# New To Hiking



## thaller1 (Jun 28, 2006)

Any suggestions for a newbie?  I'm in Maine...  I'm thinking something in the 4-6 mile range...


I'm in pretty good shape so I'm up for a little challenge..

thanks!


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## thetrailboss (Jun 28, 2006)

thaller1 said:
			
		

> Any suggestions for a newbie?  I'm in Maine...  I'm thinking something in the 4-6 mile range...
> 
> 
> I'm in pretty good shape so I'm up for a little challenge..
> ...



Lots of good options.  Mount Jackson and Webster in Crawford Notch is a good spin.  Monadnock in Southern NH is also good.  Major on Winnepasaukee....another good one.  Tecumseh from WV is easy too.


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## Greg (Jun 28, 2006)

If you're up for heading over to the Presidentials, I always recommend an up and back to Eisenhower via Edmund's Path as a great "newbie" hike. If the weather is nice, you can explore further up the Crawford Path to either Monroe or the hut.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 28, 2006)

Eisenhower is a great hike and one that will really make you salivate for more hiking.


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## pizza (Jun 28, 2006)

Hit up your state highpoint..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katahdin


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## thetrailboss (Jun 28, 2006)

pizza said:
			
		

> Hit up your state highpoint..
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katahdin



I'd probably work my way up to Katadin considering its remote location and that most hikes up it require an overnight stay.


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## pizza (Jun 28, 2006)

thetrailboss said:
			
		

> I'd probably work my way up to Katadin considering its remote location and that most hikes up it require an overnight stay.



Ok, hit up your neighboring state's highpoint via the TRT. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Washington_(New_Hampshire)

Then come back to Katahdin. Then join the highpointer's club, and read your name in pizza's "milestones" column in the quarterly newsletter. Then do the other 48 state highpoints.

Then thank your alpinezone friends.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 28, 2006)

pizza said:
			
		

> Ok, hit up your neighboring state's highpoint via the TRT.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Washington_(New_Hampshire)
> 
> Then come back to Katahdin. Then join the highpointer's club, and read your name in pizza's "milestones" column in the quarterly newsletter. Then do the other 48 state highpoints.
> ...



Certainly something to work up to!  :beer:

Mt. Washington, however, is not a good hike for a beginner hiker given the weather conditions, elevation, and distances.  It is not a hike to take lightly.  Certainly one to do though!


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## thaller1 (Jun 28, 2006)

thetrailboss said:
			
		

> Certainly something to work up to!  :beer:
> 
> Mt. Washington, however, is not a good hike for a beginner hiker given the weather conditions, elevation, and distances.  It is not a hike to take lightly.  Certainly one to do though!




Yeah, that's the goal!  I'd love to do the overnight ..maybe early Fall.. is that a good time?


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## pizza (Jun 28, 2006)

thetrailboss said:
			
		

> Certainly something to work up to!  :beer:
> 
> Mt. Washington, however, is not a good hike for a beginner hiker given the weather conditions, elevation, and distances.  It is not a hike to take lightly.  Certainly one to do though!




hmm.. maybe you're right - he should start small.






The logbook at this highpoint has some great entries.


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## thetrailboss (Jun 28, 2006)

thaller1 said:
			
		

> Yeah, that's the goal!  I'd love to do the overnight ..maybe early Fall.. is that a good time?



I'd probably wait until I had some other peaks under my belt before hitting Washington if I were you.  Some good experience and gear are also needed.  I did it in June 2000--it was 85 F at the base and 55 F with sideways rain, fog, and 80 mph winds at the summit.    Early Fall may work out, but be wary of changes in weather.  

I have a lot of experience hiking in the Whites and the 4000 footers.  I love planning and poring over maps of the region as well....feel free to PM me for advice about treks and mountains to climb.  

