Fletch wrote:Thanks guys. Appreciate the comments. I think the hut idea might be the way to go... couple extra bucks could make the trip do-able if we were able to cover some respectable distance. Thanks all. Will let you know how it pans out...
If you are going from Katahdin to Washington, there is exactly one hut (Madison) in the Presidentials that would be on your way. There are 3 more huts run by the AMC in the 100-Mile Wilderness region, but there is a huge gap, perhaps 200 miles, between those and Madison. So, even if you don't mind spending the money, there really is no possible way that the trip you are proposing can be done as a "hut-hop", which means that you will still need to carry a tent, sleeping bags, stove, cooking gear, etc.; the only weight you will be saving by staying in a hut will be food (breakfast and dinner, more precisely) and fuel, but even there you are talking about 4 days worth' out of 30 days total. My point here is: I'm not saying you shouldn't use them (that's obviously your call), but for what you're planning, I wouldn't expect staying in the few and far-between huts along the way will affect your overall speed by all that much.