White Mountains - Appalachian Trail - Member Hike
| Hike Name: | White Mountains - Appalachian Trail |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | New Hampshire |
| Nearby Town: | Glencliff, NH |
| Rating: |  |
| Directions: | Take I-93 North to Plymouth and head west on NH-25 through the small towns of Wentworth and Warren. NH-25 heads northwest to Glencliff just after Warren (where NH-118 splits to the right). The trailhead is about a quarter-mile north of Hikers Welcome Hostel. Trailhead parking is available. Other road crossing can also serve as starting points, including NH-112 at Kinsman Notch, US-3/I-93 through Franconia Notch, and US-302 through Crawford Notch. |
| Total Hike Distance: | 80.00 miles |
| Hike Difficulty: | Very Difficult |
| Permit Required: | No |
| Hike Type: | One-Way, Shuttle Hike |
| Hike Starts: | NH Route 25, Glencliff, NH |
| Hike Ends: | NH Route 16, Pinkham Notch, NH |
| Trails Used: | Appalachian Trail |
| Backcountry Campsites: | Yes |
| Backcountry Water Sources: | Streams, Lakes, Springs |
| Management: | U.S. Forest Service |
| Contact Information: | White Mountain National Forest P.O. Box 638 Laconia, New Hampshire 03247 (603) 528-8722 http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/white/ |
| Best Season: | Fall |
| Users: | Hikers |
| Road Conditions: | Primary Paved Roads |
| Hike Summary: | This was the toughest section hike of the 1,900 miles of backpacking I've done. The AT through the White Mountains requires substantial boulder-hopping, rock scrambling, and tree root avoidance. Weather conditions are unpredictable and can substantially impact hiking times. Even with perfect Fall conditions with no wind I was consistently walking 1 mph slower than my typical 2-2.5 mph pace. Walking requires a lot of attention to where you place each step, which becomes mentally tiring after 8 hours. Add heavy fog, high winds, and cold temperatures on slippery rocks and the degree of difficulty can exponentially increase. On southern parts of the AT I typically hike 15-20 miles per day, but this was cut to 10-12 mpd in this section. Mid-September 2006 proved to be an ideal time to hike. Crowds abate after Labor Day and the weather is a little more stable than the summertime thunderstorms and late Fall snowstorms, but there are no guarantees. We had bluebird skies and no wind(!) going over Franconia Ridge and along the Presidentials. The views were incredible. We had to stop short of our goal of reaching Gorham due to the difficulty of this section. |
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