:beer:


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## zook (Jun 28, 2006)

Katahdin is so worth it! Not an easy hike, but Knife Edge simply rocks. I did both Mt. Washington and Katahdin last year and was very lucky with the weather on both hikes. Now I'm thinking about completing all NE 5,000 footers - already have two, so what's other 8  After that I'll see what's next 

Thaller: I went last year for the Labor Day weekend. The whole park is great. I'm definitelly going back there again, this time for other hikes as well (i.e. Doubletop). I think starting with August you don't risk being bitten by the black flies - which improves the experience. Weather is the main factor. We were lucky - it was cold, very cloudy and windy in the morning, but it cleared out in the afternoon. It rained all week before, though. 






What a nice drop! :


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## thetrailboss (Jun 28, 2006)

zook said:
			
		

> Katahdin is so worth it! Not an easy hike, but Knife Edge simply rocks.



I agree it is worth it.  But one would appreciate it and be more comfortable doing it after some experience and other hikes first...that is my point.


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## zook (Jun 28, 2006)

Definitelly agree with you. As I said, I was lucky with the weather and it is the main factor. Not only for the comfort but also for the safety. 

Starting with some shorter hikes in your area is the right way to go. Get to know your abilities before you go for the big ones. Know when to turn back. 

If you have such option it's good to have couple of days to choose from in case it rains.


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## thaller1 (Jun 28, 2006)

pizza said:
			
		

> hmm.. maybe you're right - he should start small.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I think I got that covered when I stand in my yard!  ha ha ha


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## ChileMass (Jun 28, 2006)

If you're in Maine - check out Tumbledown Mt out in Weld (medium difficulty) and Evans Notch at the eastern edge of the White Mt National Forest (WMNF).  Lots of good stuff in there. too.  Good starter terrain before you take on Katahdin or Washington.


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## Mike P. (Jun 28, 2006)

Thaller1, welcome to the hiking pages of AZ,

Trailboss, Greg & Zook have given you some good advise & I'll try & give you some too.  

Where in ME are you located?  If in the Portland area, many of NH's peaks are easier to get to than many of the ME peaks.

In summer, you don't need to much in the way of gear if you watch the ski, weather reports & are willing to turn back when it looks like bad weather is heading your way.

Maps & guidebooks are good to have as it's hard to get detailed route info just from the WWW.

There are many worthwhile trips with great views that are not 4,000 foot peaks & some 4,000 foot peaks that would be worth skipping unless you want to become a peakbagger.

Here are some to consider to get your feet wet:

Chocorua 3,475 feet, bare top, very popular I'd try to go weekday or real early on weekends.

Monadnock 3,165 see notes on Chocorua

Osceola from Tripoli Road, 4,340 feet moderate to easy grades, great views
Jackson - 4,052 Ft. trailboss mentioned this one, can head to Mizpah Hut & over Pierce if feelling good, Jackson has great views too
Eisenhower - 4,761 Ft. Greg mentioned via Emands Path, only Pierce in Presidentials may be easier.
Pierce - 4,312 Ft. travel America's oldest continously used Foot Path, the Crawford Path to the lowest of the Presidentials
Middle & North Sugarloaf 2,539 & 2,310 feet, maybe 4 miles RT, bare ledges on top provide great views of the Presidentials & Willey Range

In ME, some of the smaller peaks in Baxter State Park are very nice & have great views.  It's hard to think of beiang in Baxter & not doing Katahdin though.  South Turner, The Owl & Doubletop all have great views.  Acadia is also very nice.

When you're ready for Mount Washington, while seeing the glacial cirque of Tuckerman Ravine is very nice, it's probably my least favorite way up Washington, the lower trail is a wide rocky tractor road, it's the most crowded way up & once above the bowl the trail follows a route over rocks that offer poor footing at best.  (The Presidentials, especially Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Washington & Monroe are all rocks but some trails provide better footing)  

While a bit longer, I'd recommend the Ammonoosuc, Crawford, Gulfside, Jewell loop.  It's more out in the open so good weather is important but footing is better, the amount of time above treeline is greater, you'll see less people on the trail (it's Mount Washington, you will still see plenty of people) you get to re-fill your water at the Lake of The Clouds hut & if your feeling ambitious, Mt. Monroe can be added for just an extra 3/4 of a mile or so round trip.

