled smilies). LOL!

I started posting my trip report in the trip reports section:

http://forums.alpinezone.com/viewtopic.php?p=2212&sid=f25cc0fb96ebbce4917fb95e582467f5#2212