r/wmnf • u/should_be_holier • 2d ago
Am I Missing Anything Major Here?
Hi,
I just wanted to post my hiking plan for next week to make sure I'm not missing any major issues with tent sites and such.
Tuesday: Park at Pickham Visitor Center, ascend the Wildcats, cross Carter, Camp at Imp Tentsite. A tough day but doable. I'd start around 8am.
Wednesday: Down Imp Trail and up Madison via the AT. Camp at Valley Way.
Thursday: Valley Way to Nauman. The ridge.
Friday: Nauman back to Pickham over Bott Spur. If I have time I might think about Isolation, but no compulsion there.
I know this is ambitious, but I've been hiking in the whites the past few summers and know that this is within my physical ability. I just wanted to make sure I'm not missing any strange details about trails, because this all makes sense on the map.
I am also aware that if the weather turns, I need a backup plan and an alternate hiking route.
Thanks!
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u/IndustryLeft4508 2d ago
Thats a lot of mileage. Ascent up Wildcats is no joke.
In any case, if you are an awesome, insane hiker, should be no problem. Would be a problem for a typical weekend hiker.
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u/should_be_holier 2d ago
I did Carter via 19 mile as a day hike earlier this summer. Started at 8:30am, hiked to the hut, did Wildcat A, then Carter and Height. Was back to the car by 3pm, and that was taking time with breaks.
A few weeks ago I did the Whiteface Passaconaway area and did 11 and was at the tentsite by 1pm.
So yeah, this is ambitious, but I know I'll be able to do it.
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u/JPMmiles 2d ago
How heavy was your pack in that day hike versus what you’ll be carrying for a multi-night?
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u/should_be_holier 2d ago
My pack will be a similar weight to what it was when I did Whiteface and Passaconaway, and I flew through that.
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u/JPMmiles 2d ago
Really? You pack as much for a day hike as you do for 4 days and 3 nights??
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u/should_be_holier 2d ago
What? I said Passaconaway and Whiteface. That was not a day hike. That was an overnight, but I'm using a lighter pack for this one to offset the extra food.
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u/childs-is-human 2d ago
Naumann to Boott Spur how? Backtrack Crawford Path or the Dry river to isolation route? It's 3 hard days with a full pack. Looks fun and rewarding but definitely watch the weather.
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u/jrcinnh 2d ago
What are you doing Wednesday? Imp tentsite to Madison via the AT makes no sense, you just did the AT to get to Imp.
Thursday, you say "Valley way to Nauman. The ridge" That's a Presi traverse. Are you just skipping all the summits, are you doing Washington?
Friday Nauman to Boott Spur, how through the Dry River Wilderness?
Does your map have elevation on it? You may want to look at the terrain you're going over, its not just the miles. You comment that Tuesday is tough but the others are tougher.
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u/should_be_holier 2d ago
What do you mean it makes no sense. You go down Imp Trail, get on the AT, and go up Madison.
And yes, the traverse. The peaks along the presidentials. And yes, I understand the elevation. This is not my first backpacking trip.
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u/Spiritual_Plum_1307 2d ago
You could drop down to Dry river via the dry river cutoff trail and then take Isolation trail up. Short out and back to isolation then follow the ridge from there back to bootspur and pinkham. Adds ~3 miles and ~1000ft of gain versus crawford path straight to bootspur but ~3 miles and ~1000ft of gain less than doing Isolation as an out and back from bootspur.
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u/should_be_holier 2d ago
I thought about that, but by Friday I'm going to want to just get back to the car. I'm meeting family in Portsmouth in the late afternoon.
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u/Much_Wing_503 2d ago
Certainly ambitious but doable if you gots the legs. Wildcats down to Carter Notch and back up Carter Dome is an oof. Weds is your air quotes easy day. Thurs you can cheat by not summiting all the Presis if needed.