Pizza, which way up Katahdin do you recommend?  I need to get back there, it's been  almost nine years since I was there & 14 this holiday weekend since my first.  I like your avatar, how did hike up Mitchell?  I thought the trail up from the South Toe River Road was pretty easy compared to the trails in NH.


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## pizza (Jun 28, 2006)

Mike P. said:
			
		

> Pizza, which way up Katahdin do you recommend?  I need to get back there, it's been  almost nine years since I was there & 14 this holiday weekend since my first.  I like your avatar, how did hike up Mitchell?  I thought the trail up from the South Toe River Road was pretty easy compared to the trails in NH.



When I do Katahdin (haven't done it yet), I'd definitely like to experience the knife edge - capture the full experience of the mountain.

I drove up Mitchell. It was included on a 40-hour 2400 mile driving marathon *without sleep* home from Dallas Texas to NYC (business trip.) We picked up four state highpoints on the way back - Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina. On the way to Texas, we got Mississippi and Arkansas.

You can read about all my crazy trips on my highpointing web site: http://turzman.com/projects/highpoints/


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## Greg (Jun 28, 2006)

pizza said:
			
		

> When I do Katahdin (haven't done it yet), I'd definitely like to experience the knife edge - capture the full experience of the mountain.


I'm just curious. If you've never done it, why would you recommend it to someone looking for "newbie" hikes?


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## pizza (Jun 28, 2006)

Greg said:
			
		

> I'm just curious. If you've never done it, why would you recommend it to someone looking for "newbie" hikes?



I've read enough trip reports, from beginners and experienced alike, to know that it's worthwhile..

but that's not the reason I recommended. I recommended it because it's his state's highpoint. 
had he been writing from alaska, I would have recommended denali, just for fun.


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## Greg (Jun 28, 2006)

pizza said:
			
		

> I've read enough trip reports, from beginners and experienced alike, to know that it's worthwhile..
> 
> but that's not the reason I recommended. I recommended it because it's his state's highpoint.
> had he been writing from alaska, I would have recommended denali, just for fun.


Gotcha. I only ask because both Katahdin and Washington are not trivial undertakings so neither fit the "newbie" nor "4-6 mile range" criteria. Oh....and he's a she.


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## pizza (Jun 28, 2006)

Greg said:
			
		

> Oh....and he's a she.



damn, she said that, too - didn't she?

She really ought to do denali some day. I hear it's an easy 3-hour climb.


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## thaller1 (Jun 28, 2006)

Thanks everyone!  Great insight!  I'm located in North Yarmouth (Southern, Maine) so I think some of the NH Peaks might be closer so I may head to Crawford Notch this weekend...


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## Mike P. (Jun 29, 2006)

It it stays humid, look out for late afternoon (sometimes earlier) thunderstorms.

Another worthwhile (although I have not been myself) is Crawford Dome on the Davis Path, 5 miles RT 3,122 summit bald with great views.


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## David Metsky (Jun 29, 2006)

From Yarmouth it's a relatively short drive to the Conway area.  There are many good 4-6 mile hikes around there.  

In the Crawford Notch area consider Mt Crawford via the Davis Path, Mt Webster or Mt Jackson or both via the Webster-Jackson Loop, Mt Hale which is off the Zealand Road, or Nancy and Norcross Ponds.  There are many shorter and longer hikes in the area.  You should probably pick up a copy of the AMC White Mountain Guide which has all the maps and trail descriptions, plus many suggested hikes.

Places like Mt Washington and Katahdin are very nice but there's no point going there simply because they are the highest point in the state.  Washington is a zoo, with a road, a train, cafeteria, giftshop, and 100's of people so it's nothing like a wilderness experience.  For challanging hikes there are many better choices nearby such as Jefferson or Adams.  Most hikers eventually bag Washington, but frankly it's a let down.

