Basin, Saddleback, Skylight, Gray Info

[Hikerdad]

Any thoughts on camping and possible routes for a two night backpacking trip to do Basin, Saddleback, Skylight and Gray would be welcome. I'm trying to piece together a route/itinerary this spring/summer that mimimizes elevation gain/loss and lets me stay/tent in one area both nights (hopefully in a dry area...). My daughter needs these to finish her 46 (yeah!) and I'd like to do it in one trip (if I can without too much hassle...)

I thought about hiking to Panther Gorge LT but haven't camped in that locale (how is it for tenting?)... and it's a long way there from Elk Lake....

How's the tent sites in the Feldspar Brook LT area?

Thanks,

 

[mavs00]

That's a pretty tough loop to pick up those 4 peaks in one trip and still minimize mileage/elevation gain. If I was doing it I'd hike Basin/Saddleback in and out through the Garden, then "pitch my tent" at the Whispering Pines Campground and then dayhike Gray/Skylight via the LOJ the next day.

If not, the problem is, from any direction, you are forced to deal with either Marcy or Haystack, which pretty much throws minimizing gain/loss out the window.

You could go in from Elk Lake, hit Panther Gorge and summit Skylight and Gray on Day One,Tent overnight in the gorge. Day 2 requires going up over Haystack, then over Basin and on over to Saddleback. From there, depending on the ablity to spot a car, you could head down the Ore Bed and out to the Garden via the JLB. This would be reasonable and doable, but not particularly easy with a full pack on. (1 nighter) You could easily add the 2 night in one on many spots along the Johns Brook valley.

If you couldn't spot a car, oh boy the choices pretty much suck (longer and more difficult). Head back over Basin (again), then then down to the col between Basin/Haystack. I beleive there still is designated camping at the old SnoBird site which is right in the col, so you could stay your second night there. From there, your faced with a very long and arduous (I hear) roundabout journey via Marcy Landing back out to Elk Lake OR; you'd have to head back over Haystack (ughhhh) and out via the Marcy-Elk lake trail you took in. (2 nighter)

This is off the top of my head, with no map, so forgive me if there are better map options I can't think of right now (at 2:30 AM ). Btw, the tent sites are fine at Feldspar Brook, but I can't see how'd you'd need them for this trip though, as the approach from that side would seem much harder.

I'd double check the Marcy Landing route if you intend to use it, some might be over private land/trails, I can't recall.

 

[TCD]

I'd spot a car at tha Garden. Drive to the Loj. Pack into Feldspar. The nest day (big day), take the packs up to 4 corners and drop them. Switch to light day packs, grab, Gray and Skylight. Then take the packs over Mardy and Haystack's shoulder to the sno bird site for night 2. Next day, go over Basin and Saddleback and out the Orebed Brook trail.

 

[stoopid]

Isn't there a lean-to/camping area in Panther Gorge?

 

[Rik]

Isn't there a lean-to/camping area in Panther Gorge?

Yes, there is.

 

[stoopid]

Yes, there is.

I didn't see it mentioned, and it would be another base camp possibility...

 

[lumberzac]

I didn't see it mentioned, and it would be another base camp possibility...

It could be a possible base camp, but keep in mind that it's a 9-mile hike to the lean-to from the summer trailhead.

 

[TCD]

Although I have not been on that section of trail, I understand that the climb out of Panther Gorge over Haystack is quite steep and arduous. So even though there is camping at Panther Gorge, I don't know if it would be the best choice. If I was already at Lake Tear (where you need to be to climb Gray and Skylight), I think I'd rather go over Marcy to get to the Range trail than go down in to PG and climb back out. From Lake Tear to the junction by Little Haystack via Marcy is a little less distance, vertical, and less technical than via Haystack. Of course, it does depend on conditions on each trail.

 

[Silverback]

What about Bushnell Falls as a base camp?

Is it possible to pack in via the relatively flat five miles to Bushnell Falls, hike Basin and Saddleback on one day, then hike over Marcy to Skylight and Gray the next. I know that means up and over Marcy twice, but it isn't really as tough as coming up Haystack from Panther Gorge with a full pack.

Just a thought.

 

[stoopid]

I haven't been in Panther Gorge yet, mostly because the people I've talked to who have said it was "nothing special". But if this were my hike I'd probably work it into the plan somehow just to experience it for myself. The other possibilities are the more efficient way, but maybe not the most sceneic in terms of landmarks and such...

Did I just post that??

 

[Rik]

I like Panther Gorge but wouldn't use it for this trip. I like Silverbacks plan the best. I might use Panther Gorge if Haystack was wanted/needed.

 

[masshysteria]

I would have to third Silverbacks suggestion of Bushnell Falls, and add that in that case, why not Slant Rock? Shaves another couple of miles each way.

On the day you do the Skylight-Gray loop, go over Marcy to 4 Corners, to Skylight, back to 4C, hit Gray, and then continue along the ridge to the summit of Marcy. This could be done in the opposite direction, but I gather it's difficult to find a good route from Marcy to Gray. That might be a bit of a haul Hikerdad, but what a way to celebrate #46 on the top of Marcy!

 

[Mike P.]

Panther Gorge not worth it? Can't comment from the bottom but the view from Haystack over the gorge to the backside of Marcy & Skylight IMO is one of the best in the Northeast. Marcy from the other side seems like kind of a boring view but seeing the slides from Haystack is impressive.

On my short list of the best views in the Northeast the view from Haystack falls just a couple below Katahdin.