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New help planning Northeast Trip

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 2:24 am
by tbonfig
I live in southern CT and am looking to take a 4 day/3 night backpacking trip. I've been doing a ton a trip planning and the more I look the more undecided I get!

Here are some of the things that I want out of this trip:
- some solitude - this is meant to be a reflection trip for me and I would prefer not saying hi to people every 30 minutes!
- backpacking/camping - I don't need to be at campsites and am fine stealth camping but would love to be somewhere where I can camp off trail
- access to water (maybe?)
- some level of difficulty - no rails to trails please

I've been looking and the three main areas I seem to be coming across:
1. Escarpment Trail - Catskills
2. Great Traverse Peaks
3. White Mountains, NH

Everything I read seems to indicate that the Peaks can be hiked in a day. This makes me wonder if it is worth making it a 4 day trip. Maybe I'm looking too narrowly but the sites that I have read seem to indication that most people seem to cover Lower/Upper Wolf, Armstrong, Gothics, Saddleback, Basin, Haystack and Marcy in a day. Are there more peaks that I should look to include to make it a more worthwhile trip? If not, I can't figure out where to actually camp along this trip to make it great.

I have no clue where to start with the White Mountains. The Pemi seems to be incredibly popular.

I would love somewhere where I can hike hard day 1, camp near the trail, hike hard day 2 and get to an amazing spot where we can pitch up. Something with water/waterfall or amazing views.

Where would you go? Somewhere that I didn't mention?

I am looking to leave Thursday morning and would love and appreciate some feedback by then.

Thanks in advance everyone!

Re: New help planning Northeast Trip

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 5:21 pm
by John Duffield
The Escarpment trail will be the least crowded. You could launch from North South Lake campground or Colgate Wild Forest. Here's the start, this will be more crowded than further North.

http://www.catskillmountaineer.com/hiki ... nt-SE.html

Re: New help planning Northeast Trip

PostPosted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 6:33 pm
by tbonfig
Thanks John

I've looked into the catskills the least. Have you been? Can we make a really long trip out of it and have a good time? Do we need to camp at campsites??

Thanks!

Re: New help planning Northeast Trip

PostPosted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 5:32 pm
by Bark Eater
I think you have left for your trip, but for completeness, a single day ADK Great Range Traverse is beyond the capabilities of most people. You will read reports here and elsewhere, but believe me, it's the exception rather than the rule. Plenty of good 3-4 day back packs in the Adirondacks with all of the trails available. Also plenty of people as this is peak season.

Re: New help planning Northeast Trip

PostPosted: Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:43 pm
by John Duffield
Just getting back now, from a Hut Trip in the Whites. If you've got a few dollars, it's also an option. Hang in the hut and knock out your objectives, then move to another hut. No solitude in the hut but you'll get some on the trail. Sad reality is, the better the trail, the more crowded.

I agree with ^^^. These hikes are tough.

Have to recommend Huntigton Ravine in the Whites. You could stay at Hermit Lake fairly cheaply and tune up on Tucks, then follow Raymond Path over to Huntington. You won't want to go down Huntington.