Katahdin, on the otherhand, is a wonderful place that remains wild and remote, at the expense of having very strict access and hiking rules.  All routes up are good, and there's lots more to see in the park that is even more remote, but that's probably for a bit later when you feel more comfortable with longer hikes.

 -dave-


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## kickstand (Jun 29, 2006)

hey, thaller,

if you head up to Crawford Notch, I would also recommend Mts. Tom, Field and Avalon.  These can all be access from the Crawford Depot.  There isn't much in the way of views from Field or Tom (they nice, but nothing spectacular), but there are from Avalon, even though Avalon is lower in elevation than Field and Tom.

there are tons of great hikes up in that area.  Dave mentions some good ones.  If there is a link to his site in his profile, go check it out and read some trip reports.  Those may help you out in deciding, as well.  Also, here is a link to a nice site.  Even though it is dedicated to the 4000'ers, it has some good info.

http://home.earthlink.net/~ellozy/index.html

and be sure to wave to the Chalet de Kickstand as you drive 302 thru Intervale!  My renters will appreciate the love!


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## David Metsky (Jun 29, 2006)

Tom, Field, and Willey are more than the 4-6 mile limit in the OP.  Avalon with or without Field would probably be just at the 6 mile mark.  Or Tom by itself.

 -dave-


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## bigbog (Jun 30, 2006)

*....*

THaller1,
 If you find the extra day(s) for the driving to/fro...the weather around Katahdin and northward has cleared up more times than it has to its south:lol:   Several mountains on an _off the beaten track_ list would be (in Piscataquis Co., ascending in lattitude):
Big Spencer Mtn..3230', NNE of Moosehead Lake, 
Soubunge Mtn.....2104', ~10mi west of Katahdin Range
Traveler Mtn........3541', ~13mi north of Katahdin Range...combines paddling South Branch Ponds
...these are a few hikes that come under the _once you're there..._ category...:lol: 

......Acadia's Cadillac Mtn. is terrific as well.

$.01...


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## thaller1 (Jun 30, 2006)

So many options!!  I think Mt. Crawford is going to be the hike of choice tomorrow..via Davis Path.

We're planning a trip to Acadia in September and plan on hiking Cadillac Mtn then...and we may even attempt to bike it.


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## Greg (Jun 30, 2006)

thaller1 said:
			
		

> So many options!!  I think Mt. Crawford is going to be the hike of choice tomorrow..via Davis Path.


I'd like to reiterate the Edmand's Path suggestion. Tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day. You should really consider Ike via Edmand's or maybe hike all the way to Monroe or Lakes of the Clouds (depending on weather). Here are some pics from the area:

http://hiking.alpinezone.com/01images/monroe/

Here's a TR:

http://hiking.alpinezone.com/reports/monroe.htm


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## kickstand (Jun 30, 2006)

David Metsky said:
			
		

> Tom, Field, and Willey are more than the 4-6 mile limit in the OP.  Avalon with or without Field would probably be just at the 6 mile mark.  Or Tom by itself.
> 
> -dave-


I re-read my post and it was a bit vague.  I was suggesting any one or combination of those mountains, not all of them in the same trip.  Mt Avalon by itself is about 4 miles, so I'm guessing any other single peak (or at least Tom and Field from Crawford Depot) would be pushing the 6 mile mark.


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## thaller1 (Jun 30, 2006)

Greg said:
			
		

> I'd like to reiterate the Edmand's Path suggestion. Tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day. You should really consider Ike via Edmand's or maybe hike all the way to Monroe or Lakes of the Clouds (depending on weather). Here are some pics from the area:
> 
> http://hiking.alpinezone.com/01images/monroe/
> 
> ...




hmmmmmmmmmmm...  maybe I need to rethink the plan.  Is there a place along the way to swim?


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## Greg (Jun 30, 2006)

thaller1 said:
			
		

> hmmmmmmmmmmm...  maybe I need to rethink the plan.  Is there a place along the way to swim?


IIRC, the trail follows the ridgeline up for the most part so nothing right along the trail.


