New to New England

[Goblin84]

Hey everyone,
Well I moved to NE at the end of last summer and am very interested in doing some hiking. Most (ok...all) of my experience is in the ADK (done around 20 high peaks out there).

What climbs would you suggest that are good for day hikes and weekend hikes (2 nights)?? I live in Manchester NH but dont mind driving. This weekend I think I am going to head out to EMS (expensive mountain Sh**) and buy some trail guides. Do you suggest any good ones? or any good sites with trail guides?

Thanks!

 

[wa-loaf]

The AMC white mountian guide.

EMS/REI will have this too.

 

[Greg]

I really like to basecamp, i.e. backpack overnight gear in, set up camp for night one. Do a big loop on day 2 and then back to camp. Hike out on day 3. The Pemi, Dry River Wilderness, and Great Gulf are my favorite places for this. A lot of great camping options and easy access to the ridges for day 2 hikes. For the Whites, the AMC White Mountain Guide is a must have for planning trips. I can be more specific with loop suggestions if you want.

 

[Goblin84]

Greg, I did a lot of basecamping in the ADK. I normally camped at JBL (Johns Brook Loj) which provides great access to the great range and dix range. not sure if you have hiked the ADK so this could mean nothing to you. got caught in a landslide actually up on the great range but thats a different story....

also, another very random question. I am the type of guy that loves to learn the history of mountains, trails, names. I have a website booked marked about the history of various chairlifts! (www.chairlift.org check it out, pretty cool). Anyway, back to the point...suggestions on good places to find the history such areas? or should i just do it the old fashion way and chat it up on the trail with rangers and anyone else i see for that fact.

 

[Mike P.]

The AMC Guide is the equivalent to the ADK High Peaks Guide, maybe even more important if you want to plan your own trips & get off the beaten path for overnight trips.

Weekends will find plenty of people on the most popular routes to the most popular places, (higher peaks of Franconia Ridge, Presidentials & a few others) but some lightly traveled options to these places do exist. If you can go on a weekday, you can do some trips without seeing anyone else.

For overnight's AMC runs some sites & shelters at the most popular (perhaps best) destinations. Peaks around the Pemi & the Great Gulf & N. Presidentials, probably the most popular. Some options do exist though for solitude if you'd rather have that over a close scenic viewpoint.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

If you don't want to buy topos I use this site often www.topozone.com

 

[Goblin84]

have that site covered, dont worry. Also have some buddies who help me out and print out some fun maps with GIS software.

and I am glad to see i am not the only one here board at work

 

[nelsapbm]

In Vermont you can do Mansfield & Camel's Hump over two days. Also, the Monroe Trail (General Stark, Mt. Ellen, Mt. Abe). Lots of nice campgrounds nearby and inns/hotels etc.
At EMS pick up the Long Trail Guide.

 

[threecy]

If you want good ski area information, also check out skilifts.org and nelsap.org. I also have a bunch of photos on my ski area web site (as well as my hiking site), but I have yet to develop it beyond just a photo directory.

 

[Greg]

Greg, I did a lot of basecamping in the ADK. I normally camped at JBL (Johns Brook Loj) which provides great access to the great range and dix range. not sure if you have hiked the ADK so this could mean nothing to you. got caught in a landslide actually up on the great range but thats a different story....

Actually, I hiked up in the ADKs a few times as an early teenager. I did some of the high peaks, namely Marcy, Haystack and Skylight. Those are the ones I remember. I should dig up and scan some of my old pics. I may even be rocking the mullet in a few of them! :lol:

also, another very random question. I am the type of guy that loves to learn the history of mountains, trails, names. I have a website booked marked about the history of various chairlifts! (www.chairlift.org check it out, pretty cool). Anyway, back to the point...suggestions on good places to find the history such areas? or should i just do it the old fashion way and chat it up on the trail with rangers and anyone else i see for that fact.

Check out these:

http://www.amazon.com/Forest-History-Hiking-Trail-Blazing/dp/1929173482

http://www.amazon.com/Not-Without-Peril-Misadventure-Presidential/dp/1929173067

 

[Greg]

Also check out David Metsky's (member here) site:

http://www.hikethewhites.com/

 

[skibum9995]

To learn history of the Whites, pick up Forest and Crag.

 

[mlctvt]

To learn history of the Whites, pick up Forest and Crag.

Another great read is "Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range" about all the lives lost in the Whites. It's a series of short stories decribing each case. This book will definaltey put things in perspective. A hiker actaully died in mid-august in a snow storm on Mount Adams, I think it was in 1986?

 

[Greg]

To learn history of the Whites, pick up Forest and Crag.

Another great read is "Not Without Peril: 150 Years of Misadventure on the Presidential Range" about all the lives lost in the Whites. It's a series of short stories decribing each case. This book will definaltey put things in perspective. A hiker actaully died in mid-august in a snow storm on Mount Adams, I think it was in 1986?

[POST="159812"]Ahem...[/POST]

 

[mlctvt]

[POST="159812"]Ahem...[/POST]

Opps sorry Greg- I read the whole post but didn't cick on your amazon links. Well at least we think alike!

 

[ski_resort_observer]

Although abit of a drive for you but Baxter State Park in Maine has incredible hiking. I hiked Mt Lafayette in the Whites about 45 years ago, my first above timberline experience, still one of my favorite hikes ever.

 

[Mike P.]

Adams does have some fatalities & it's share of accidents including some recent avalanches (recent 1999 or 2000 & I would imagine later too), I believe the one mentioned in the book that occurred near Madison Hut happened on Madison.

Two of the more famous summer deaths took place on 06/30/1900 (may be in the book also), Curtis & Ormsbee, who have a trail on Slide in the Catskills named for them.