Adams and Madison

[yvon]

What is the best route to Adams and Madison from Appalachia?
Up by Airline and down by Valley Way? There is to many trails in that area.
Give me advices.

Thank you

 

[DougPaul]

Valley Way is the easiest route. It is also well protected from the weather, if it becomes an issue.

Up via Airline (great views) and down via Valley Way is a popular loop. The routes through King Ravine are very nice too, but harder.

Doug

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Advice depends on what you really want.

If you just want to bag the peaks the Airline-Valley Way loop is the easiest way. It is also the least interesting, but since you will get spectacular views from both summits, and from the Airline, it is still a good trip.

Much more interesting is ascending Madison by the Valley Way -> Brookside -> Watson Path. Then ascend Adams by the Star Lake Trail. Many interesting options for the descent, I would recommend Lowe's Path to Thunderstorm Junction, then Spur Trail, Randolph Path, Amphibrach (a wonderful trail for tired feet at the end of a long day) and the Link.

The Howker Ridge Trail starts not far from Appalachia, and Howker Ridge to summit, down as described above except that you take the Randolph Path all the way to the Randolph East trailhead (where the Howker Ridge Trail starts).

 

[una_dogger]

Hey Yvon!
Glad to hear you and Annie are making it over to the Whites! I know you've wanted to for some time!

I took Valley Way both up and back when I did Madison/Adams in winter conditions -- was hoping to come back via Airline, which I hear is a super nice trail especially on a clear day. I think Doug really summed it up in his post.

Many interesting options for the descent, I would recommend Lowe's Path to Thunderstorm Junction, then Spur Trail, Randolph Path, Amphibrach (a wonderful trail for tired feet at the end of a long day) and the Link.

Adventurous, Dave Bear and I used a similar variation of this route (which for us included a trip to visit Crag Camp..or was it Grey Knob??) as our descent to Appalachia this past summer after having climbed to Madison Hut from the Daniel Webster Trail > Parapet trails. It was a long and tiring day, and Terra's feet got very abraded on Madison > Adams, something to keep in mind if any canines will be joining your group.


If I were to do it again, I'd use Valley Way / Airline -- making sure I took advantage of the sunnier part of my hike on Airline -- as its supposed to be a spectacular trail.

Can't wait to see your pics!

 

[jfb]

Fallsway - Brookside - Watson Path - Osgood - Star Lake - Israel Ridge - Randolph - Amphibrach.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

In 2006 I explored many of the trails in the area:

• Madison-Adams, a variation on the classic loop
• Scar Trail between Valley Way and Airline
• Wandering in the northern Presidentials
• Another unusual loop over Madison and Adams
• More explorations in northern Presis

There are many, many more interesting ways of doing Madison and Adams than Valley Way and Airline!

 

[Quietman]

I strongly recommend ascending through King Ravine. Going over and under house sized boulders, exploring the ice caves(yes there will still be ice), and just the overall magnificent scenery. The standard route is Air Line-Short Line-King Ravine. The Chemin Des Dames is the shortest and easiest way to ascend from the ravine floor, but it's still steep. The King Ravine trail up the head wall is longer and steeper, and the Great Gully is wilder and steeper still.

If you do a search for these trails and Kind Ravine you'll find lots of other posts and information.

Have fun!

 

[Mac]

Shelter

If you use Randolph Path for either leg, you'll pass quite close to Gray Knob and the Log Cabin. These are both useful if the weather turns. If the Spur trail is used, it passes right next to Crag Camp.

 

[Mac]

If you use Randolph Path for either leg, you'll pass quite close to Gray Knob and the Log Cabin. These are both useful if the weather turns. If the Spur trail is used, it passes right next to Crag Camp.

I meant to say Lowe's Path, not Randolph Path.

 

[yvon]

Thank you all for your suggestions, I'll keep it for future hikes.

We finally did it by Air line to go up and from the summit of Madison we take Whatson path and then I do not know if I joined Valley Way or the Brookside trail. My plan was to take Valley way to go back to the car but there is to many trail in that area. And with my GPS tracklogs and Garmin Mapsource it is not clear which path we have take. I'll watch it more closely.
We spent a wonderful day, I put a TR and photos later today.