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## awf170 (Jun 30, 2006)

thaller1 said:
			
		

> hmmmmmmmmmmm...  maybe I need to rethink the plan.  Is there a place along the way to swim?



Go to the Gorge after.  It is along the Cog railway road (Base Road) before you get to the intersection with Jefferson notch.  It has jumps between 10 and 30 ft.  The water is pretty freakin' cold though.


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## ga2ski (Jun 30, 2006)

T - as evertyone has said there are great hikes in nortehrn NH.  Once lil ga2ski gets a little bigger, all four of us (me, wifey, the kid and the dog) will have to meet you and Whaller for some hiking.  I bet we could talk Bob and his fam into it as well.

If you want a hike with some swimming along the trail try Mount Carrigan. Here are some pix :http://www.alpinezone.com/gallery-archives/Mt-Carrigain-07-23-05


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## Mike P. (Jul 1, 2006)

RT to Carrigain on the most popular route is 10 miles.


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## ga2ski (Jul 1, 2006)

Aghhhhh she can do it.  Plus it is an awesome hike.


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## riverc0il (Jul 1, 2006)

pizza said:
			
		

> Ok, hit up your neighboring state's highpoint via the TRT.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Washington_(New_Hampshire)
> 
> Then come back to Katahdin. Then join the highpointer's club, and read your name in pizza's "milestones" column in the quarterly newsletter. Then do the other 48 state highpoints.
> ...


as someone who's first hike was mount washington, i strongly advise against it. try to keep it around or below 2000 vertical gain with good footing. no need to overdue things.

a lot of white mountain suggests so far, but thaller lives in north yarmouth, ME. might as well choose something closer to home if possible. how far is acadia from where you live thaller? that place has lots of fantastic short hikes (good mountain biking too). if you do the whites, 302 puts you in the conway area so try some of the shorter trails off the kanc: potash, hedgehog, or even chocorua which can be busy but has nice views. could also do the moats or kearsage in the conway area.


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## thaller1 (Jul 1, 2006)

I'm about 4 hours from Acadia unfortunately.. a beautiful area.  We will be camping there in September and hope to get a hike or 2 in.

Today..well..we woke up late, hubby was tired and apprehensive...so I dragged him kicking and screaming all the way to Bethel... by then it was already 11:00am..we attempted to hike Sunday River...the grass was up past our knees and we were stepping in water up over our ankles... so, we canned that...

We then headed to Grafton Notch...  too late to hike Baldpate we decided to take one of the shorter loops..the Eyebrow Loop..  about a 2 mile hike.. and wow was it ever steep...at some points it was a four limb climb..we had cables to help pull us up and ladders built into the rocks...  

The bugs were as thick as they get and hubby complained all the way up.. when we finally reached the top we heard 2 large crashes of thunder..no time to soak in the view... down we fled....and the rain came... in buckets..  

Only one casualty..I slipped on a wet rock and took a good chunck out of finger, but it could have been much worse.  Luckilly, I brought my first aid kit.

Once we reached the parking lot the rain stopped and the sun came out.  We climbed into the car and changed out our hiking boots for sandals and reflected..

What had started out as a miserable day turned out pretty good and we're both ready to do it again!

Anyone know the elevation of this trail???


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## riverc0il (Jul 1, 2006)

in regards to ski trails, they usually make for not the best hiking trails as you found out. though i hike ski trails often during the summer, the combination of high grass (which makes observing footing and avoiding holes difficult if not impossible) and unrelenting steepness with no rock steps make for not the best hiking. i opt for the hiking trails on ski mountains when ever possible, but i don't think the river has much for hiking trails, so there you have it!


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## thetrailboss (Jul 1, 2006)

Greg said:
			
		

> IIRC, the trail follows the ridgeline up for the most part so nothing right along the trail.



We just came back from Pierce....right next door and earlier in the AM/PM was good.  Some rain and T-Storm Showers in late PM.  

Bit hazy....but views for about 35-40 miles or so.  Definitely worth it...oh yeah, and the bugs weren't bad.


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## pizza (Jul 1, 2006)

riverc0il said:
			
		

> in regards to ski trails, they usually make for not the best hiking trails as you found out. though i hike ski trails often during the summer, the combination of high grass (which makes observing footing and avoiding holes difficult if not impossible) and unrelenting steepness with no rock steps make for not the best hiking. i opt for the hiking trails on ski mountains when ever possible, but i don't think the river has much for hiking trails, so there you have it!



Yeah, the only people who find ski trails interesting are the skiers who ski them in the winter...


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## ga2ski (Jul 2, 2006)

T - gald you had fun. tell Walter to stop being a wimp.  Hopefully you'll get bitten by the bug (and not by the insects) and hike more often.

I bet i can get W into some more hiking this fall if went and and "trimmed" a few new ski paths.  As RC said hiking at ski area can be difficult unless you have modivation to hike them.


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## thaller1 (Jul 2, 2006)

ga2ski said:
			
		

> T - gald you had fun. tell Walter to stop being a wimp.  Hopefully you'll get bitten by the bug (and not by the insects) and hike more often.
> 
> I bet i can get W into some more hiking this fall if went and and "trimmed" a few new ski paths.  As RC said hiking at ski area can be difficult unless you have modivation to hike them.




W is pretty intolerant when it comes to bugs, temperature, weather changes, being "rushed" and getting up early when it's not his idea..  but admitted he had a good time and thanked me for dragging him out..  and he'd to do it again!

I guess I'll have to consider the dragging as part of the challenge.. I think it will be easier in the Fall since it will be cooler, less bugs and especially if there's "trimming" involved..


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## kbroderick (Jul 3, 2006)

T -- as you've discovered, GNSP has a lot of hiking opportunities. If you're looking for a shorter hike nearby, Mt. Will has traditionally been a good one (although I think it may have been closed due to ongoing development at this point) and Table Rock is a much easier hike than Eyebrow (IIRC). Speck is a challenge (3rd highest peak in Maine), as can be Goose Eye and the Baldpates. Puzzle Mtn is another option; I hiked that when I was visiting my parents on Memorial Day Weekend (pics here), and it's got some pretty decent views. There are a lot of permutations available if you consider all of the options in the Bethel area (which I'm surprised didn't come up more earlier in the thread, actually).

Oh, and if you're going to hike ski areas, work roads tend to be the easiest way to go (assuming that the grass isn't mowed on other trails). At Sunday River, Three Mile to the top of Barker would be the least-obstructed route, or you could head up Lollapalooza if you started at the Jordan Grand. Neither of those is particularly appealing as a hike, IMO, as they're exposed to the sun the whole way.

edit: odd formatting issues. Oh, and I'm not sure about the actual elevation of Eyebrow, but the Chamber of Commerce notes a 1000' change in elevation.


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## thetrailboss (Jul 4, 2006)

Thaller:  I'd do Jackson or Pierce next.  Good hikes.  Good views.


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## thaller1 (Jul 7, 2006)

thetrailboss said:
			
		

> Thaller:  I'd do Jackson or Pierce next.  Good hikes.  Good views.



Crawford Notch??  We're heading out again tomorrow morning with hopes of finding a place to splash around in some cold water too..

what does (IIRC) mean??


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## kbroderick (Jul 7, 2006)

IIRC == *I*f *I* *R*ecall *C*orrectly.

If you want to head back to Bethel, Goose Eye via the Wright Trail offers convenient access to several potholes in the Sunday River (the most notable being Frenchman's Hole).* It is a strenous hike, though, and you should probably get a look at the appropriate guidebooks before attacking it.* You can also hit Deep Hole on the way back from the Grafton Trailheads, if you can find directions (I'd try to give you some, but they'd probably not be good enough to follow).

(The Wright Trail trailhead is more or less at the end of Sunday River Rd., but I'd hesitate to be any more specific because things may have changed in the past couple of years and it's been a little while since I've been up Goose Eye.)


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